Root Canal Rip Off?

I just had a root canal completed on my upper first molar three weeks ago. I went to my general dentist to have it capped and she said that it would be very hard or impossible to cap the tooth because when I bite down my bottom teeth rest in the space where half my tooth is missing . I'm in need of braces and right now half of the tooth I had the root canal done is gone. It must be capped to anchor my braces, or pulled and orthodontic implants put in. The space is so little when I bite down I can't even get my tongue between my top and bottom teeth. Will I have a way to cap it? and if I can't and she says it needs to be pulled do I have the right to ask the doctor that did my root canal for my money back? Shouldn't the doctor told me before he did the root canal that it probably couldn't be capped?

Root Canal Rip Off?
Yes you do have the right to ask for your money back teeth do not shift much within 3 weeks time. He had to know space was limited before rendering treatment to you. A lot of times when it comes to root canal treatments Dr.s are about money. I have worked for dentist but this problem has never occured. The way you have described it the space must be very apparent as to what can be placed there your other option would be a bridge in which that tooth that has the root canal will have to be removed and a false tooth will be placed there and the two teeth next to it will be connected it will be a permanent fixture not like a partial or anythingI suggest this because dental implants are veeery expensive.
Reply:Most of the time a molar can have a crown (cap). what you may need is a gold crown with a porcelain front ( so you will not see the gold when you smile). that kind of crowns only need 1 mm of clearance between your upper and lower molar. Porcelain crowns need at least 2 mm of clearance.


If your root canal (RCT) specialist did the rct , He probaly saw that your molar could be restored.


Another treatment would be a crown lenghthening. That is making an incision around your tooth , removing some gum and possibly bone, so your tooth look longer. In that case you would have a little bit of more cleareance in between your upper and lower molars.


With this information talk to your dentist, or go to another Dentist that has more experience on that.


Good luck,





DR J
Reply:I'm curious what resolution your general dentist suggested if she said it couldn't be crowned. I would suggest going to get a second opinion. The only reason I've ever heard that a tooth could not be crowned is if the margains were too bad, meaning the decay went far below the gumline. Nothing about the occlusal (biting) surface.





I don't think you can ask for your money back from the endodontist. They're specialty is doing root canal therapies. That's it. They aren't general or cosmetic dentists. You asked the endodontist to perform a service, and he did.