After the anesthetic wore off from a root canal, the pain was horrible. Swelling and terrible pain lasted three days. My dentist prescribed Flagyl. I saw my dentist a week later, and he told me to keep staying the medication because the root looks fine.

My pain didn’t stop, so I had an emergency appointment with another dentist. They recommended that I see a neurologist. The neurologist says I have trigeminal neuralgia and should let my dentist know. I called my dental office, and they said that the dentist wanted to talk to me in person. He spoke rudely and told me that he had nothing to do with my nerve pain.

When I scheduled my dental crown appointment, the nurse said I need clearance to see the dentist, and without it, I won’t get a crown from their office. I’m waiting to hear from my dentist, but I wonder why I’m being treated so rudely. I didn’t accuse my dentist of anything. Should I trust him to place the crown? Thank you. Heather

 

Heather,

What you describe is odd and rude behavior from your dentist. We suggest that you switch to another dentist and ask for a refund for incomplete work. Although emergency dental visits are appropriate in many cases, you need a doctor who will take time to identify the source of your pain.

Doctors usually prescribe Flagyl for the lower GI tract and vaginal infections. It is an alternative antibiotic when other types won’t work for oral infection. Flagyl has a limited spectrum and is usually combined with amoxicillin or another.

Trigeminal neuralgia causes extreme facial pain when an area of the face is touched or stimulated. Strangely, a neurologist diagnosed your case based on your dental incident alone. But why would your dentist become rude and defensive? We can’t answer that, but your dentist’s office doesn’t seem like a trustworthy place to get a new crown.

You can report the “non-visit” to your dental insurance company. You can ask for a refund. If your dentist doesn’t cooperate, you can report the incident to the state dental board.

 

Ryan Perry DDS, a Baton Rouge family dentist, sponsors this post.