I feel embarrassed about this, but I answered an online ad from an affordable dentist who offered crowns at a reduced rate. He said he had just ordered a new machine that let him make crowns in his office and he wanted to practice on a few people for a much lower fee than usual. I was delaying a visit for a crown because of the expense, so I took the offer. I was in his dental office for five hours. He kept having issues with the machine and the crown wouldn’t fit right. Eventually, he came back. Shaved my tooth down more, went back to the machine a few times and finally got the crown to fit.

This all just happened last week and my tooth is sore. Actually, my whole mouth is sore, but that particular tooth is especially worrisome. Could he have done permanent damage? And, if he did, am I mostly on my own because he was learning how to use the crown machine and disclosed that in advance? – Maggie

Maggie,

It sounds like you had quite an ordeal. It is best to schedule an appointment with the dentist and let him know what you’re experiencing. Teeth can get irritated when they are repeatedly worked on. The repeated try-on of the crown no doubt caused some irritation.

Possible Resolutions for Low-Quality Affordable Dental Care

• If it’s basic irritation, it will clear up in a few days.
• You can take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen to help you through.
• There is a possibility it won’t get better on its own. It’s possible that before you received the crown, decay had already affected it and the tooth needs a root canal now. Or, you might need a root canal because the tooth was traumatized during treatment.

What’s Next?

Ultimately, the dentist is responsible for the treatment he provided, even if he promoted himself as an affordable dentist or told you he was learning how to use the crown milling machine. If the dentist is ethical, he will want to know you’re experiencing issues, and he will want to correct them. If the dentist isn’t agreeable, or if he fails to remedy the issue, you’ll need to see another dentist for a second opinion on the dental crown.

The before-and-after photos below show how an experienced cosmetic dentist can beautifully enhance your smile with porcelain crowns. The patient’s left lateral incisor (right side facing your computer screen) was too small. A porcelain crown was used to cover the tooth and match the surrounding teeth.

Finding a Trustworthy Affordable Dentist

In the future, seek an affordable dentist out who focuses on providing quality services and finds ways to help make them fit your budget. Some ways to make dental care affordable include:

• Scheduling treatment in phases to spread out costs or maximize insurance benefits
• Financing treatment
• Offering various treatment options at varying costs

This blog is sponsored by Dr. Miranda Lacy, a Plano affordable dentist.