In April I had an operation, while the tube was going down my throat, the anaesthetist managed to dislodge my teeth and chip them. While I was drinking a cup of tea on Friday night, 3 of my teeth came out.I am now in considerable pain and I have tried to get an emergency dentist but being weekend it is impossible, plus for some reason it isn't classed as an emergency. I now have to try to get an appointment with my dentist and hope that he will see me. I am struggling to eat because i am worried that the rest of my teeth will move out of position. Has anyone advice on what to do next? Thank you in advance.
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Really sorry to hear this. Have you tried phoning 111 who maybe able to source an emergency dentist?With regards eating I would stick to soft foods you don’t need to bite plus cut in to small pieces so can just use back teeth to grind.
Aww thank you for your advice Bevvy. I tried 111 but couldn't get through because of all the other ill people trying to speak to someone too. At the moment I am living off Brioche bread which luckily is very soft and seafood cocktail spread and I have yoghurt. I just hope the dentist sees me tomorrow. I only had a checkup last month as well and he never said that my teeth were loose. They must have been because they just don't fall out, he did tell me though that he wants nothing to do with my complaint that I have made about my care, which I think is awful because he is proof that my teeth have come out.
But dentist didn’t know when said wouldn’t help with complaint that teeth had fallen out.
I would be querying why dentist hadn’t noticed that teeth were loose when only had checkup last month because that seems strange to me. Do they do X-rays as a matter of course? I know each time I have a checkup they insist on X-ray to check what can’t be seen.I don’t understand why damage ie tooth chipping from operation would result in teeth falling out and am wondering if this is a horrible coincidence?? But am not a dental specialist so who knows?!
Am generally not surprised that dentist won’t support your complaint. It’s a big thing to do and dentist would be unable to comment on treatment at hospital when he wasn’t there….
I do hope you get seen quickly by dentist and they can ensure no further deterioration of teeth. End current pain and using a bridge or dentures resolve the issue painlessly.
The teeth that came out were next to the badly chipped tooth and I think because I was eating carefully the tooth chipped even more and brought the teeth out. Luckily I have all the teeth so hopefully he will be able to glue them all back in. It makes it worse when all 3 teeth are connected to one another so I have only 1 back tooth left in my mouth. What makes all this worse is I really look after my teeth and for 1 tooth to fall out makes me upset but for 3 to fall out you can imagine how I feel. To make matters worse I have an interview for a job on Tuesday so I hope the appointment isn't for then. I hope it is tomorrow. Thank you for your concern and advice.
How are they connected to one another ? If the teeth plus roots have come out they can’t be glued back in.
I’m an ex dental assistant and I’m not quite understanding what exactly has happened, it’s extremely odd that these teeth have just fallen out, they must have been very loose beforehand.
I have to be honest teeth falling out is one of my worries! I have quite receded gums and whilst dentist tries to reassure me …… does worry me. I think I do all I can including appointments every 6 months and using a prescription toothpaste but still.
This has always been my worry. I take pride in my teeth because usually there is nothing at all wrong with them. When I have my checkups the dentist always tells me how well I am looking after them. They are even very white and I don't use whitening toothpaste.
The roots are still there. I can't understand it either how my teeth have just come out. When I saw my dentist over a month ago he checked my teeth and he didn't say that any were loose. It is a bit of a mystery. I have phoned my normal dentist and there are no appointments at all so I have to phone every hour to see if there is a cancellation. I don't know what I am going to do if I can't see anyone. I have been trying all weekend. I am in considerable pain and my face feels as though it has dropped on that side. It hasn't to look at it just feels like that.
I have loose teeth but this is duecto being b12 folate and iron deficient for a long time before doctor picked up on it but I'm also hypothyroidism 2 back teeth fell out few months ago and now i have a bottom front tooth that becoming loose. Dentist said cosmetic is only option once my deficiency is sorted.. my teeth have always been I great condition and to lose them is soul destroying. I hope you get it sorted ASAP
Luckily for me I am not ill. I went into hospital with perfect teeth and when I came out they wasn't perfect. Nobody would expect this to happen to them. Surely they should be more careful with the patient. It is absolutely ridiculous. I hope you get better and how is anyone going to afford cosmetic surgery in this day and age? people are starving and can't afford to eat and the dentist expects you to pay for this? Even though the dentist has cemented it in there is still a gap at the front which I am not happy about. xx
Yes It is my bridge that has come loose, which I didn't know I had. I have had it for years and didn't realise. The bridge came loose because it was knocked when a tube was going down my throat when I had an operation. I have never had any problems with my teeth or now I know my bridge. A dentist cemented it back in but when it fell out my actual tooth chipped and because of this the bridge doesn't fit properly and I have a gap where food get's stuck. I floss my teeth everyday to try to stop this but it doesn't work and I am constantly doing this every time I eat.
That must be so annoying for you. I’ve had a lot of surgeries and have a lot of crowns and 2 bridges, I’m always worried that that might happen. I hope you get it all sorted out.
Thank you. I was very proud of my teeth because I have looked after them so well for this to happen and it wasn't even my fault is so upsetting. I now have to watch what I eat in case it comes loose again or falls out. The dentist told me that I need to have another one made because it was so old but it is trying to afford another one, they are not cheap and she told me that they don't fit them anymore I would have to go private. I have not heard that before, this treatment comes under band 3 or C so I don't know what she is talking about.
I am not on any benefits. I am a carer for my son who is autistic, I am classed as disabled but apart from Personal Independence Payment which is a small amount of money and Carer's allowance which is even smaller I can't get them done for free, I wish I could. I am not entitled to anything else.
NHS dental work comes under several cost bands, band 3 covers crowns, bridges and so on at a cost of £282.80, many dentists don’t do that type of work now so will refer to a private dentist which will cost considerably more, a 3 unit bridge starts at roughly around £2k.
How can anyone afford to pay that amount of money? It has hard enough to live at the moment without having to pay out all this money.
This problem is very common and not ubusual. Your dentist should help, sometimes you would be refferred to either a DENTAL HOSPITAL or your own dentist.
I just hope someone sees me. I was hoping to see my own dentist because he knows all about my teeth. I know it is in my records but I feel comfortable with him.
Yes I did, thank you for asking. It was my bridge that had come out, I didn't even know that I had a bridge, saying that the dentist did say that it has been in for years. I had it cemented in. I feel as though I had got a new set of teeth, my face felt weird as though my face dropped, it was an awful feeling. I can't wait now to be able to eat properly again. xx
This happened to me when I was in for an operation, It is all down to placing gas or air in your mouth down your neck sometimes the placing down the throat puts some pressure on your teeth and throat.
My dentist was at a sedation clinic over thirty years, they knew to be careful and not cause damage. Also some dentists place a gag in your mouth to keep it open, they can also place a rubber gag between upper and corresponding lower tooth, this can cause a chip in the casp of the two teeth. I also heard somewhere that sometime the patient can struggle and that can also happen. The gag is generally metal with a strong spring beteen the clasping heads and that can cause some problems if the patient struggles against the clasp.
Sometimes if they need to work fast in the mouth when working that can cause problems It is geerally the same regards loose teeth.
Remember if the tooth is thinned due to age that cast damage a tooth as well
Were you fighting or struggling ? I just read below regards a bridge sometimes they wii prefer to take it out before working on you. All very common. Why was it fixated
The problem is I didn't even know that I had a bridge in my mouth. I thought it was my own teeth that had come out. My teeth were so healthy and strong before the operation, I never had any problems with them. Even if I did struggle they shouldn't have been rough with me, they should have stopped the operation. If it was a choice between having my gall bladder out or having chipped, loose teeth I would have preferred not to have had the operation. I had waited over 2 years for it.
I 100% understand why you are upset but realistically if you needed gall bladder op then so be it. They could hardly have woken you up to say we are being rough with you shall we stop….. they had to make a judgment call there and then.
So it would have been okay for them to have knocked all my teeth out. If they had said there was a chance of chipping my teeth, I wouldn't have had the operation. I have complex regional pain syndrome so I have to live with pain so if I had to keep my gall bladder I would have done.
Keeping a diseased gall bladder could lead to sepsis and therefore dying it’s not just a question of keeping the pain. I said I understood why you are upset but was just suggesting that they could hardly stop an operation in mid flow to ask your opinion.You have made a complaint that will go through the process and yes I do believe they should arrange for your tooth to be fixed but sometimes these things are unavoidable.
I have had loads of operations, even at the worst hospital and this has never happened. They must have been very rough with me to cause me this much damage. Do they not realise that waking up from the anaesthetic with knackered teeth isn't right? they will get more complaints than mine if this keeps happening. I don't agree, it can be avoidable, they just have to be more careful. It took them ages to put me to sleep, which again has never happened because I fall asleep pretty quick, so I don't know what they were doing?
Your problem is you are where you are nowWhy the fixed bridge ?
Tomorrow I am going to see my NHS Dentist, they have to be careful with what remains of my teeth. I am a rotton patient and because of brutal dentistry in the 50/60/70 My dental treatment is very tentitive
So now at seventy years old they cannot sedate so they have to keep a close eye on me so I am checked out at three month intervals.
All I need to say is trust your dentist.. why is the brace secured in that can be a problem as well.
Are they going to remove the appliance soon especially if it has been in for a long time. Removing the secured brace may cause problems
Call an attorney right away. He caused you harm.I hope you can get proper care. You don’t want bacteria to enter your bloodstream and cause a septicaemia. Gargle with saltwater.
Luckily for me it has been all sorted out now. I have made an official complaint through the NHS complaints board. They are looking into it all. From saying I had a hole in my heart which I haven't, my stomach is still very sore and my teeth being chipped and coming out. It is just one thing after another. A simple operation which they probably perform every day and all this happens.
Teeth falling out in an adult, without any signs prior of being loose or infection is not normal. If anesthesia person truly chipped teeth then okay, but 4 months later have them fall out doesn't seem likely to be the anesthesiologists fault. Jmho.
My bridge had loosened due to my tooth next to where it was badly chipped slowly loosened and eventually came out. The dentist agreed that It could have been through the tube going down my throat but again they don't want to know because I have made a compliant.
My dentist doesn't want to know. He doesn't want to get involved with the complaint I have made. He has said that he could file my chipped teeth down but that will make them smaller so I don't want that. It is all my centre teeth that are chipped top and bottom. That is why I think the anaesthetist had done it, there was nothing wrong with them before. It was my bridge that had come out next to the chipped teeth. I have had many operations before and this has never happened before, they were struggling while I was awake putting me to sleep because I had to have an epidural due to not being able to have anything else due to being allergic to painkillers and any type of medication with opiates in them.
This all is quite a problem now especially if you have put in a complaint.The teeth sounds very thin on the casp and ssometimes they will either smooth the casp or try and try to streanthen the teeth, The other was will be a sheeved crown although that can be expensive. Personally I do not feel any compensation being arround. The dentists attitude sounds about right, especially if the hospital takes on the problem in a local Dental Hospital. It may be you need to wait and see how the complaint goes and if your Dentist will step up when the hospital refuses liabiblity.
Do you need any tempory filling if it is only the casp and you are not in pain you may need to wait for a time. Remember if you have a Dentist they are at this time, as rare as hens teeth
Hi, I am not looking for compensation, all I am wanting is an apology and to reemburse the money that I have spent on treatment. What annoys me is that when I went in for my operation there was nothing wrong with my teeth, when I came out there was. Every time I eat now I am so worried that other teeth will chip more and loosen. I have lost a lot of weight and i don't want to lose anymore because I am looking very skinny due to not being able to eat.
It sounds as though the teeth maybe were damaged or loosened when the tube went down your throat? That may have loosened them. Were you told anything afterwards?
Hope you are able to get to see a dentist this week. In the meantime avoid anything too hot or too cold, eat soft food and take paracetamol for pain. Make sure to rinse mouth after eating to avoid any infection. All the best
Thank you strongmouse. Before my operation my teeth were perfect, I had no problems with them at all. I was never told anything after my operation. I just had to stay in an extra day because of the way I reacted from the anaesthetic, which has never happened before, they probably gave me a double dosage to keep me asleep. It has been a complete nightmare from the beginning to the end, I had to wait over 2 years for an urgent operation and then when i finally have it done I get all these problems, nothing surprises me though. I have had nothing but problems with the NHS. I have already seen a dentist and she glued my bridge back in. I am eating brioche bread and soft fillings and yoghurt at the moment. I am scared of eating in case of it coming out again.
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