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Recently a new patient was referred to me by a dental specialist so that I could fill a very deep original- ( tooth without a prior filling) area of tooth decay. I told my patient that she could see Root Canal Experts for a root canal OR, I could remove the decay and she would have a 50-50% chance that the tooth would not need a root canal until sometime in the future.
What did the patient hear? That, "I promised her that she would not need a root canal for many years."
Now really...Can any dentist or physician make a promise if we don't have a crystal ball to see into the future? Do you really think that I would make such a promise to a patient?
The patient stormed out of our office after speaking to Tricia and Donna claiming that I promised that she would avoid a root canal by having the filling.
When a dental problem involves bacteria or infection, patients cannot decide what the outcome can be..They cannot WILL themselves to be better.
When a patient has cancer, having surgery does not guarantee that they will be cured
When a patient has triple by-pass surgery, that does not mean that they will not die of heart disease.
If a patient has a very deep cavity in their tooth, having a filling does not mean that an infected tooth will not need a root canal.
I am not sure that I need to explain this but obviously I do need to explain this to some people.
In a world where every kid gets a trophy we begin to feel that every option results in the outcome that we desire.
Sorry but The Rolling Stones told us 50 years ago that "You Can't Always Get What You Want."
I never promise anything to a patient that I can't keep. That means if you have a filling in a deep cavity, you still may require a root canal.
