How do you see a tool tip on iPad?

Dental tool broke during root canal - who pays to fix?

• A little over a year ago, while I was getting a root canal done on a tooth the tip of the dentist's tool broke off in the root. He said I needed to see a periodontist to get the surgery to have the tool tip removed. So I go to the periodontist and he does the surgery. Question 1 - could I have forced my dentist into paying for the surgery to retrieve his broken tool tip? A few months ago I go to the dentist again for regular cleaning (a different dentist, I don't trust the original one anymore) and guess what shows up on my x-rays? A piece of the tool is still lodged in my root!!! Now I have to go back to the periodontist to have the same surgery again becausr they did not get all of it! ARGH! Question 2 - Should the periodontist do the second surgery for free or must I really pay twice for the same service again? If my mouth was a home repair, I would expect the original contractor to fix the job he messed up the first time...

• Answer:

  Interesting... 1) I think you have a valid claim in having them pay for the removal. If a doctor left a scalpel inside of you, there would most def be a free followup surgery to remove it. Why should dentistry be different? 2) do you have the before x-rays? If you can show the same piece in the same spot and they didn't achieve anything in the surgery than they certainly should do the surgery for free. I wouldn't agree to paying twice. This may be something to cold call a law office about to settle. Oral surgeons can be expensive and I see no reason why you shouldn't be entitled to a refund. Glad now you found a dentist you can trust! The first one seems a bit shady