First visit to a dentist on the north coast - is this typical?

retiree

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Jan 18, 2008
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I just had a large filling replaced after it was chipped. The result is fine but there were several differences in the treatment from my usual experience with my dentist in Toronto, Canada.

I had to ask to have the area frozen and the dentist wanted to try without it first but of course it was necessary to have freezing. The needle was given quite a distance away from the tooth in question and immediately after the injection the dentist started work and did not wait for the freezing to take effect. The nerve was hit several times with the resulting jolt of pain. It was necessary for another injection, with no wait after that one as well.

The materials were different but that is expected. When it was time to adjust for the bite, the tooth above the one being repaired was ground down as well as the one that was repaired. I was a bit worried because the one above was a crown and I didn't think it should have been altered.

So - if there are any experts or people who have experienced dentists here I would be very pleased to have input to know if this is a typical experience so I can be prepared for my next trip to a dentist here.
 

LaTeacher

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May 2, 2008
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wow.
i had a dentist fix my tooth without anesthesia in mexico once, but it was a decision he gave me (it's a long story). in the DR, i've never had any problems with the dentists or their professionality.

in fact, i just had a root canal and didn't feel a thing.

i think maybe you just got a hack? did you investigate him before you went there?
 

BushBaby

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Jan 1, 2002
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It is certainly not the service I would expect (or accept) from my dentist on the North Coast. I have had molars replaced with posts & crowns, root canals, fillings & chips ground down etc & NEVER had more than a second of pain during the dentist's work. :cheeky:

Check the archives in these fora to see which dentists the EX-Pats (& some visiting regulars) have used. Your next trip should be a much more 'pain free' experience! :eek:gre::eek:gre:

Who, Where, When might help us determine whether you chose a bad dentist & whom we should advise others to avoid in the future. ~ Grahame.
 

retiree

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Jan 18, 2008
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I used a dentist recommended by several posters here on DR1 but not the ones most recommended because I thought they were a little far and thought I would give the local recommended one a try. I don't want to damage the dentist's practice by putting out the name but I would say it was not in Puerto Plata or Santiago.

I think the advice here from searching is to at least go to Dr. Leppe in Puerto Plata (as long as I was assured I would get him and not another dentist at the same location) which would not have been inconvenient at all. I hope that he would not only freeze without question and wait for 5 minutes for it to take effect - if that is not correct, please let me know (not a fan of pain).
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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I think the advice here from searching is to at least go to Dr. Leppe in Puerto Plata (as long as I was assured I would get him and not another dentist at the same location) which would not have been inconvenient at all. I hope that he would not only freeze without question and wait for 5 minutes for it to take effect - if that is not correct, please let me know (not a fan of pain).

Yes Freddy Lepe waits for anaesthesia to work. He's been doing my teeth for 16 years & recently did implants for me (written up on a thread in General Forum). He is excellent. And if you're having a difficult-to-get-at root canal one of his colleagues is also excellent - Dra. Joseph. She has very tiny hands & can get them in places which male dentists with larger hands can't, thus meaning less contorting of your jaw & facial muscles ;).

The only thing you have to watch with Dr. Lepe is his deadpan sense of humour. Wait till he tells you about their postal teeth repair service with a perfectly straight face.........:)
 

BushBaby

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She has very tiny hands & can get them in places which male dentists with larger hands can't, thus meaning less contorting of your jaw & facial muscles ;).
The mind positively BOGGLES with inuendos for the above comment!:ermm:!

I am too much a coward (& need to eat for the rest of this week) to suggest what Lambadas mouth IS capable of stretching to when she is a bit 'peeved' at those who cross her!! :ermm: :paranoid: :surprised :eek: ~ Grahame.
 

Robert

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Jan 2, 1999
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I used a dentist recommended by several posters here on DR1 but not the ones most recommended because I thought they were a little far and thought I would give the local recommended one a try. I don't want to damage the dentist's practice by putting out the name but I would say it was not in Puerto Plata or Santiago.

With out a name of the dentist, this thread is useless.

That's like saying, don't eat at a restaurant, they have a record of food poisoning. What restaurant????
 
May 5, 2007
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I just had a large filling replaced after it was chipped. The result is fine but there were several differences in the treatment from my usual experience with my dentist in Toronto, Canada.

I had to ask to have the area frozen and the dentist wanted to try without it first but of course it was necessary to have freezing. The needle was given quite a distance away from the tooth in question and immediately after the injection the dentist started work and did not wait for the freezing to take effect. The nerve was hit several times with the resulting jolt of pain. It was necessary for another injection, with no wait after that one as well.

The materials were different but that is expected. When it was time to adjust for the bite, the tooth above the one being repaired was ground down as well as the one that was repaired. I was a bit worried because the one above was a crown and I didn't think it should have been altered.

So - if there are any experts or people who have experienced dentists here I would be very pleased to have input to know if this is a typical experience so I can be prepared for my next trip to a dentist here.

According a friend who is a DMD, it is not uncommon for the injection to be some distance from the actual tooth in question as the idea is to inject a "nerve block" and not necessarily the actual tooth, though sometimes the actual "tooth" may be injected through the pulp when doing a root canal as you are actually insulting the nerve

He said Lidocaine Hcl 2% is common and it should be effective within 5 minutes at most, and be gone within 2 hours.

When I was young I had a dentist with whom I had to beg to get anesthesia and consequently when I was 18 I stopped going to Dentist for 3 years or so much to my future dismay, much expensive work though absolutely no pain with modern high speed drills and anesthesia

He also said it is not unusual to "grind" the crown a little, what seemed like a lot of grinding wa likely only micrometers but seemed dramatic to the patient

Hope the outcome was successful, all that matters except a little pain :ninja:

I am not a Dentist, I only get drunk with one.:pirate:
 

retiree

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Jan 18, 2008
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Robert, the thread was not to discuss the dentist but to find answers to a couple of questions about dental procedures here on the north coast.

Thanks to those who answered - much appreciated.
 

Robert

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Jan 2, 1999
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Robert, the thread was not to discuss the dentist but to find answers to a couple of questions about dental procedures here on the north coast.

Thanks to those who answered - much appreciated.

Feel free to start a new thread so we can avoid the restaurant with the food poisoning issue :)
 

pedrochemical

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Aug 22, 2008
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I have known people use their US dental insurance payout to fly to D.R., have the operation and 'convalesce' all for the price of a dental visit in the states.
They stayed in Sosua and went to Santiago for the procedure.
They all said part of the motivation was the excellent and well respected dental care in Santiago.
Continuing with the redundant theme of this thread - I can't tell you where in Santiago, but from what I gathered, Santiago is supposed to be a dental centre of excellence.

Who'd have thunk?
 

jrhartley

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Sep 10, 2008
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hmmm well i dont think many will be using a dentist in sosua now .....since we havent found out the one that doesnt give injections