Should My Dentist Refund Me For These Dentures?
I was being transferred but needed to replace the dentures that were attached to my mini implants. I went to a dentist and asked him how long it would take to get the dentures made. I had to move in eleven weeks. He told me it would take just three weeks to get the dentures done. They didn’t actually get in until nine weeks later. Even then, they didn’t fit. My dentist literally had to force them on. If that would have been it, I would have just lived with it. Unfortunately, the way the dentures were fitting I was in tremendous pain. I couldn’t even eat pasta that night. I ended up forcing them back off because I was close to tears. The next day, I went back to their office. The dentist I saw wasn’t in, but one of the other dentists was. He said they were defective. The dentures were improperly aligned and the gaskets were not the right fit. He could order some more for me. I really don’t have time to wait for new ones and hope they fit. I have to leave in two weeks. Do you think I am okay asking for a refund as I can’t get the denture that I need?
Penny
Dear Penny,
Yes, you are definitely entitled to a refund for these dentures. He promised it to you in three weeks and missed the deadline. He didn’t just miss the deadline a little, he missed it by a LOT. Then, when it did arrive it was defective. He did not keep his end of the bargain. As a result, you should be refunded.
I would start by asking nicely for the refund. If he complains or denies you the refund, you have some leverage. What he delivered was far below the standard of care. You could threaten to write a bad review letting the public know about the horrific care you received. That will have a negative impact on his ability to get new business. A more serious thing you could threaten is to go to the dental board. I do not think he will want to deal with the dental board. If you used any dental insurance to pay for these dentures, you can also contact them and let them know what was going on. I don’t think it is going to come to that.
When you get to your new destination and you get another dentist to do this, be certain you check out that they have some post-doctoral training in dental implants. You are attaching your dentures to a type of dental implant with the mini implants, which is more advanced than a simple denture procedure. Dental implants are fairly unregulated and there is not a recognized specialty in placing them, so you’ll have to do some homework.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Luster Premium Home Whitening
My dentist charges quite a bit for teeth whitening. I noticed that I can purchase Luster Premium Home Teeth Whitening from Amazon for a fraction of the cost. Would this work for me? Is it safe?
Jaimie
Dear Jaimie,
When I did a search for this, at first a different product showed up, which was just named Premium Home Whitening. I did some digging until I found the exact one you were asking about. With this product, I think you are dealing with a phony product. They achieve whitening by using zinc oxide, which is actually a pigment more than a whitening ingredient. This will “stain” your teeth whiter, making them look whiter briefly, but it doesn’t whiten your teeth and will not actually whiten your teeth, just paint them.
I have also noticed there is a similarly named product Premium Whitening. This currently sells for $20. While it does have a viable whitening ingredient, there are a few problems with it, all of which stem from the whitening tray they use.
It will not be custom fit to your bite. As a result, it will cause a couple of problems. First, saliva will get in which dilutes the effectiveness of your whitening gel. Second the whitening gel will leak out of the tray, which not only further dilutes the whitening gel but also puts your gums at risk of sensitivity and even a small risk of an infection from the gel.
Looking at this particular tray, I see an additional problem. Instead of having two separate trays, one for each arch of your teeth, this kit has one tray which you have to bite down on in order to keep it in your mouth. This is going to lead to jaw pain. For those with TMJ Disorder, it could be quite painful. Plus, you are not likely to be able to hold it there for very long.
Your safest and most effective option is to have teeth whitening done professionally. You could save up for it or ask your dentist about payment plans.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.