I was pretty confused by the treatment with Dr Werner. Top front capped tooth fell out. Appointment delay- 3 weeks.
He explained I should pay his fees, and also fees for oral surgeons in Pullman. Dr Werner sent me to Dr Holmes in Pullman for removal of stump and an implant.
Dr Holmes refused to do this without first sending me back to Dr Werner to assess if there was enough bone to do the implant. I couldn't understand why the completely trained surgeon couldn't do this analysis himself, nor why the completely trained Dr Werner had failed to do that before sending me over there, if it was needed. I paid the additional charges for being shuttled around.
Dr Werner decided there was enough bone but also claimed periodontal disease. I knew there was gum recession, I'm almost 70 years old, but never had inflamed tissue associated with periodontal disease. Doubts arose.
He called for a cleaning, but I clean each 6 weeks with my own dental tools. I asked him to show me the tarter. He found a tiny bit of green lettuce lodged deep between two teeth. Not wanting to argue, I opted for the cleaning anyway. The cleaning tech gently scraped away, but that gritchy sound of tarter removal is unmistakable. It didn't happen. He finally commented, "Was there tarter? Yes, a little, but for someone who has not seen a dentist in 40 years your teeth look remarkably good."
Dr Werner said a filling replacement was needed. I carefully noted which one. He told me he'd probed in the little hole and gone all the way down to the underlying tooth. At home I examined that filling, with bright light and dental mirror. There was a dent, like from biting a popcorn seed. Anyone with metal fillings knows they are soft. You just press and smooth down irregularities. However, there was only silver metal down in the bottom of that dent. My doubts increased.
Gooey molds made a temporary cosmetic "flipper" that you must not eat with. It looks good, like a retainer with a tooth hanging off it.
The lab sent something so poorly made he couldn't initially even get it to slide into my upper mouth. He worked diligently, grinding for about 45 minutes. I mentioned it still was pressing hard on an area right behind the front teeth. He said he was afraid to take off more. It might not stay in. I left with an uncomfortable appliance. When worn for hours it bruised my soft palate which would swell up. Also there were wires off the back of the retainer that should have looped around between my rear teeth. Instead they went right over-top of the biting surface of my molars. I couldn't close my jaws without my teeth grinding on them. I had to assume a slack jawed look while wearing that miserable appliance.
Dr Werner requested a "scaling" to deal with the periodontal disease. He wanted another $800. for that. Dr Holmes in Pullman eventually decided not to work on me due to some fear of allergies to dental anesthetics. My calls to the recommended allergist were not returned.
I then called the 5 star dentist with the best Yelp ratings. Appointment delay-only 2 days. He could do the entire implant process in his office. For almost the same cost as the temporary ill fitting flipper, the new doc made me one that would chew food. His xray machine was a 3-D state of the art machine. No biting down on sharp, bulky ex ray films here. Instead, standing with chin supported, the machine rotated gently round the outside of my head. In 15 seconds it produced an amazing X-ray that allowed this dentist to look right through my teeth from any angle. Multiple certificates posted in the waiting room showed this dentist had substantial additional training not found at Dr Werners. Here there's no gloppy stuff in your mouth. Instead a lighted wand was passed around inside my mouth taking readings with lazar technology. When the new sturdy flipper came from the lab, a perfect fit, worlds better and more comfortable than Dr Werners, and much smaller, I can't tell you how relieved I was to be able to fully close my mouth.
The new dentist was not cowed by allergy questions, just considered I'd had a couple other fillings, so likely would be ok with normal dental drugs. He had an Epipen, ready to treat allergic reactions.
After the new dentist viewed the amazing X-rays and did a thorough exam, I asked if he saw any sign of periodontal disease. "There's some gum recession, but no signs of periodontal disease." he said. "Is my gum recession unusual for someone my age?" I asked. "No, its about what we'd expect." he replied. I asked about my fillings, any more work needed at this time? No, he responded. Funny how different the story was. At least for implants, this 5 star dentist is top notch. If you want all treatments in a single office, quick appointments, with modern machines, you might want to skip Dr Werner's office. Comparing the two experiences... well... you can sum that up on your own. read more
