My PPO  top-of-the-line dentist was paid by Delta Dental and me (for
the copay) for a 3-tooth bridge. I am still wearing (after 6 months) a
temporary bridge because he is waiting for a color match for the
permanent one. I told him 6 months ago, when he first gave me the
temporary bridge, that I felt discomfort in one of the teeth.
He sent me to an endodontist who root canaled the wrong tooth. I still
felt the discomfort and asked my dentist to check the bacterial level
with a TOPAS test, for which I paid $75 out of pocket. According to
that test, my bacterial level for a tooth that was root canaled years
ago, is as high as it can go.

 I want to either pull the tooth and get a 4-tooth bridge by a new
dentist and new dental insurance (I no longer work for the company
that had Delta Dental coverage), or have this dentist clean the
root-canaled, tooth out, including his standard laser treatment, and
I'll pay to retest
the tooth's bacterial level before getting the permanent bridge in. 
He is suddenly refusing to give me laser treatment unless I pay an
additional $250 and is telling me to ignore the results of the
bacterial test he gave me. 

 I tried to go to a new dentist to get a 4 tooth bridge (asking to
pull out the one that is very infected since it is hard to clean out
infected root canaled teeth fully), but no one wants to take the case
on, since this other guy started work on it.

 First question:  Do I have any legal rights with this PPO dentist,
since this dentist never checked the bacterial level until I prodded
it, and now wants me to ignore the results- and (since he was already
paid), is refusing to include his standard laser treatment (which is
the best way of cleaning out root canals?) Secondly, - Do I have a
case for a new HMO (yippie!) dentist to take on the case, extract the
tooth and give me a bigger bridge under the new coverage?

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Clarification of Question by baruchhashem-ga on 21 Dec 2004 12:01 PST

I want to clarify that the root canaled tooth that is infected is one
of those that will be covered by the new bridge!

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Clarification of Question by baruchhashem-ga on 21 Dec 2004 12:18 PST

One final clarification: I'd be happy to get my copay back($850) and
start fresh with that for a new dentist to fix up this mess-but I have
no idea if I have any chance for that.  I don't trust this dentist's
work anymore, regret that I already paid him in full, and feel he will
do whatever is cheapest and fastest to be done with it-regardless of
what's going on in my mouth.

I live in southern California by the way -in case that affects
legalities. (Maybe I could tell Delta Dental about what's going on
with one of their dentists?? Would they help?)

 Also- Do you happen to know if there is some dental plan I could join
as an individual, not part of a company, that could offer a good
dentist who could finish this whole thing up? I joined Blue Cross HMO
and that dentist was fine until he realized somone else had started
this thing-he didn't want to get involved after that. I'd appreciate
any input you can offer.  I feel stuck.

Get the mess sorted out and then worry about responsibility.

Dental pain, from long removed teeth, is sheer living hell.