Can a dentist error in a filling cause a root canal?

I went for a routine checkup to my dentist last February. He told me that there were a couple of problem areas that he wanted to fix. What he meant by that was fixing my cavities. I went in for my first filling and it was extremely painful. I went in a few weeks later for my second filling. A few months after I had extreme pain in my tooth where I had my first filling. I was on vacation at the time and went in to another dentist. Turned out, I had to have root canal therapy. Now, I am starting to have sensitivity in the OTHER tooth where I had my second filling. Can this be my dentist's fault? Did he damage my nerve when he gave me a filling? Any help would be appreciated so that I can leave this dentist if I need to! I have never had problems with my teeth before, and I find it hard to believe that this is not a coincidence.

Can a dentist error in a filling cause a root canal?
Its a dentists responsibility to determine if a cavity can be satisfied more efficiently via a filling or root canal, and to do his/her best accordingly.Sometimes cavities are deceptive, and are much deeper than initially perceived. In the case that a cavity is not fully removed, it could continue to thrive beneath a filling. Generally dentists approach this ethically, and would not intentionally fill over a cavity that has not been fully drilled. The successful removal of a cavity is often circumvented by the dentist's discretion if the base of the cavity appears to be approaching nerves.
Reply:dentists are humans too of course they can make mistakes
Reply:It's possible that the teeth had deep cavities and would have needed root canals anyway.


Your dentist may have been trying to fill them to avoid the problem, but it doesn't always work.
Reply:More then likely you had large cavities in these teeth and that is what caused the need for the root canals. So, no your dentist didn't do the damage, you did.
Reply:Where they amlagam fillings (silver) or composite fillings (tooth coloured)


composite fillings for some reason to cause some sensitivity.


Sometimes after a filling, because of the drilling the tooth can simply give up the ghost and the nerve can die off. This is when you need a root filling.


Dentists however very rarely could expose the nerve although very rare.


Now if it was a deep filling and a white filling placed in the first place then to me it seems your nerve has died simply by being annoyed if you see what I mean.


It isnt uncommon.


Its hard to say but I dont think its your dentists fault.
Reply:I doubt he did anything wrong, honestly. Those things just happen. Sometimes while removing the decay, the cavity is much deeper than it is thought to be. Obviously he didnt go into the pulp, otherwise he would have told you about needing a root canal. It may have been just a case where, the decay was very deep. Sometimes after removing it, the tooth becomes sensitive. Thats NOT the doctors fault. It happens.... We see it everyday! If anything.. it's your fault for waiting to long, to get it filled. Sorry, but true...
Reply:Sometimes there is no way to know a tooth will need a root canal until after a filling has been placed so the odds are good that its not the fault of your dentist. I just had a tooth filling replaced only to find out it too needs a root canal, something that we didnt know until after it has been filled.


Not the dentists fault but it sure if a pain in the butt.
Reply:I won't say that it COULDN'T be an error, but you probably just had a deep cavity. The actual bacteria that cause cavities are ALWAYS present somewhat deeper than the part of the tooth that is soft with decay. Usually, we just clean out the bad parts and fill the tooth and it's fine. As the cavity gets deeper, there is more risk of bumping into the nerve as you clean out the decay, so we are more cautious. (This is what YOU want, also.) Sometimes the tooth structure is so thin that you can actually see the red of the pulp tissues (blood vessles and nerves) showing through. When it's that close, we place a liner in the area and cross our fingers (along with you) hoping that there has not already been sifficient damage to the nerve to require root canal treatment. It then takes a month or so to know if the "pulp cap" was sufficient treatment. If the pulp already had enough bacteria present - and there is NO way to really know that - the pulp cap will not work and the pulp (the "nerve") will die and the tooth will need root canal treatment.





The fact that you never had any trouble before does not relate at all. It's like when someone testifies in court and they try to say, "But he is a bad man, because he robbed six stores before this one," and the judge says, "We are examining the evidence in this case only and prior history has no bearing." You may have had several cavities before, but you have no way of knowing if they were as bad as this one or not.