Broken Drill Bit Left in Root Canal - Dental Health Message Board

eyvonne12 · 07-08-2007, 01:32 AM

Has any one EVER heard of a dentist leaving a piece of a broken drill bit in a root canal and sealing it in? Recentely, I had to have an apconectomy done because there was an abscess where a root canal had been done. The oral surgeon found a piece of a drill bit in the work the other dentist has done. Now I wonder if that drill bit caused the abscess, which in turned caused me thousands of dollars (and let's don't even get into the pain it's caused) to have fixed! I still have moderate pain in that tooth, and have been told to expect this pain for anywhere from 2-3 months! Does any one know anything about this?
Thank you.

glowing4 · 07-09-2007, 04:34 AM

I have been waiting to write to see if anyone had your same experience, but no one did so I will write to you. I am so sorry you went through all of this. While I have never had that happen, I would certainly think that a piece of metal left in your tooth could cause an infection later on. Leaving that in your tooth is a pretty scary thought! I have had several apconectomies done and the pain or ache did not last two or three months. You should be feeling better very soon. Hope you are feeling better.

glowing4

Thelma-Louise · 07-09-2007, 08:27 AM

I have had drill bits break during fillings but never heard of the broken piece left in a tooth - what happened to good old fashioned irrigation and suction when debriding a tooth just before it is filled. They do the same with rc's - make sure the tooth is clear of all debris before sealing it. I would file a complaint against the dr - he should be responsible for your 2nd procedure - hopefully the OS will be willing to put in writing what he found - sometimes dentists are reulctant to speak negatively about a colleague even when they know there was negligence.

scapegoat · 07-11-2007, 01:35 PM

sounds like you have a law suit on your hands

ckeichline · 10-30-2009, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyvonne12

Has any one EVER heard of a dentist leaving a piece of a broken drill bit in a root canal and sealing it in? Recentely, I had to have an apconectomy done because there was an abscess where a root canal had been done. The oral surgeon found a piece of a drill bit in the work the other dentist has done. Now I wonder if that drill bit caused the abscess, which in turned caused me thousands of dollars (and let's don't even get into the pain it's caused) to have fixed! I still have moderate pain in that tooth, and have been told to expect this pain for anywhere from 2-3 months! Does any one know anything about this?
Thank you.

How did they get the piece of tool bit out? This just happened to me. I had a root canal 3 months ago and the endodontis left a piece of tool that broke off in my root canal saying that it would be part of my filling. The tooth just recently had an infection and the oral surgeon starting doing the root canal over again yesterday. He could not get the piece of tool out. I am in terrible pain. How can the piece of tool be taken out of my root canal?