Getting a second opinion

Dr. Hall
First of all, I would like to thank you for providing this site. I don’t know what I would have done without it.

My Cosmetic Dentist is very prominent and I believe he is very competent and is truly an artist. I have never suffered from any tooth pain or discomfort, so I initially thought that my smile could be fixed with 2 dental implants, 2 crowns, and whitening. However, his quote was for $78,000 (2 implants and 24 crowns for smile reconstruction). I asked if there was a way of phasing in the work over time or doing a portion of the work. The answer was a flat “no.” It was all or nothing. They would not give me a pricing breakdown either. Does this seem like a normal case? I must get a second opinion because I do not have the funds to go with the first quote. Can you recommend a Dental Artist in the Toronto area?
– Chad in Ontario

Dear Chad,
I definitely wouldn’t accept that treatment plan without a second opinion or two. Especially if you’re not experiencing any discomfort. I don’t like it when dentists do the “all or nothing” thing. I think it shows a lack of sensitivity to the patient. Now maybe this dentist is right and that’s what you really need. But some dentists have that mindset—if you won’t agree to what they consider the best solution, they don’t want to help you. I was more flexible than that. So check with another excellent cosmetic dentist or two to see what they say.

Just go to our list of Ontario cosmetic dentists. I screen them carefully for artistry and training, so you can be confident they know what they’re doing.

And, just trust me on this recommendation because I’ve been in a lot of these situations. Don’t give ANY CLUE to the second opinion dentist about what the first dentist said, and don’t identify the first dentist or they may call each other. If they ask you to reveal the first treatment plan or the dentist, tell them you’ll tell them after they commit themselves to a recommended treatment plan. And don’t say why you want a second opinion. For example, don’t say you thought it was too expensive for your budget. You want a BLIND second opinion, uninfluenced by what the first dentist said. Get a copy or two of the x-rays of the first dentist–pay for them if you have to and cut out any information that identifies the office–and then go to your second opinion.

Dr. Hall

Other related information:
Porcelain crowns
TMJ disorder