dental/extraction(s)

[max87]

I got a tooth extracted. Before the extraction I saw a note of the desk — didn’t know what it meant or even if it was related to me. This was an outside dentist that the VA has assigned me to — as I can no longer get to VA dental clinic due to driving-anxiety issues. Previous VA dentist sent me message: “this dentist will take care of your comprehensive dental needs.” I’m Class IV.

The note said: “No bone.”

since then I have looked all of the stuff up. And I realize now that I think it was quite cruel to not authorize “bone.” The dentist made a comment while doing this extraction, that again I didn’t understand until I studied up on it all later. And I didn’t ask the dentist any questions until a week after that. But during the extraction the dentist mumbled something about that they weren’t going to not put bone in there. A week later I went back for a check up and I asked the dentist why they didn’t “not put bone“ as the note said. First the dentist started explaining how it wasn’t going to bankrupt them. But then I started talking or asking questions and I said well did you do that because you thought it was “unethical“ not to? The dentist shook their head and said, “well, yes.”

obviously the dentist didn’t just do it for the heck of it.

since learning all of the stuff now I realize that three other teeth that the VA pulled there was never any bone grafting. And now I know about this melting jaw and now I know about how much bone is missing and how fast it goes. If you haven’t researched the stuff you should because it happens fast.

now perhaps the VA says all of this can be done later. Perhaps they believe that you could be missing a whole lot more bone than you are now and it can all be repaired later. Of course the problem with this is getting it done and all the time that passes trying to get something approved. There’s really no excuse for them not doing it like most dentist do and that is at the time of extraction. They still might have to do more later if you were to get implants or something like that — I’ve been told “good luck” getting implants by a VA dental tech. I’ve also been told “well you get it for free.” Which I reported to the lead dentist who said nothing about it and made no apology. The VA lead dentist also told me I should buy dental insurance through the VA — the lead dentist wrote that to me in a secured message so all of this as well documented.

Furthermore in seeking the treatment I desperately needed for years because I realize the VA wasn’t doing it they were taking way too long to do it. And I was using all those over-the-counter pain medications for year approximately a tube day on about three or four different teeth! So what I did was I went around to a bunch of free dentist who gave you a complete work up for free x-rays and everything. I went to five dentist in one endodontist. Two of them I paid $100. The endodontist wrote a three page report and he thought I was going to be back really soon because I needed three or four route canals badly.

The VA assigned me to an outside dentist to get some of the stuff done finally after I twisted their arm With my reports. I went and saw their first outside guy and he did a complete work up of course I didn’t say very much because you know, it’s a dental exam! about a week after that I saw the plan he worked up and he had one root canal in it. So I sent him an email asking listen I need about three root canal‘s really quickly and I can’t wait months for the VA to approve your entire plan. And also, you only had one root canal in your plan, why was that when I need at least four?

this dentist wrote me back a letter saying he would not comment on what these other dentist had told me and that he would have the endodontist when he sent me to the endodontist look at those other reported teeth. And then he went on to say in his letter that if I had been seeing all these other dentist for the last few years that this indeed was, and I quote, “neglect.“

I wrote back thank you very much your number six I haven’t been seeing any deaths except the VA for the last 10 years. I went and got these letters and examinations to get the VA to act.

I think with a lot of people including the damn doctors at the VA don’t realize is that all this time that goes by your body is deteriorating your losing bone and losing it fast.

 

I’m writing this post to talk about that dental stuff. I don’t know what to do about this dentist I could pay $350 for the bone the dentist said was unethical not to put in. The dentist is not gonna even try to build the VA for it. I guess because they feel like they won’t get it because it was an authorized in the first place. No I can’t really ask the dentist to go through that billing the VA and being refused because they probably don’t want to get involved. But if they did do that and the VA refused and then I paid then perhaps I could try to get it back from the VA my case would be stronger for that particular Money. Or maybe it would be the same strength.

 

I have at least three other cases with the VA of either failure to diagnose or failure to treat. And those things are part of what constitutes malpractice as far as I’ve understood recently as I had to become Joe Junior lawyer.

I had no idea about all of the stuff and how fast these deterioration‘s and bone loss could occur and what could happen to your face until afterwards. Years afterwards.

I see I have other instances. For example my clinic got a new PCP to take the place of mine of 15 years. My first experience was that I went to the hospital overnight we don’t know why but if that time they discovered an aortic aneurysm. later I was sent to some imaging place six months later and I suppose it was to get another look at that. And as I learned about those things I found out that they monitor the size and the growth rate. When I got the report from my PCP it said I had an AAA and that an AAA ultrasound would be given again in a year to monitor it for size. I looked up AAA, it said abdominal aortic aneurysm. I also looked up how you monitor these things. I found out that for abdominal aneurysms you use the ultrasound. I also found out that there’s thoracic aneurysm’s and for that they use CT scans due to the chest cavity. OK so I learned about aneurysms.

then I decided wouldn’t it be cool to see a picture of that. So I contacted the imaging place which was an outside place. And I got the images in the reports. Of course the pictures didn’t look like anything to me. But the written reports were there. The report said I had an ascending thoracic aneurysm, Not an abdominal aneurysm. And I never been curious I’ve never known that I don’t have an abdominal aneurysm. And had they used an ultrasound on my abdomen a year later I would not of known that they’re not only in the wrong place but using the wrong tool.

and I never been curious I’ve never known that I don’t have an abdominal aneurysm. And had they used an ultrasound on my abdomen a year later I would not of known that they’re not only in the wrong place but using the wrong tool.

I wrote the doctor and asked her to explain this misdiagnosis. she would not do it she stayed on that I had an AAA aneurysm. this went on for a month and I finally forced her to telephone me. She still wouldn’t cop to the mistake. And said I should get all my VA records and that I would find it there. She also didn’t bother to tell me that that scan showed gallstones no one had ever diagnosed me with gallstones I only knew it from myself reading the report. That explains a lot of problems I’ve been having too. 

finally I complained and it took a long time and I got a lot of back talk about it, I finally got a call from the second in charge of primary care from the VA regional hospital. This man called me belligerent and referred to Secure messages that had nothing to do with my complaint and that he was miss reading completely. And then finally after his 15 minute diatribe I said and yes and what about the AAA? and he said very quickly and continue talking, “oh that was a mistake.“ And continue talking and I went wait wait... what? you say “that was a mistake.“ I said so that’s what I’m contacting you about. He said oh I’ll have a talk with the doctor. I said yes and I’ll have another doctor please. I never got one the doctor has never admitted the mistake and I don’t know anything about anything.

Here’s one more I’ve been getting steroid shots in my shoulders at the VA for probably 10 years but they last me a long time perhaps a year. I went through the whole rigmarole with them about calling ortho and getting fresh shots… And once a long time ago I got one of the medical directors involved because they were constantly telling me I had to go get new x-rays. And that was an overuse of x-ray just for more steroid shots. And the VA agreed they said you don’t have to get more x-rays like they already knew that. Of course perhaps sometimes you do but in my case not.

here’s one more I’ve been getting steroid shots in my shoulders at the VA for probably 10 years but they last me a long time perhaps a year. I went through the whole rigmarole with them about calling ortho and getting fresh shots… And once a long time ago I got one of the medical directors involved because they were constantly telling me I had to go get new x-rays. And that was an overuse of x-ray just for more steroid shots. And the VA agreed they said you don’t have to get more x-rays like they already knew that. Of course perhaps sometimes you do but in my case not.

so I’m trying to currently get more shots in my shoulders. I called the ortho as I always do when I want more shots and they said oh you need to contact your PCP. I said no I don’t think so I think I just call you guys like I’ve been doing in the past. They said no you need to contact your PCP. So I said OK I’m just gonna go along this time. And I did about a month or so later I got sent to some outside place for x-rays. — this is ridiculous and a waste— I still haven’t gotten the shots they’re still telling me that they haven’t received the order from the doctor even though I’ve had the x-rays a month ago. So I called ortho again last week. And the person who answered the phone and these are people I’ve been dealing with for years, said “let me tell you how do you get your shots, Who was the doctor they gave you the shots before.?“ I said I don’t know you guys have changed around. But I immediately became extremely upset because this is not what they had just told me two months ago I got really pissed off and hung up the phone. Oh now you’re gonna tell me the right way to do it after I’ve been exposed to more x-ray and I’m still sitting here waiting for months.

I’m a psychiatric patient and I have major anxiety problems. We have a new psychiatrist at our clinic and I made an appointment with him because I wanted to try it if he was a makeable to a trial of clonazepam, that I had had before many years ago but never really tried. He told me that, and I have this in writing, “all veterans are being weaned off of all control substances.“ There by cutting that conversation off completely there by me not receiving the treatment I desperately needed. Whether he gave me the pills or not there was no discussion about it Eyeview that is a denial of treatment not because he didn’t wanna try the pills but because he lied to me. This carried on for four months. I asked him to cite his source of that information because I knew it was wrong. He wrote me back a month later saying FDA federal government to be precise. Again I knew he was wrong. I wrote back yes but can you send me a copy can you show me where that is so I can read it. Another month passes and he writes back one one word answer or one acronym answer, “PDR.” 

well, I know what a PDR is. indeed the PDR has the drug we were talking about or I was talking about in it and exactly what it’s used for which exactly the symptoms I was describing. I have a long history of this it’s not like I’m making something up. so I wrote back to the psychiatrist “what page?“ He was lying again. After I wrote that at 10:30 at night I got a message from him saying that I have “harassed” him and I “have been reported to the appropriate authorities there will be consequences.” I almost had a heart attack. I didn’t know if the police were coming. If the men in white suits were coming. If I was going to be kicked out of the VA. I almost SHIT myself. 

The next day or the next day I went to a phone booth so I could be anonymous and I called the director of the regional office at the regional hospital. They said oh no way is the secure messaging system should that be used for to like report people or something. They were all on my side until I identified myself and gave them all the messages. Then they sent me some letter of warning. I stayed on it. Eventually the lead psychiatrist called me and apologized for something he didn’t even know what he’s talking about. This is like almost 4 years later. Not interrupted him halfway through and I said you don’t even know what it is you’re apologizing for do you? The patient advocate had put him up to it and I told the patient advocate later that that was a terrible terrible harmful idea.

The patient advocate had put him up to it and I told the patient advocate later that that was a terrible terrible harmful idea.

I told that doctor when you called me that you need to understand we’re not equals I’m a patient you’re the doctor! 

he said that the previous psychiatrist who told me that stuff was no longer working at “our clinic.“ I hadn’t wanted to go anywhere near my clinic for any medical item for fear I would even see the guy. he didn’t last there very long, a former captain in the army, and so I called my clinic to make an appointment with the other psychiatrist. Of course now I need really needed one. When I called to make the appointment I asked if the previous guy was still there. They said oh yes he still here. I am mediately called the lead dentist who never return my call I left several messages with the secretary saying why did you tell me the guy was gone when he’s not?

I think I should sue the VA. I have all of this documented in messages and a lot of them I printed out I’ve been through a lot more than this with the VA. My compensation claim or the main body of it shall we say was just decided this past summer, I filed it in 1998. I have all the documents I have everything. to be clear, that date just for the whole case to finish. I’ve been receiving VA dental since 2014. 

I have been deemed P&T since 1998.

Edited November 23, 2020 by max87

[broncovet]

You posted:

Quote

I didn’t know if the police were coming. If the men in white suits were coming. If I was going to be kicked out of the VA. I almost shot myself. 

If you have/are considering hurting yourself, well you need to get help for that, first.  

As far as lawsuits against VA, Im not qualified to give legal advice, but to suceed you are going to need an opinion "from a doctor" that VA committed malpractice on you.  Unfortunately, we are not competent to opine on medical or legal matters, so if you think you have a malpractice case, I suggest you visit with or call an attorney and ask him that question.  

[max87]

38 minutes ago, broncovet said:

You posted:

If you have/are considering hurting yourself, well you need to get help for that, first.  

As far as lawsuits against VA, Im not qualified to give legal advice, but to suceed you are going to need an opinion "from a doctor" that VA committed malpractice on you.  Unfortunately, we are not competent to opine on medical or legal matters, so if you think you have a malpractice case, I suggest you visit with or call an attorney and ask him that question.  

I AM SO SORRY! i fixed it: SHIT MYSELF. not SHOT MYSELF. damn. 

Thank you

ps. I Realize you guys are not doctors and lawyers although you might be you’re not mine. I’m just talking about it letting people know.Realize you guys are not doctors and lawyers although you might be you’re not mine. I’m just talking about it letting people know.

Edited November 23, 2020 by max87

[Berta]

We have a full forum here on FTCA and Section 1151 - these are remedies for malpractice.

You will see many posts there from me. The VA caused my husband's death, due to misdiagnosis and lack of timely treatment, and in most cases, NO treatment. They malpracticed on his HBP,(AOHeart disease,(AO) diabetes mellitus (AO),multiple strokes  and hours before he died He made me promise to continue his claims if 'they killed him'. 

I did ( FTCA/1151, awards and AO awards for the IHD and DMII (direct SC )

You need to fulfill 2 aspects for both FTCA and 1151.

I better say 3 *****

3.****If your provider was not a VA doctor, but a federal contractor, treating you at the VA, they are NOT liable under FTCA.only under 1151.

The VA "Providers" are searchable here.

You need :

1. documented medical proof of malpractice and

2. proof of a documented ratable disability ( or death) solely caused by the VA malpractice.

I do not advise filling these types of claims without a strong IME/IMO and ,in cases of FTCA, without a good lawyer.

 

Edited November 23, 2020 by Berta

[max87]

6 hours ago, Berta said:

We have a full forum here on FTCA and Section 1151 - these are remedies for malpractice.

You will see many posts there from me. The VA caused my husband's death, due to misdiagnosis and lack of timely treatment, and in most cases, NO treatment. They malpracticed on his HBP,(AOHeart disease,(AO) diabetes mellitus (AO),multiple strokes  and hours before he died He made me promise to continue his claims if 'they killed him'. 

I did ( FTCA/1151, awards and AO awards for the IHD and DMII (direct SC )

You need to fulfill 2 aspects for both FTCA and 1151.

I better say 3 *****

3.****If your provider was not a VA doctor, but a federal contractor, treating you at the VA, they are NOT liable under FTCA.only under 1151.

The VA "Providers" are searchable here.

You need :

1. documented medical proof of malpractice and

2. proof of a documented ratable disability ( or death) solely caused by the VA malpractice.

I do not advise filling these types of claims without a strong IME/IMO and ,in cases of FTCA, without a good lawyer.

 

Thank you, so much. I will return. Your post made me feel safe here. (hyper-vigilance; paranoia — if i have ptsd, as several drs have said but never officially, it’s not from military combat. i like to be clear. 

thank you for the tort claims references. 

btw, i’m having a hard time finding the forums page here? 

 

[max87]

can someone please link the proper forum for discussing dental complaints?

if it is here, then my question is:

i’m seeking information about why or when the VA extract the tooth and they do not immediately put bone material in or I guess it’s called “allograft.” 

If you look up “dental bone graft” you find that is common practice to do that stuff at the time of extraction. 

I didn’t know anything about the stuff and about “melting“ upper and lower jaw and how fast it occurs, very fast. So now I know why on my upper jaw there’s two big giant “U” shapes it’s on either side — The bone has gone away in both places. Why was I never told about bone graft being put in or not being put in. Why do I have to go find out about that stuff by myself 2-5 years later? 

does the VA think that well we can just build new jawbones later? In other words they opt to delay and just do it with the situation is much worse? In fact when it might not even be able to be done?

in other words they opt to delay and just do it with the situation is much worse? In fact when it might not even be able to be done?

So what’s the deal what’s the rule as to when the VA does bone grafting on an extraction or not?

i’ve got years secure secure messaging messages did I have saved to the dental people, YEARS. And not once do they educate me on my jawbones. of course I didn’t exactly ask but I’m dancing all around it because I’m not the doctor and I don’t know what these things are but if you read some of those messages I wrote I’m sure right on it, without knowing. and I guess if I don’t use the right terms then they have been ignoring me. Or they already know they’re not gonna do it and what they’re going to do. They’re not going to hand me a sheet of paper with it written on it we’re just gonna wait until I find out. I’m pretty pissed off. But let’s start with what the rules are.

if anyone can point me to this information or tell me some similar information I’d sure like to know. As I said the lead dentist at my VA clinic told me I should get dental insurance. When I’m already and gave been class IV P&T.