Dr. Stuart Rimes, D.D.S. is a prosthodontist in Sugar Land, Texas. A lifelong Texan born in Missouri City, Rimes attended John Foster Dulles High School and Texas A&M University before going on to the University of Texas Health Science Center for his DDS. Here, he tells us when patients should and shouldn’t seek a second dental opinion.
Any time that a dentist recommends that a patient get extensive work done, I think it is reasonable to ask for a second opinion from another dentist or someone who might be more specialized within the dental field such as a prosthodontist.
This is especially the case if a dentist recommends that you have extensive work done, but you have no history of needing much dental work or any total mouth restorations. If after years of great oral health, you suddenly find yourself under the care of a dentist who prescribes a number of sudden restoration procedures, then I think you are well within your rights to go elsewhere for a second opinion.
Another scenario that comes up from time to time is when a patient finds himself with a dentist who seems unsure about his own diagnosis. If a dentist, for example, is recommending a procedure that involves multiple restorations like opening up a bite, then he should be able to explain the reasons behind that course of treatment to you. If he can’t explain himself, then that might be a problem that would be worth getting a second opinion about.
Oftentimes, it is not necessarily that the dentist with the first diagnosis is wrong. But more so it can be a matter of finding a dentist who can explain himself to his patients in a clear and professional matter that inspires confidence.
While it is not extremely common that a patient comes to us for a second opinion or a secondary diagnosis, we do have people who come in for that from time to time. We will oftentimes see patients who come into our practice and say that their original dentist told them they would need a full mouth rehabilitation, so they will come to us before going through with the procedure just to make sure we agree that’s the best course of treatment.
Another somewhat frequent occurrence is that we will have a patient come to us and say he or she has gone three years without cavity, and suddenly his new dentist is telling him he has eight or nine cavities. So this patient will come see us just to find out what is going on.
In general, when dental patients come in for a secondary diagnosis or a second opinion, they just want to know, “Do I really need this many crowns or this many fillings?” “In your opinion, will this work?” And we are more than willing to give them our professional opinion and let them know whether the treatment that was recommended to them is really the treatment that we think will be the best for their particular problem.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
