wa123

                                    10/25/05      I would like to document my experience at the dental office managed by Dr. Dennis Tarnow, currently at 150 East 58th. St., NYC.  I went to Dr. Tarnow for implant surgery because I was told that, as a researcher and dental school instructor, he was the best prosthodontist in the city.  He promised he would provide the best dental care. I believe the care I received was rushed, substandard and, at times, bordered on malpractice.      When I first went to Dr. Tarnow's office I was seeking replacements for three missing teeth in positions nine, ten and eleven at the front top left side of my mouth, and two other adjacent missing teeth on the bottom left side.  While I was sitting in the dentist chair I remarked that I felt some pain under the teeth next to the missing top teeth.  Dr. Tarnow said that I had a fixed bridge there, in positions twelve, thirteen, and fourteen, and that he would remove it, eliminate the cause of the pain, and replace the bridge. When I told him that my insurance plan would cover the cost of the bridge replacement if done by a plan affiliated dentist, he said that I should let him do the work because the number twelve tooth was very damaged and weak and might not support another bridge without an added implant, which was his specialty and which my insurance would not cover.  While I was sitting in the chair waiting for the anesthetic to take effect Dr. Tarnow quickly added up the prices, and I agreed to let him do the work.  He assigned his associate, Dr. Rudolfo Sanchez, to make the temporary and final crowns.      Dr. Tarnow removed the fixed bridge and installed implants at tooth positions nine, eleven and thirteen on top and at the two missing tooth positions at bottom left.  He led me to believe that the implant at position thirteen would support the new fixed bridge along with the strong root at position fourteen, so that the weak root at position twelve would be relieved of the burden of supporting the new bridge and would be protected by it.  He also removed the crown at position fifteen and Dr. Sanchez made and installed a one-piece temporary bridge over tooth positions nine through fifteen, the entire top left side of my mouth.      As Dr. Sanchez put the new temporary bridge into position, screwing the front tooth section in number nine position into the installed implant, I said the only thing I care about is that the two front teeth are even, so that I can play saxophone .  He replied Sure, no problem , until he realized that the front tooth of the new temporary was shorter than my other front tooth.  He had made the new temporary bridge using the old removable bridges, that I had found so _object_ionable, as a model.  He said that he would fix the difference in length of the two front teeth in the future, but he never did.  I requested Dr. Tarnow match the length of the two front teeth at a later date, but he said the bridge was just a temporary one and brushed off the request.      Shortly after I returned home with the new temporary bridge installed I bit deeply into my lip while chewing.  The bite was so deep, and caused such pain and bleeding, that I found the experience quite shattering.  I found it almost impossible to chew food without this happening again, resulting in repeated pain and discomfort over the next few weeks.  While I never actually bit off a piece of my lip, the bite was so deep each time that, if more than one tooth had been involved, it actually seemed possible.      I returned to see Dr. Sanchez in Manhattan on several  occasions, complaining about how deeply and frequently I was biting into my lip. On each occasion he repositioned the temporary bridge, but the problem persisted. I finally told Dr. Tarnow that I had no faith in Dr. Sanchez, and was considering going to another dental office.  He replied that Dr. Sanchez would no longer work with me, and he assigned Dr. John Zamzug to finish the crowns.  As I will explain, Dr. Zamzug added nothing positive, and I wound up with Dr. Sanchez actually doing most of the work that followed.      On my next visit both Dr.Tarnow and Dr. Zamzug looked in my mouth and tried to figure out why I was biting my lip so severely.  Dr. Tarnow thought the problem was caused by the temporarily missing bridge on the lower left part of my mouth, but I was sure this wasn't the case.  They handed me a mirror, and when I looked into my mouth I noticed that one tooth on the temporary bridge was longer than the others.  When I showed this to Dr. Zamzug he replied What do you want me to do?  I asked him to file it down.  After he filed it down I no longer was troubled with biting my lip.  Dr. Tarnow continued to insist that the trouble had been caused by the temporarily missing lower bridge, but I am certain that he was wrong.      Dr. Zamzug then noticed the weak tooth at position twelve and suggested I have Dr. Tarnow extract it and replace it with an implant.  I went to another dentist to get his opinion, and he assured me that the tooth in position twelve would be sufficiently protected by the bridge that was to be installed, which was Dr. Tarnow's original plan.  When I told this to Dr. Zamzug, he replied, In no way will I cover that tooth with a bridge.  That tooth will stand alone!  Faced with this, I felt compelled to allow Dr. Tarnow to extract and replace the tooth with an implant.  I requested a reduction in price for this additional, unexpected expense.  Dr. Tarnow agreed to charge only for the implant and do the extraction at no charge.  Dr. Zamzug refused to discuss it, answering repeatedly, We'll see , before abruptly walking away from me.      After the extraction and implant installation I returned for the required follow-up visit.  Dr. Tarnow said Hi.  How are you doing? I replied I bit my lip.  Before I could continue and explain that it was not severe and may have been a normal occurrence, he asked, Has John Zamzug seen it?  I said no and Dr. Tarnow quickly walked away.  I guessed he was going to find Dr. Zamzug.      After twenty minutes Dr. Tarnow returned alone and said Well, you're not in pain, so there's nothing else.  Go home and come back in two months for a final exam.  I explained that I felt a little pain in front and on the side and I thought that the temporary might be loose.  He replied that a little pain was normal and sent me home.  At his request, I came all the way from Brooklyn for him to examine me, and he sent me home without ever asking me to open my mouth!      Within a week I called the office and asked to speak with Dr. Tarnow because the temporary bridge still was loose and I was feeling an occasional burning sensation at the front tooth, where the bridge was screwed to an implant, and slight occasional pain on the side of the bridge.  After Dr. Tarnow didn't return my calls I made an appointment to see him.  He wiggled the temporary , which was attached only at the front, position nine implant, and said that it was supposed to be that way.  When I insisted the bridge was loose and I was feeling a burning pain at the front tooth position, he took an x-ray, said that one of the rear teeth might possibly need a root canal, and everything else was fine.  He sent me home.      A week or so later I went to a local dentist to inquire about the possible need for a root canal.  This dentist immediately commented on how loose the bridge was, and tried to remove it, inadvertently pulling on the front implant attachment. This caused further loosening and more burning pain at the front implant.  I called Dr. Tarnow when I returned home and his secretary said he was standing right next to her talking on the phone to another patient and would call me back in a few minutes.  After waiting about thirty minutes I called the office again and was told that Dr. Tarnow had walked away saying I should come to the office.      When I kept my new appointment and told Dr. Tarnow what had happened he said that Dr' Sanchez, who was no longer supposed to be working on my teeth, would just remove the loose bridge and then he, Dr. Tarnow, would be right back to do the necessary work.  I again mentioned the pain at the front implant position.  Dr. Tarnow checked the bridge and finally agreed that it was loose.  He then left and did not return that day.      Dr. Sanchez felt the bridge, which was, as always, connected only at the front implant number nine position, and said it was very loose and that the glue he had used must have been too weak.  I honestly don't remember it ever being glued at all, and had mentioned repeatedly to my family that I was feeling pain because the contact point at position nine was the only attachment point and took the impact of any stress that might have been placed on the entire bridge. Dr. Sanchez removed the bridge, and after about twenty minutes returned and hurriedly put a large amount of glue on the temporary and screwed it into place.  My bite didn't feel right, there was more pain in front, and my top and bottom teeth seemed to be hitting too soon, but I was somewhat worn out from the experience and assumed I would get used to it.      By the time I returned to Brooklyn I realized that Dr. Sanchez had altered the bridge so that when he rushed to screw it in place it was pressing so hard against the other front tooth that that tooth had moved and was now hitting the lower front tooth, causing pain and preventing me from chewing properly.  I called Dr. Sanchez from Brooklyn and he told me to return to the office, so I got back on the train and rode all the way back to Manhattan.  When I returned to the office and Dr. Sanchez removed the screw in the front implant I immediately felt the pressure relax as my other front tooth was freed to return to its normal position.            The bridge was still glued solidly in place, however, and the front tooth was still in contact and putting slight
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