Complaint Review: James Pappas Endodontist South Pasadena California

I lost three teeth because of the infection caused by James Pappas. He won't acknowledge it. He said infection happens from time to time no matter how perfect his dental work is done. False!  I learned from my current dentist what the right way of doing it is like and I am comparing it with what James Pappas did.

The normal procedure is, the dentist injects local anesthesia to numb the tooth. It's common to feel a bit of a pinch in the area when the needle goes in. In the case of James Pappas, he fumbled on the first injection and broke the needle of the second one. (I was not even moving, how could he break the needle?) For some strange reason, he then injected fifteen anesthesia into my gum. It is just for one teeth.  I can feel that the area swells up.

That is fifteen injection right into the gum, not like a spraying or something. James Pappas had an explanation--to make sure it works so that I would have no pain. Well, it did numb me well and I have no feeling for the whole jaw a long time!!! After the tooth is numb, the dentist should  place a dental dam, a small sheet of rubber that isolates the tooth to keep it clean and dry during the procedure. James Pappas did not do that.The dentist should then use very small drill, to access the inside of the tooth by creating an opening in the top portion of the tooth.

Next, the dentist will use small files to clear away the damaged and diseased pulp from the inside of the tooth. He or she will also use the files to shape the inner chamber of the tooth and root and might irrigate the chamber with water to wash away any remaining pulp. James did this part extremely quickly, less than five minutes. He told me that he is very good at this and had done thousands of these, that is why he could do it real fast.

That was how he screwed up---he saved his time but the cleaning is not thorough, leaving rooms for infection. That is exactly what happened. Three teeth lost.Only when the chamber is thoroughly cleaned and dried, the dentist can fill it with a rubber-like mater