Dentist + Gluegun + LIP = "A Trumpeter's Nightmare"

John Mohan · Last edited by John Mohan on Wed Nov 05, 2014 11:50 am; edited 2 times in total

Got a Root Canal done today. But I got more than I bargained for. The dentist burned my lip with her glorified hot glue gun.

Not happy.

Paul Tomashefsky · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:02 pm Post subject: Glue Gun accident?

Dear John if this photo is True . . .I feel for you Man! This is Horrendous! Did they know you're a Trumpet player? Are they compensating you for any lost wages while the gaping hole in your lip heals!???
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John Mohan · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:07 pm Post subject:

Yes, I told them I was a trumpet player right before they began the work. This was a practice my own dentist referred me to (to do the Root Canal which my dentist doesn't routinely do).

fintonissimo · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:07 pm Post subject:

Oh my goodness, that looks very painful! I am in the nw suburbs of Chicago...can you say who your dentist is so that I can avoid them?! Sorry for your pain!!

Chuck

John Mohan · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:09 pm Post subject:

I want to see how it heals up before I think about publicizing names - hopefully it's not as bad as it's looking at the moment. The practice I went to was near Midway Airport, so you're safe on the North Side.

The dentist claimed it's just on the surface and would "slough off in a few days". We'll see. Upon getting home and looking at it, it's way deeper and more involved than I thought it was. The whole area's swelling up now as well.

But on the bright side, the lip and mouth tissues are among the fastest healing tissues in the body. I just hope I don't end up with scar tissue.

zackh411 · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 8:04 pm Post subject:

fintonissimo · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 8:15 pm Post subject:

I'm getting my teeth cleaned this Friday morning...good to know I'm probably safe! What you say is true...lips do heal fast. Hopefully yours isn't as bad as it looks and will heal fast and without any scar tissue.

My daughter, a 5th grader, accidentally bumped her lip while practicing trumpet tonight. It bled a little, but not too badly. I showed her your picture and told her it could be worse!

bagmangood · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:28 pm Post subject:

If you end up with damage, you'll have to try a large mouthpiece, like a Bach 1X, and look what that did to Bud...

jiarby · Heavyweight Member Joined: 08 Jul 2011 Posts: 1188

malpractice suit for sure... their insurance will settle for a bunch, because you make you living with your lips!

It's worth a phone call to a lawyer.

CalicchioMan · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:31 pm Post subject: Dentist trouble

John,

Hope you heal quickly!

Scott
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zackh411 · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:35 pm Post subject:

bagmangood · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:44 pm Post subject:

etc-etc · Heavyweight Member Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Posts: 6187

John,

This is your primary source of income we are talking about. Go for a doctor consultation - from one who specializes in burns.

thadjones1213 · Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 5:30 am Post subject:

You will want to get something to take the swelling and fluid out of it quickly. Your doctor might give you something that is similar to what Preparation H does, but appropriate for the mouth. This will allow healing to happen faster.

You doctor, or even a clinic would be able to give you something. When I was on the ships a friend of mine burned his hand on a hot plate, the on ship M.D. slapped a huge amount of cream with the same active ingredient as Prep H, and by the evening show a lot of the swelling and redness was gone and most of the blisters. After that he used straight vitamin E on the burned area.

For something like this I would get a doctors recommendation.

all the best

trumpetera · Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 6:03 am Post subject:

Wow, John, I feel so sorry for you!!!

Did they just shrug their shoulders, or did they actually understand the impact of the damage done?

Call a doctor, their CEO (or whatever) and a lawyer!

Get well soon!!!
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John Mohan · Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 8:11 am Post subject:

Thanks for all the well wishes!

Concerning a lawsuit, I retired from full time playing back when the Euro Tour of "Grease" ended in 2004. I only play a couple times a year at this point for money. It's pretty crappy because I've spent the last year getting myself back in top shape, intending to return to pro playing for at least half my income - but in a court, "intending" to play professionally again is not the same as documented (recent) income.

But if this doesn't heal quickly I will definitely consult an attorney. Even if I wasn't a trumpet player, having a big nasty scar on one's lip because a medical professional goofed up is not okay. And besides, isn't there some value in the fact that I love playing trumpet and might not be able to anymore (at least not to the level I could)? I mean, if somebody loves doing something enough to spend a couple hours a day doing it, and then someone's incompetence causes that person to have to give up that pursuit - I think that qualifies as emotional harm.

To answer about her attitude after it happened, she was pretty nonchalant. She assured me it was just on the surface (meaning she was either lying or incompetent) and it would be fine in a few days. Well, this morning the swelling is twice what it was, and it’s pretty clear the burning went deep into my lip.

My regular dentist is closed today. Tomorrow I'm going in to talk to her and get her opinion (I trust her). And then maybe a dermatologist or burn specialist.

I really hope that this just heals up nice and fine and I can return to playing soon. I'm not interested in the holly-golly of a lawsuit - and even if I win, it's not what I want. I just want to play okay!!!!!!!

Thanks for the thoughts,

John

P.S. This morning's pictures:

I haven't had a fat lip like this since I rode into the back of a parked car when I was 12 or 13 (embarrassing story, but true)! Well, on the bright side, you know my teacher Claude Gordon and his teacher Herbert L. Clarke both maintained that the lip doesn't play the instrument; that its only purpose is to vibrate. Perhaps this is my chance to prove them right. Of course, the caveat here is, the lips need to be able to vibrate...
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tpter1 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 1194

Yikes, John.... that looks pretty scary. Hope that heals up! I'm with the others who're advising to call a Dr. then a lawyer. Please keep us up to date!
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Miketpt · Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 9:23 am Post subject:

Wow, Epic FAIL!

I just had 4 fillings replaced Monday, one of which was almost a root canal. My Dentist - although out of network - is a former trumpet player and someone my colleagues recommended. This gave me peace of mind going in. Sometimes its worth spending a little extra $$$$$$.

Good luck and heal fast!

Mike

mulligan stew · Heavyweight Member Joined: 02 Jul 2003 Posts: 1846

In the meantime--Vitamin E oil on the burn, frequently. It works wonders.
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John Mohan · Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 11:40 am Post subject: