Code:
https://www.reddit.com/r/srilanka/comments/1pzdw57/dont_assume_good_reviews_for_simple_work_mean_he/I MADE THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF MY LIFE
I'm sharing this because what happened to me was terrible, and I don't want it to happen to you. This is about Dr Savith Siriwardhana (Reg No. 2591).
IN SHORT
DON'T ASSUME GOOD REVIEWS FOR SIMPLE WORK MEAN HE CAN HANDLE EVERYTHING!
If you ever choose this dentist, make sure to discuss the treatment thoroughly and get the expected success rate, including timing, in writing. After a complete failure, he cowardly justifies it by saying only 80% of treatments succeed.
BACKGROUND
My whole family and many people I referred went to him since I moved to Athurugiriya. We went for cleanings, fillings, and other dental work. He seemed professional, kind and caring (That’s not his true identity, don’t fall for it).
Around January 2025, I had tooth pain. After several treatments didn't work, he recommended a root canal in June. I had two successful root canals 6 years ago with a different dentist, and they are still perfect, with no problems. But without a second opinion, I just trusted him and agreed immediately. That was the biggest mistake of my life!
In June 2025, he started the root canal procedure on my tooth. Two months later, it got badly infected with terrible pain. For the next 6 months, I kept going back, more than 12 VISITS, 6 RE-TREATMENTS and four rounds of antibiotics. Nothing worked. Each time it got worse.
Then he finally said it was beyond his control, and I needed to see a specialist. I was devastated.
I went to 5 other dentists to find out what went wrong. Two of them were specialists. Every single dentist clearly explained and told me the same thing, the treatment was initially done incorrectly. The infection was so bad that it could even affect my brain, so I needed to remove it immediately. All of them strictly warned me for keeping that infected tooth because it has reached my bone. This was a serious MISTAKE that cost me my tooth. I lost my permanent tooth forever.
HIS SHOCKING RESPONSE
When I called him about it, he told me his root canals succeed only 80% of the time. Then he compared my tooth loss to people dying in heart surgery and actually laughed, saying, "It's just a tooth." He mentioned some names of dentists and told me to visit them and check if they can save the TOOTH. But why would I need other doctors if he had done his job correctly in the first place?
He admitted the failure and refunded all the treatment costs. But he refused to pay for the implant I now need, which costs way more. A refund doesn't give me back my natural tooth or the 6 months of pain I went through. If I had not gone for another opinion, this could have been fatal.
FORMAL COMPLAINT
I have filed a formal complaint to the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC), providing all the information I have regarding this matter, and I am awaiting their response.
DON’T CONFUSE SIMPLE WORK WITH EXPERTISE
Being good at basic dental work doesn't mean they can handle complex cases. Some root canals are actually very complicated and need specialised skills. When mine kept getting infected over and over, he should have been honest with me about the failure and sent me to a specialist. Instead, he kept trying to fix it himself, giving hope while my tooth deteriorated for 6 MONTHS until it was DESTROYED beyond repair.
I LOST a permanent tooth that can never grow back. I suffered through 6 months of constant pain and infections. I wasted thousands of rupees on treatments that only made everything worse. Now I need to face expensive implant surgery, more appointments, and more pain.
I'm speaking up because I wish someone had warned me.
Please learn from my mistake, rely on specialists for surgeries, because if it goes wrong, these types of basic dentists would never take the responsibility.
DON'T ASSUME GOOD REVIEWS FOR SIMPLE WORK MEAN HE CAN HANDLE EVERYTHING!
I REPEAT, PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL.
-Manuka Yasas
