Having Crown Problems, What Should I Do?

The problem here is lack of communication. If you already lost that, there is not much to do. I suggest you get another opinion. Stay with a doctor that communicates even if something its not going right or if there is a technical problem.

Sorry to hear about your unpleasant experience. At times, dentists compromise in hopes of  to saving money for the patient or feel the need  to adhere to insurance restrictions for the patient's benefit and do not offer or perform the optimum treatment. They mean well, but then it back fires where no one is happy. If the dentist shaved down the opposing tooth, and if your tooth under the crown required a build up, my guess if that :

1) Your tooth was very much broken up, it had decay, soft enamel, crack, old failing restorations usually silver filings or all of the above.  

OR

2) Your bite is tight, and there simply was not enough room for the tooth to be shaved down in order to make room for a crown . Had you been given that option? Your tooth could have benefited from a root canal, so that your dentist could accomplish the following:

A) Prep the tooth very low and  to make  room for the crown to fit in your tight bite.

B) Make sure that the tooth would have long term result since the more surface area a crown has , the longer it lasts.

C) Leave enough porcelain on the chewing surface on your crown not chips and not have to be adjusted, nor having to adj opposing tooth. 

D) Never have to worry about the tooth being sensitive in the future and having to get the root canal anyway 1 year down the road, destroying the crown and having to remake it again in the near future.

But you see,  if she/he told you to do a root canal, you would have thought " why? my tooth does not hurt...., but many times root canals should be done in order to make room for the crown, in order to make a better crown, and in order to prevent future problems. I am afraid that even if you go to another dentist, he or she will have the same problem.

Now , suppose the above is not the case. Then what you are dealing with  is basically an inferior  quality of dentistry. In this case, you  need to get a second opinion, once you know the whole story,  and that  indeed the original dentist has not provided the best work given the condition of your tooth ( because remember, we can only give you a great result if we have enough tooth to work with)   , kindly call your original dentist and request your records to be sent elsewhere, and ask for a refund. Explain to them about the findings of the new dentist. Even better ask the new dentist to contact your original one so they can figure out the best option for you. Most dentists will not work on a tooth that some other dentist has started, and they would want to do it over again, and most dentists will refund the patient if in fact there was an error in their judgment or performance.  

I usually pick up the phone and have a conversation with my colleagues. It is always best when two doctors talk. However, not all dentist will take the time to do so, nor do they want to get involved. Which is sad because only "good" can come out of such communications if the doctors could put their "ego"s aside. And hopefully patients assume responsibility and hold themselves accountable as well. After all people's dental conditions are their responsibility as to how they have managed to take care of their dental issues all their lives.

Best of luck to you, and remember dentistry is not an exact science, and dentist are human beings just like you with their bad days and good days and all the same life issues as you. No one is perfect and we all have done things in our lives that have not been the best we could deliver.  We just hope to learn and grow from those experiences.