Dental Negligence Claims

Dental Negligence Compensation

As with any health professional, whether NHS or private, dentists have a duty to provide their patients with a reasonable standard of care.

If they fail in this duty, and the person they are treating suffers in any way as a result, then the victim may have a potential dental negligence claim.

Types of claim that our solicitors can assist with include:

• Orthodontic errors
• Delayed diagnosis of dental cancer
• Failure to diagnose/treat periodontal disease
• Removal of healthy teeth
• Incorrect dental treatment
• Nerve damage/paresthesia
• Burns to the mouth/lip/tongue
• Failure to notice fractured or separated endodontic instruments
• Negligent root canal treatments

Our team of specialist medical negligence solicitors is experienced in handling dental negligence claims, and can offer you free and confidential advice if you think you may have a dental negligence claim.

Dental Case Studies

Case study – negligent root canal treatment

• We successfully represented our client in a claim against their dentist for damages for dental negligence. Our client underwent negligent root canal treatment which led to the need for repeat root canal treatment and ultimately the loss of the tooth.
• The defendant dentist carried out root canal treatment to a front upper tooth and then fitted a crown on this tooth. Our client suffered pain after this treatment but was reassured by the defendant dentist that the pain could take several weeks to settle following root canal treatment.
• Our client was eventually given an emergency appointment with a different dentist who referred our client to a dental hospital to have the root canal treatment re-done.  The hospital dentist took x-rays and examined our client and advised them that the root filling was 4-5 mm short of the radiographic apex and there was a visible patent canal beyond this.
• The hospital dentist also diagnosed a poorly fitting crown and recommended re-root canal treatment and a replacement crown.  Our client underwent this treatment but suffered continued pain and eventually the tooth had to be extracted. Our client has been provided with a bridge to restore the space but finds this uncomfortable.

Case study – periodontal disease

• Our client was under the care of her dentist from 1992. Unbeknown to our client, she was suffering from periodontal disease which was first recognised in 1997. She was not told about her condition or referred to a specialist for treatment and only received 4 scale and polishes over 9 years.
• In 2006 our client started noticing gaps in between her teeth and so she attended a different dentist to see if anything could be done to improve the appearance of her teeth. She was provided with 6 veneers.
• In 2008, our client saw another dentist and she was told that she had periodontal disease and it was so severe that she had bone loss and might lose several teeth. She has since lost several teeth and undergone extensive treatment which includes extraction of teeth, replacement veneers, crowns and implants.
• Our client has been successful in her claim and has received £36,000 compensation.

Case study – negligent dental treatment

• Our client brought a claim against her former dentist for negligent dental treatment. She had suffered problems with the tooth when she was a child and in 2008 the tooth became painful.
• When she attended her dentist, he failed to conduct a proper examination and diagnose that the tooth was infected and needed to be extracted.
• Our client persevered with the pain in her tooth for several weeks before returning to her dentist who told her that she needed an apicectomy, which is a surgical procedure to treat the infection. This was not a pleasant experience.
• Our client then saw a different dentist who advised that the tooth did not have any hope of recovering and should have been extracted. Not only this, but the apicectomy had been carried out poorly.
• Although the tooth would have needed extracting in any event, the claim was based on the fact that our client suffered a period of unnecessary pain until the infection was diagnosed and then the pain and cost of an apicectomy (which was not required as the tooth needed removing anyway).  Our client received £3,000 by way of compensation.

Do you have a potential dental negligence claim?

Please contact us for advice if you feel you have suffered any form of negligent dental treatment. We have a specialist team of medical negligence solicitors who are always happy to help.

If you would like advice on whether you have a potential clinical negligence claim or assistance with drafting a letter of complaint, please contact us on the number below. Please note that there are legal time limits in place for starting a claim for compensation, and our specialist dental negligence solicitors will be able to advise you specifically on the facts of your own case.