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Types Of Dental Injury Claim
Dental Nerve Damage Compensation Claims
If you’ve suffered nerve damage as a result of negligent treatment from your dentist, you may be eligible to make a dental nerve damage claim.
At the Dental Law Partnership, we specialise in dental injury claims, operating on a no-win, no-fee basis to help people like you get the compensation you deserve.
Want to see if you have a case for dental negligence? You can start your claim here or call us free of charge on 0800 152 2031.
Can You Sue a Dentist for Nerve Damage?
Yes, you can sue a dentist for nerve damage if your nerve injuries have been caused by dental negligence – this includes your dentist failing to carry out a dental procedure correctly.
If you have undergone a dental treatment that has caused lasting numbness, loss of taste, loss of sensation or other prominent symptoms of nerve damage, you have three years to start your claim.
As well as physical injuries, dental negligence also includes cases in which a dentist has failed to diagnose a condition, failed to treat a condition correctly, or has failed to secure informed consent before the treatment.
Contact our team today to find out whether you have a valid case for dental negligence.
What Are the Most Common Dental Nerve Damage Symptoms?
As dental nerve damage can involve several different nerves (the lingual nerve, the inferior alveolar nerve and the trigeminal nerve), there are a number of signs that can indicate a problem.
Some of the main symptoms of nerve damage after dental work include:
- Numbness or lack of feeling in the tongue, gums, cheeks, jaw or face
- A tingling or pulling sensation in these areas
- Nerve pain after dental work or a burning feeling in these areas
- Loss of the ability to taste
- Difficulties with speech and/or eating due to one or more of the above
Signs of nerve damage can sometimes be temporary, lasting for a short time after the procedure. However, in some cases involving serious damage, they can be permanent. If you’ve recently had a dental treatment and you notice any of the symptoms above, it’s important to speak to your dentist as soon as possible.
The trigeminal nerve is the one usually affected during dental treatment, as parts of this nerve are in close proximity to the jaw and mouth. The trigeminal nerve is also the nerve responsible for feeling/sensation in the face, as well as for functions such as chewing and biting. Nerve damage as a result of dental negligence can lead to numbness of the face, lips, and tongue, difficulties eating and many other serious issues.
What Should I Do if I Think I Have a Nerve Injury Due to Dental Negligence?
If you’ve had dental treatment that resulted in a nerve injury and you feel that your dentist was at fault for this, you might be eligible to open a dental negligence claim.
You’ll need to hire a solicitor specialising in the area of dental negligence such as the Dental Law Partnership. We work on a strictly no-win, no-fee agreement, ensuring you’ll only pay a small fee for our services if your case is successful. You can get free legal advice and discuss your options by contacting our team for free on 0800 152 2033.
How much compensation could I get for a nerve injury claim?
As with any type of dental negligence claim, the amount of compensation you may receive if your dentist has caused nerve damage will depend on the circumstances of your specific case. The factors taken into consideration for compensation could include:
- The severity of your nerve damage symptoms
- The long-term prognosis of the nerve injury
- The impact that the symptoms have on your daily life and normal activities
At the Dental Law Partnership, our team of expert dental negligence solicitors are on hand to help you with your dental nerve damage claim and answer any questions you may have.
If you would like to see how much your claim could be worth, check out our guide on average payout by dental negligence claim type or use our claim calculator.
We can discuss your options and potential next steps when required – request a callback today to find out more.
What types of dental treatments are most likely to result in nerve damage?
Whilst most dental procedures go to plan without nerve damage being caused, there are some types of treatment that have a higher risk than others for this kind of dental injury.
Your dentist has a duty of care to inform you of any potential risks, side effects and alternative treatments before carrying out any treatment. This means that if something goes wrong and your dentist does not inform you of the risks in advance of your procedure, you may be able to follow the dental negligence claims process.
- Nerve damage after tooth extraction: Signs that your nerve has been damaged during a tooth extraction include pain, tingling, or numbness in your lower lip, chin, tongue, teeth, or gums.
- Nerve damage after fillings: Fillings, no matter how deep they are, can get close to the sensitive nerve endings in your teeth. If you have experienced persistent pain that did not go away after a few days, you may have suffered dental nerve damage as a result of a bad filling.
- Nerve damage from dental implants: As part of the process for fitting dental implants, holes are drilled into the jaw. If your dentist mistakenly drills too far, this can result in nerve damage. Another way that this procedure can cause nerve damage is if the dental implant is longer than it should be, making it press on the tooth nerve.
- Nerve damage from root canal treatments: This type of treatment can sometimes cause tooth nerve damage if the root canal causes trauma to the surrounding area, or if the solution used in the cleaning process is allowed to infiltrate other parts of the mouth or jaw.
Start your nerve damage compensation claim today
Dental nerve damage can be distressing and costly, especially if permanent harm has been caused. Despite being a rare occurrence, it’s important to take action if you’re unhappy with dental treatment and suspect your dentist has acted negligently.
At the Dental Law Partnership, we’re a specialist firm of dental negligence solicitors, using our expert knowledge to help our clients seek the compensation they deserve.
If you’ve suffered from nerve damage during dental treatment, get in touch to start your dental nerve damage claim.
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Miss Lewis - South West
BOTCHED DENTAL IMPLANTS CAUSE SEVERE HEADACHES FOR LOCAL LADY
Condition:
Analysis of her dental records revealed that Dr Shah had indeed failed to fit her implants properly. The dentist had not carried out a proper in-depth assessment before starting treatment, which would have shown Miss Lewis suffered from severe bone loss at the top of her mouth. This meant fitting implants was wholly unsuitable treatment and is the reason they repeatedly fell out. The dentist had also tried to fit too many implants under Miss Lewis’ bridge, which also led to her requiring extensive corrective treatment.
Ms Alisha Khan
20-year-old law student awarded £22,000 after dentist extracted a wrong tooth – twice!
Condition:
Ms Alisha Khan had two incorrect teeth extracted on separate occasions whilst she was undergoing orthodontic work aged just 15-years-old.
Further investigation by the Dental Law Partnership revealed not only had the wrong teeth been extracted but severe decay that led to the loss of a third tooth at a young age.
Mrs Coley - South Yorkshire
AGONY FOR LOCAL LADY AS SHE LOSES TOOTH AFTER DENTIST’S BOTCHED ROOT CANAL TREATMENT
Condition:
Analysis of her dental records revealed that not only had Dr La Fond failed to diagnose the cyst and recommend its removal, he’d also botched the root canal treatments he had performed. His failure to undertake the treatment with due skill and care had added to Mrs Coley’s pain, and led to her needing repeat root canal treatment. The nine courses of antibiotics she was prescribed and the extraction of her tooth were also completely unnecessary.
Nerve damage FAQs
Answers to common questions about dental nerve damage, its causes, and when it could be linked to dental negligence.
If your dentist has recommended work that you don’t think you need, you can seek a second opinion from another dentist to see if they agree that the treatment originally recommended is required. If your dentist has already carried out work that you believe wasn’t necessary, and you feel that they have been negligent in your care, you may be able to make a claim against them.
You should only be charged private dental costs for treatment if you have agreed to do so. Many dentists offer both NHS treatment and private dental care, but they should always make clear to you what type of treatment you are undergoing, and what the cost will be, before they start the dental work.
Once your dentist has determined the dental work that they believe is required, they should give you a treatment plan, which you are required to sign to say that you agree with the plan and the costs as they appear in the plan. Depending on the dental work required, this could be a combination of both NHS and private treatment, but all items should always be clearly labelled on your treatment plan.
In some cases, your NHS dentist may not be qualified, or have the right equipment within the practice, to carry out some complex dental procedures that would ordinarily be available on the NHS, so they may refer you to a private dentist who is a specialist in this area, but can only carry out the treatment on a private basis, with relevant costs. You do not have to accept this referral but can instead look for another NHS dentist in your area who can carry out the treatment that is required.
Exclusively cosmetic dental treatments, such as teeth whitening or veneers, are generally not available on the NHS, so if you choose to have these procedures done, it will always be with a private dentist; again, you should always be made aware of, and agree to, the full cost of the treatment before it starts.
If you did not agree a treatment plan and the costs of the procedures involved before significant dental work was carried out, your dentist may have been negligent in your care and you might be able to make a claim.
A ‘no win, no fee’ agreement — otherwise called a ‘conditional fee agreement’ — basically means that, if your dental negligence claim fails, you will not be charged for any work undertaken by your solicitor on the case. You will also not be required to pay anything upfront.
However, it is crucial that you are always completely honest with your solicitor during the case. Otherwise, the case could be found to be fraudulent or dishonest and consequently lead you to have to pay the defendant’s legal expenses.
If your claim does succeed, a small share of any compensation you are awarded will need to be paid to your solicitor.
For more information on how our ‘no win, no fee’ agreement works, don’t hesitate to get in touch and a member of our team will be happy to help.
If you’ve had dental treatment from an NHS dentist that you think was poor, they will usually carry out any necessary restorative work, free of charge if it is within 12 months of the original treatment. If you are still not happy with the dental treatment that has been carried out, and want to request a refund, you can complain to your dental practice, NHS England or the Health Board if you are in Wales.
If you received dental treatment, which you believe to be of poor quality, from a private dentist, you can contact the Dental Complaints Service, who may be able to assist you in seeking a refund.
If you think that your dentist has been negligent in your care, whether it’s at a private or NHS practice, you may be eligible to make a compensation claim. Contact us for a free claim assessment.
Whether you’re an NHS or a private dental patient, if your dentist was negligent then you may be eligible to make a claim against them. If the negligent dental treatment happened in an NHS hospital, you would be bringing a claim against the NHS trust in these circumstances.
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