Our client Mrs A, a 50 year old woman from the South of England is awarded £12,500 after her dentist performed a tooth extraction that resulted in nerve damage.
Mrs A visited her dentist in 2011 after experience discomfort in one of her wisdom teeth, her dentist Dr U informed her that there was a cavity present and also a loose filling. He recommended extraction of the tooth, which was carried out the next day. During the extraction by Dr U the crown fractured off and Mrs A was left with the roots of her tooth in her gum with the canals open to infection.
Days after the procedure Mrs A was still experiencing numbness in her lip and chin, and two months after the procedure visited an oral surgeon. Mrs A was diagnosed with paraesthesia in her lip and chin, and infection at the extraction site due to the retained roots. Mrs A was informed that the numbness that she was experiencing may never improve and would be a permanent result of her extraction.
Over a year later Mrs A’s lip and chin were still numb. Due to her dentist’s inappropriate action when faced with a difficult extraction Mrs A was left with numbness in her lip and chin and the prospect of further treatment to remove the retained roots of the tooth.
Although her dentist did not admit liability Mrs A was successfully able to recover £12,500 with the help of the Dental Law Partnership. She commented ‘ I never thought I would have to make a complaint against my dentist, however I am pleased that the Dental Law Partnership have been able to resolve the situation and I can now start to move on.’