Our client, a 55 year old woman from the East of England, was awarded £20,000 in an out of court settlement after losing several teeth as a result of untreated gum disease.
Mrs O first attended the first defendant, Dr G, from 1990 until 2001 for regular examinations and scale and polishes.
Dr T took over Mrs O’s care in January 2002 and until June 2009, Mrs O visited Dr T and the practice hygienist, for regular check – ups and scale and polishes. It wasn’t until she was referred to specialist regarding the health of some of her upper and lower teeth, that she learnt that she was in fact suffering from advanced gum disease. Her front teeth were loose and she had developed a lisp when she spoke.
As a result of DR G’s and Dr T’s failure to diagnose and treat Mrs O’s gum disease condition over the eighteen year period, she lost three front top teeth and faces the loss of five more teeth in the future. Mrs O had to have extensive remedial treatment to treat the gum disease and underwent the discomfort of implant treatment to replace the lost teeth.
Neither Dr G nor Dr T made any admission of liability for their failings, but Mrs O was successful in bringing a claim against them with the assistance of the Dental Law Partnership. She said, “I cannot believe my gum disease was left untreated for so many years but I am pleased with the assistance provided by the Dental Law Partnership in recovering the money required to pay for my remedial treatment”.