What is Root Canal Treatment?
Root canal treatment (RCT) or endodontic treatment is a dental procedure used to treat infected, or dead teeth, to try and save a tooth from extraction when the soft tissue inside becomes infected or inflamed. The procedure involves removing the dead or dying material, then “filling in” the root canals inside the teeth to prevent further infection. Without performing a root canal treatment, abscesses may form in the mouth when the tissue around the tooth becomes infected.
I’ve had Root Canal Treatment, Did Negligence Occur?
Root canal treatment is an invasive form of treatment, so complications can occur during or after the procedure, which reduces the chance of the treatment being successful. 9 out of 10 treatments are successful, but problems can occur.
If your procedure was not performed to an acceptable standard, or your dentist neglected their duty of care, resulting in unnecessary pain, harm and suffering. It may also be possible to claim compensation for loss of earnings, as well as needless pain and any corrective procedures you may need to undertake. Root canal patients may be eligible to make a claim if your dentist:
- Did not gain your consent to treatment
- Did not advise of alternative, less costly treatments
- Made errors during the root canal procedure, resulting in pain or infection
- Did not clean out the root canal completely
- Did not shape or fill the canal properly and this resulted in further infection
- Fractured an instrument inside the root canal and did not inform you
- Perforated the root of the tooth
Filing a Dental Negligence Root Canal Claim
One of the most common sources of pain after root canal treatment is when tissue surrounding the root of the tooth become inflamed. If your dentist’s root canal files poke beyond the tip of the root, inflammation or toothache after root canal treatment may occur. If you are experiencing severe pain after your treatment which does not go away, there is a chance that the root canal was unsuccessful. This is a sign of major root canal complications and is often called a root canal failure.
Read more about filing for compensation for failed root canal treatment here.
Click here for a detailed breakdown of the dental negligence claims process.
How long do root canal dental negligence claims take?
Unfortunately, it is difficult to put an exact timeframe on a root canal-related dental negligence compensation claim, as it can vary quite dramatically from case to case. There is a strict legal process that must be adhered to, and many cases are settled before they reach court, meaning that a claim could take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on how your dentist responds to the claim and other aspects of the legal process, such as evidence gathering and gaining expert opinions.
Still unsure if you have a claim or not?
Don’t stress, we would always advise if you’re unsure to call and our team and we will always clear up any doubt for you in terms of whether you may or may not have a negligence claim or point you in the direction of the appropriate information. It costs nothing to get a little advice and its always better to be certain.
You can call The Dental Law Partnership today on 08001522036 or fill out our online contact form.