Tooth Extraction Claims

What is a failed tooth extraction?

Whilst most tooth extraction procedures go ahead successfully without any issues, sometimes patients are let down by dental professionals, and dental mistakes do happen. If your dentist was at fault for you being injured during the procedure, you may be eligible for compensation.

A tooth extraction could be considered to have ‘failed’ for a variety of different reasons. These include:

• The full tooth and root(s) were not removed

• Nerve damage occurred during tooth extraction

• The tooth could not be successfully extracted during the procedure

• The wrong tooth was extracted

Your dentist may not be at fault for all of these circumstances. However,  if you believe that they made a mistake that caused you pain and suffering, or meant that further dental treatment was needed, you might be able to make a dental negligence claim.

For more information, please request a callback from our team.

What are the signs of incomplete tooth extraction?

Every case is different, but some signs that you should look out for include:

• Pain and discomfort that doesn’t go away/gets worse – Most dental procedures will make you feel slightly sore or uncomfortable after treatment, but the pain should go away after a while. If the pain persists after dental work or gets worse, you may have experienced dental negligence.
• Your dentist didn’t remove all of your tooth – This may seem like a rather obvious point to notice, but it’s not uncommon to undergo a dental extraction and discover later on that your dentist didn’t remove all of your tooth, or removed the wrong tooth. 
• Swelling and difficulty with chewing and talking – If your dentist didn’t remove all of the tooth or didn’t complete the extraction process properly, you may notice swelling and inflammation around the affected area. This can also lead to issues with eating and speaking.
• Visible tooth fragments left behind – If you have a broken tooth during extraction, there will usually be visible tooth fragments left behind in your gum. These fragments will usually feel hard and sharp and may cause further injury, indicating negligence has occurred.
• Delayed healing – If your tooth was not extracted properly and fragments of teeth remain, the affected area may take longer to heal and/or may not heal properly.

If you notice any of the symptoms of incomplete tooth extraction laid out above, it’s crucial that you return to your dentist or get a second opinion to assess the damage. You may be able to sue your dentist if there is evidence that they provided a substandard level of care.

Am I eligible to make a tooth extraction claim?

You might have a valid tooth extraction claim if any of the following apply:

• You have suffered pain as a result of your dentist delivering substandard care – If your dentist neglected their duty of care responsibilities during your tooth extraction and you have suffered ongoing pain or injury as a result, you may be eligible for compensation.
• Your dentist failed to obtain informed consent before carrying out the treatment – If your dentist did not make you fully aware of the dangers and risks involved, or of any alternative treatments available, you may be eligible to make a claim.
• You need restorative treatment to correct a mistake made by your dentist – If your dentist made a mistake during your treatment and you need more treatment to rectify the issue, you could be entitled to compensation to cover the financial costs.

Bear in mind that you only have three years to make a tooth extraction claim from the date you became aware that the dental negligence had taken place. We therefore recommend starting the claims process as soon as possible.

Eager to find out how much compensation you could be entitled to? Use our quick and simple compensation calculator tool.

The Dental Law Partnership: Your path to recovery

A failed tooth extraction can be extremely distressing and costly – particularly if you underwent a complex tooth extraction and your dentist acted negligently during the surgery. We hope that you do not find yourself in this situation, but if you have, our expert team of dental solicitors are ready to help with your tooth extraction claim.

We can take you through the entire dental claims process, aiming to seek justice and compensation for every client that comes to us. We also work on a no-win, no-fee basis, which means you won’t pay anything if your case is unsuccessful.

If you’re ready to open your dental claim, you can start your claim here. If you’d like to speak to a member of our team first, we’ll be happy to help – please request a callback here.