- 35-year-old Miss Paulina Baran has suffered gum tissue damage and years of futile braces after her orthodontist failed to treat her correctly
- Further investigation by the Dental Law Partnership revealed the prolonged braces, implant, tissue damage and pain could all have been avoided
- £18,000 awarded in compensation for the poor treatment which left her struggling to eat
Miss Paulina Baran, a 35-year-old massage therapist from Leigh, Lancashire, has been awarded £18,000 by her former dental practice with the help of specialist dental negligence solicitors the Dental Law Partnership. The payment was awarded after her dentists failed to treat her properly, leading to her having braces for four years (two more years than needed). This also led to an unnecessary surgical implant, gum tissue damage, and self-consciousness affecting her confidence and social life.
Miss Baran was a patient of Victoria Clinic, 109 Corporation Street, Manchester, M4 4DX between 2015 and 2019. The clinic was owned and operated by Victoria Dental & Healthcare Limited during that period.
“I first visited the practice in 2015, hoping to correct my smile with braces,” Miss Baran recalled. “But, in general, my teeth were very healthy and I was so excited to get my dream smile.”
During her first few visits, she believed they’d do a great job, however it all fell apart pretty quickly once the orthodontist completed their full assessment. After taking x-rays they advised braces with arch wires, which would require a couple of teeth being removed to help fit them. Miss Baran reluctantly agreed to the procedure. They said treatment would take up to two and a half years but little did Miss Baran know, it would actually end up taking four years to be rid of the braces.
“Soon after they extracted one of my teeth in 2015, they placed the braces. But, well over two years later, they still hadn’t been removed. At the point I thought treatment would be over, they then said I needed a second type of brace to reduce a gap caused by the tooth extraction,” Miss Baran explained
Miss Baran was told that this second type of brace would be required for another 12 months, raising concerns that there had been complications she hadn’t been made aware of.
“By late 2019, I was told that I needed to have a miniscrew implant fitted to help the treatment progress correctly. By this point I’d had braces on for almost four years and was suffering severe pain. It was so embarrassing, I just didn’t want to smile at all. The metal braces and gaps left in my teeth just made me so self-conscious when going out in public,” Miss Baran recalled.
“I was horrified to later find out that the implant was not even necessary. All of that pain, the swelling, and treatment I had to go through was awful – it is unbelievable what they were able to get away with.”
Frustrated by the experiences she had gone through, Miss Baran contacted the Dental Law Partnership in 2020. Further analysis of her records revealed the extent of the poor treatment Miss Baran received from the practice, which led to a futile surgical implant, damaged gum tissue, severe pain and swelling, all of which could have been avoided.
“Having spent all this money and time on treatments, I feel let down and hurt not to even see the benefit of the results. I suffer from pain and sensitivity, and food still gets stuck painfully in the gaps in my mouth as I eat,” Miss Baran said.
“Eventually, I sought a second opinion out of sheer frustration. Immediately, the new practice removed the implant and informed me it should never have been placed. Sadly, they cannot completely close the gap I’ve been left with. I also still require a tissue graft in my gum to help replace the tissue that’s ripped away. My teeth look even worse than before, and to this day I find it hard to socialise with my friends or to be out in public without feeling self-conscious.”
Tyla Westhead of the Dental Law Partnership commented: “The distress and pain our client has experienced was completely unnecessary. If the dentists involved had provided more satisfactory treatment, her problems could have been avoided.”
If you or someone you know has been impacted by negligent dental treatment, contact us today to explore your options.