Maria LB Solicitors
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Clinical negligence

Dental Negligence

Claims against dentists for treatment that fell below a reasonable standard, and for problems that were missed rather than caused.

Dental negligence claims divide into two kinds: treatment that was done badly, and treatment that should have been done and was not. The second is the more common and the more damaging. Periodontal disease left undiagnosed over years of routine check-ups can cost someone most of their teeth, and it is entirely preventable.

To succeed, a claim has to show that no reasonable body of competent dental practitioners would have acted as your dentist did, and that the failure caused the harm. That means an independent expert report, which is precisely why these claims should not be run by a claims company.

Consent is its own ground. If the risks of a procedure, or the reasonable alternatives to it, were never properly explained to you, that may found a claim even where the treatment itself was carried out competently.

What you can claim for

  • The pain and the additional treatment you have had to undergo
  • The cost of corrective and remedial dental work, often private
  • Implants, bridges and crowns you would not otherwise have needed
  • Nerve damage and lasting numbness
  • Psychological effects, including dental anxiety
  • Loss of earnings for time spent in treatment

Cases we handle

  • Undiagnosed gum disease and periodontal bone loss
  • Missed decay and misread radiographs
  • Negligent root canal treatment
  • Extraction of the wrong tooth, or avoidable nerve damage
  • Badly fitted crowns, bridges, veneers and implants
  • Orthodontic treatment that has caused damage
  • Failure to explain risks or alternatives before treatment
Time limits Three years from the negligent treatment, or from the date you first realised, or reasonably should have realised, that the treatment had caused your problem. In dental cases the second date is often much later, because gum disease and failing root treatments can go unnoticed for years. Being some years down the line does not necessarily mean you are out of time.

Free initial consultation

Speak to a solicitor today

Tell us what happened and we will tell you honestly whether you have a claim. The first conversation is free, there is no obligation, and if we take your case on it is on a No Win No Fee basis.

Start your claim 0161 637 8010