A nurse has been awarded £10,000 in compensation after her dentist ‘over-drilled’ her teeth and left her in ‘excruciating pain for years’.
Susan Jenkins, 58, Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire successfully sued her dentist after she paid out thousands to reverse her ‘botched dental treatment.’
The 58-year-old nurse sought legal help after the experience at her dentist caused her ‘anxiety and paranoia’. Additionally, she had to take six weeks off work and ‘couldn’t think straight’ as a result of the disturbed sleep and pain.
The issues started when Ms. Jenkins sought treatment at Pennwood Dental Practice on her existing veneers in 2017. But, her dentist recommended crowns on the teeth instead.
However, less than a month after the treatment, Ms. Jenkins suffered ‘swelling and inflammation’ in her mouth. She requested an X-ray because her teeth were sensitive to cold air and ‘tender to touch.’
Speaking to a news outlet, Ms. Jenkins said:
“I was in excruciating pain, couldn’t sleep all night, and had difficulty drinking hot beverages. My palate was sore, and I had a fever.
“My teeth were also catching on my lower lip at night when I was sleeping, due to the crowns being longer in length than my old veneers.”
But after going back to the dentist to correct the issue, Ms Jenkins was still in pain three months later.
“I suffered from repeat infection on that tooth and abscesses. The dentist re-did my root canal but I still felt like something wasn’t right,” she said.
Ms. Jenkins was then referred to an endodontic specialist and ended up spending thousands of pounds out of her own pocket trying to reverse the damage.
“I ended up with a crown with a bridge but in the future I will have to pay a lot for an implant,” she explained.
Ms. Jenkins contacted the Dental Law Partnership in 2019 in search of ‘justice’.
She successfully settled in July 2023 and was paid £10,000 in an out of court settlement. Dr. Pannell did not admit liability.
Reflecting on the surgery, she said:
“The experience dragged me down and I was so depressed.
“The clinic I was referred to was 40 miles away which was a struggle to get to, and I had to have six weeks off work in total because mentally and physically I was declining.
“I work as a nurse on the cardiac catheter unit and need to be really responsible in emergency situations but I couldn’t think straight due to my low mood, disturbed sleep and pain.
“I struggled to cope with everyday activities and social events and my confidence was really impacted.
“I now feel incredibly let down by my old dentist and have a lot of anxiety and paranoia about the slightest dental issue.”
Justine Jones of the Dental Law Partnership commented:
“The distress and pain our client has experienced was completely unnecessary.
“If the dentist involved had undertaken adequate examinations, and provided more appropriate treatment, much of the extensive remedial treatment Mrs. Jenkins has had to undergo could have been avoided.”
What is Dental Negligence?
Dental Negligence is when a dental professional has made a mistake or delayed treatment which has caused significant pain or damage to your mental well-being
Some common examples of dental negligence can include:
- Incorrect and delayed diagnosis of teeth health and even oral cancer
- Nerve injury
- Cosmetic dentistry
- Periodontal Disease Misdiagnosis
- Mistakes in treatment leading to the loss of a tooth or multiple teeth
- Surgical Errors in extraction and root canal treatment
Who can claim for Dental Negligence?
The victim of the negligence can bring about a claim in their own right. Or, in some a claim may be able to made on behalf of a victim who may have passed away as a result of the negligence or someone who has suffered so severely that they are unable to bring about a claim themselves. This may be because they no longer have the capacity.
In this case, a claim may be made on their behalf by an appropriate person or litigation friend if the victim is still with us, or by the executor of the estate of surviving dependant if the victim has passed.
Oakwood Solicitors’ specialist team will be able to discuss whether you have a right to bring about a claim, so if you or a loved one has been affected do not hesitate to contact us.
How much can I claim?
It is often difficult to value dental negligence claims at their outset, given the complexities involved however we will pursue two forms of compensation for you:
General damages – for the pain and suffering you have endured as a result of the negligence.
Special damages – for all of your out-of-pocket expenses such as travel expenses, medication costs, loss of earnings, treatment costs both past and future.
This list is not exhaustive and is very case-specific.
Further reading
For further information about dental negligence claims, see our resource here.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
Get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9720 to find out how we can help you.
A nurse has been awarded £10,000 in compensation after her dentist ‘over-drilled’ her teeth and left her in ‘excruciating pain for years’. Susan Jenkins, 58, Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire successfully sued her dentist after she paid out thousands to reverse her ‘botched dental treatment.’ The 58-year-old nurse sought legal help after the experience at her dentist…
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