The Top 5 Most Common types of Dental Negligence

6 August 2019

Dental negligence involves any type of injury or damage that is caused by oral health specialists, such as a dentist, orthodontist or dental hygienist. The most common dental negligence claims include:

Nerve damage

Nerve damage can be inflicted through negligent oral surgery, leaving the patient facing ongoing pain and frustration. Problems arising from oral surgery can include infection and changes to the physical appearance of the mouth and jaw. Common nerve damage symptoms include:

• Tingling sensation in the mouth, gums, jaw and/or face
• Numbness in the mouth, gums, jaw and/or face
• Unable to control drooling
• Burning sensation in the jaw
• Issues with movement of the tongue

The above symptoms can make it difficult for the patient to eat, drink and speak, making everyday life painful and frustrating. This can also lead to mental health issues for some.

Oral Cancer misdiagnosis

Oral cancer includes cancers of the tongue, lips, cheeks, throat, tonsils, saliva glands and the hard and soft palate. Common symptoms of oral cancer include:

• Ulcers that don’t heal within three weeks
• Lumps in the mouth that don’t go away and cannot be explained
• Lumps in the lymph glands in the neck that won’t go away
• Difficulty with swallowing
• Bleeding and numbness in the mouth
• Unexplained weight loss
• Changes in the voice or issues with speech

If you visited the dentist with any of the above symptoms and the dental practitioner failed to carry out the necessary further investigations required to diagnose oral cancer, which you later found out that you had, you could be entitled to make a dental negligence claim.

Restorative damage

Mistakes can be made during restorative treatment that may result in further pain, damage and expense to the patient. Examples of restorative dental treatment include:

• Root canal therapy
• Filings
• Veneers
• Crowns
• Bridges
• Implants

You may be eligible to make a claim for negligent restorative dental treatment if:

• You were fitted with a faulty implant
• Your dentist failed to treat tooth decay
• You had a filling that was poorly executed leaving decay left in the tooth
• You were fitted with a poorly fitting bridge, crown or veneers
• You had teeth unnecessarily extracted

Gum disease

Gum disease, also known as gingivitis or periodontal disease can be painful and lead to tooth loss and jaw bone damage, if not diagnosed and treated early on. Your dentist or oral hygienist should be able to easily spot the signs of gum disease which include:

• Inflamed and red gums
• Bleeding gums
• Receding gums
• Wobbly teeth
• Bad breath
• Metallic taste in the mouth
• Gum abscesses

If your dentist has failed to diagnose gum disease and you have developed further oral health complications as a result, you may be entitled to make a claim.

Cosmetic dentistry errors

Cosmetic dentistry refers to any sort of dental treatment that is used to improve the appearance of the teeth and smile. Common types of cosmetic dental treatment include:

• Fitting crowns and veneers
• Braces
• Implants
• Gum contouring
• Dentures

When cosmetic dentistry goes wrong you can be left with further, unnecessary damage to the teeth and gums, which can lead to further expensive treatment to rectify.

If you have experienced negligent treatment at the hands of a dentist or oral hygienist within the last three years, contact True Solicitors LLP expert medical negligence lawyers today. We will assess your case completely free of charge and will handle your claim on a No Win, No Fee basis, giving you the peace of mind you need.

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Sources:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mouth-cancer/symptoms/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gum-disease/symptoms/