£3,500 Dental Negligence Payout After Root Canal Failure Leads to Prolonged Pain

The incident

Our client, a 22-year-old woman, attended an appointment with her dentist after experiencing tooth pain when consuming cold food or drinks. Following an examination, she was advised she could either have her tooth extracted or undergo a root canal treatment (RCT). Our client opted for a root canal treatment and was prescribed antibiotics.

The procedure was carried out over two appointments. Months later, the client visited the surgery, experiencing pain in the same tooth.

Over two years later, our client attended a different clinic for an Invisalign consultation. Here, they informed our client that she had chronic apical periodontitis, and she was advised to return to her dentist for a further root canal treatment.

The client returned to her dentist and was told that an opinion from an endodontist regarding a re-RCT was required. The client attended another dental practice to undergo a further root canal treatment, which was successful. However, she required a crown to be placed on the tooth.

The case

It was alleged that there was a failure to provide a root filling of adequate length, as well as a failure to take a post-operative x-ray to note the length of the filling. As a result, the client suffered a significant period of prolonged avoidable pain and suffering and had to have a second root canal treatment to rectify the first negligent root canal treatment.

The client suffered trouble sleeping and eating as a result of the pain in her tooth. She also experienced anxiety and distress. Her concentration and daily tasks were also impacted as a result of the pain, and she had to take regular painkillers. She had to attend additional medical appointments and incurred associated travel costs.

The outcome

The dental negligence claim was handled by Litigation Executive, Abigail Fowler, who successfully settled the case for £3,500. As part of the claim, we managed to secure £950 for the crown which needed to be placed on the tooth following the second root canal, and £50 for future travel expenses. Following resolution of the claim, the client commented:

“Abigail was amazing at handling my case, extremely professional and friendly throughout. She was extremely knowledgeable and willing to spend time explaining things for me.”

If you’ve experienced unnecessary pain, repeat treatments, or emotional distress due to dental negligence, our experienced team is here to help. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.