A mother from Bradford has secured an £18,000 compensation after losing five teeth due to her dentists’ failure to address severe gum disease.
Josephine O’Connor, 50, experienced significant discomfort and embarrassment, resorting to wearing a Covid facemask to conceal her missing teeth. The loss of her front teeth left her unable to chew properly and affected her confidence in both personal and professional interactions.
Despite being a lifelong patient at the same dental practice, Josephine was shocked to discover severe gum disease only after consulting a new dental clinic. “I’ve always diligently attended my dental appointments, so it was shocking to learn I needed multiple extractions,” Josephine said. “I lost five teeth from my upper jaw and had to wait three weeks for a denture, during which I was relieved to use a facemask to cover the gap.”
The issues began in 2007 when Josephine first noticed problems with her teeth. By 2009, she had a bridge fitted to stabilize several loose teeth and subsequently faced issues such as bleeding gums, lost crowns, and denture problems. In 2020, she sought a second opinion due to increased tooth mobility and discovered that the bone loss and gum disease she was suffering from could have been prevented with earlier intervention.
As a result, Josephine has not only lost five teeth but will likely need further extractions and extensive dental work. She now has a partial denture, which she finds distressing. “Even after having the partial denture for some time, I still dislike it,” she said. “I avoid removing it in front of my husband because it makes me feel much older.”
Josephine’s case was handled by the Dental Law Partnership, which successfully secured a settlement of £18,000 in March. Jennifer Paine from the Dental Law Partnership commented, “The distress and pain our client has endured were entirely avoidable. Adequate treatment from the dentists could have prevented these problems.”
Josephine’s experience has led her to be more cautious about trusting dental care and to ensure that she verifies the necessity and effectiveness of treatments suggested by her dentist.
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