Horsham man gets £12,000 compensation over dental work

Philip Edwards, who is from Horsham, was left in “excruciating pain” and had to have part of his jawbone removed following the procedure.

He had developed osteonecrosis, a disease caused by reduced blood flow which can make bones break down faster.

The 70-year-old was at an increased risk of the disease as he has a history of history of oral cancer and radiotherapy treatment.

Mr Edwards had been a patient at MyDentist in High Dene, Henfield, since 2011, and made an appointment in 2018 as he was suffering from toothache.

Philip Edwards from Horsham

He said: “The dentist said extraction would be the best solution. She was my regular dentist and I trusted her as a professional, so took her advice.

“A few days after the procedure I was in excruciating pain and unable to eat properly. I could also feel the socket where my tooth had been wasn’t healing. Something just didn’t feel right.”

After his condition worsened, Mr Edwards was referred for an emergency appointment at hospital.

He said: “The hospital consultant was absolutely horrified.

“He eventually diagnosed osteonecrosis and said parts of my jawbone were crumbling away and that I’d need surgery.

“I was in complete shock. I never thought a straightforward extraction would lead to this. But my dentist had never said anything about the increased risks following my cancer treatment.”

An x-ray of his infected lower socket

Mr Edwards contacted the Dental Law Partnership; solicitors who specialise in dental negligence.

On analysing his dental records, they found MyDentist had “failed to to use reasonable skill and care in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning” in relation to the extraction of his tooth.

Mr Edwards added: “I now have to clean the gaping hole in my gum with a syringe every time I eat to prevent infection.

“It has been really upsetting to go through all of this.

“I would be lying if I said it hasn’t impacted my mental health.”

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Mr Edwards recently received £12,000 in an out of court settlement. The dentist did not admit liability.

Jonathan Owen at the Dental Law Partnership said: “The distress and pain our client has experienced was completely unnecessary.

“If the dentist had carried out adequate treatment in the first place, his problems could have been avoided.”

A spokesman for the practice said: “We’d like to apologise for the experience Mr Edwards has had which falls significantly below our high standards of patient care.”