Tooth Decay Claims Solicitors in Manchester
If poor dental care or delayed treatment of tooth decay has caused you unnecessary pain or further treatment, our specialist solicitors may be able to help.
If poor dental care or delayed treatment of tooth decay has caused you unnecessary pain or further treatment, our specialist solicitors may be able to help.
TJL Solicitors handle tooth decay claims on a no-win, no-fee basis, so you don’t pay anything unless you win.
Contact us now, tell us what happened, and we’ll tell you honestly whether you have a legal claim.
There are several ways dentists may miss decay. Some dentists simply don’t do thorough examinations. They may just have a quick look around your mouth without properly checking each tooth. Others don’t take X-rays at appropriate intervals. X-rays can show decay between teeth or under existing fillings that isn’t visible to the naked eye.
Even when your dentist takes X-rays, they may fail to look at them properly, missing signs of decay. Poor record-keeping makes things worse. If a dentist doesn’t note what they see at each appointment, they won’t spot any changes, such as decay developing over time. Sometimes, dentists may even miss the obvious signs of decay, like dark spots and holes in teeth.
A competent dentist also has a duty to provide you with proper oral hygiene advice and to explain the risks. If they never discussed these things with you, they likely weren’t meeting the professional standards set by the General Dental Council.
The consequences of missed tooth decay get worse over time. What starts as a problem that needs a small filling turns into something far more serious and expensive.
You don’t have to accept a dentist causing you unnecessary pain and expenses. A simple filling might cost £60 on the NHS or £150 privately. Compare that to an implant at £2,000-£3,000. The financial cost of missed tooth decay is clear.
If your dentist examined you regularly over months or years and never mentioned decay, they likely failed to meet expected standards, and you could be entitled to compensation. It makes no difference whether you received NHS or private treatment; you have the same right to claim.
Tooth decay doesn’t just happen overnight but develops over months or years. If you attended regular dentist exams during that time and your dentist never mentioned problems, they weren’t doing their job properly.
A common scenario in tooth decay claims goes like this: you visit the same dentist for years. They examine you and say everything’s fine. Then you switch practices, and the new dentist is shocked at how much decay you have. They tell you it’s been there for years and should have been treated much sooner.
If your dentist spotted the decay but didn’t say anything, or they didn’t offer proper treatment, that’s also considered negligence. Either way, you’ve ended up with worse problems than you should have, and you could seek compensation for dental negligence.
Dental experts can look at the images and pinpoint when the decay should have been visible. If your dentist took X-rays showing decay but never mentioned it, that can be proof of negligence.
Your appointments and dental records can also help create a timeline: how often you attended, what examinations were done, and what your dentist noted. If records show regular check-ups with no mention of decay, and then a new dentist finds extensive problems, you’ve likely got a strong case.
The new dentist’s opinion can be crucial. If they say “this decay has been here for years” or “this should have been spotted much earlier,” that’s compelling evidence that your previous dentist missed something obvious. We can review everything and give an objective opinion on whether your dentist met acceptable standards.
Most personal injury claims follow a similar process, whether you were hurt at work, in a road traffic accident, while cycling, or in a public place. But no two claims are exactly the same.
A personal injury claim can arise when someone else’s negligence causes your injury. This could be a careless driver, an employer, or a business that failed to fix a dangerous condition. But whether you have grounds to make a claim depends on how the accident happened and who is responsible. Not every accident necessarily leads to a valid personal injury claim.
Poor dental care can leave you in pain, facing further treatment, and with substantial unexpected costs. If that’s happened to you, you may have the right to make a dental negligence claim.
Your dentist was supposed to fix a problem. Instead, you’re dealing with the consequences of dental treatment that left you worse off, like suffering constant pain or needing further procedures. You want to know: do I have a dental negligence claim?
Compensation typically covers your pain and suffering (general damages) and financial losses (special damages) due to a dentist’s negligence.
Minor issues that are resolved quickly, such as fillings, result in lower amounts. But serious cases involving root canals, tooth loss, or extensive reconstruction can reach tens of thousands of pounds.
Your compensation should cover the cost of putting things right: implants, bridges, crowns, and any future dental costs. You may even be able to claim lost earnings if you’ve missed work due to having dental work done or having to recover. The embarrassment and loss of confidence from missing or damaged teeth may also be compensated for.
We can then look at what your dentist recorded, and when the new dentist found the decay problems. If the gap suggests your previous dentist should have spotted the decay, we can request your full dental records and X-rays.
Once we have your records, we may arrange for an independent dental expert to review them. X-rays are critical because they show when decay becomes visible. The expert can tell us whether your previous dentist met professional standards or whether they were negligent and you have a case against them.
If the expert confirms negligence, we can move forward and contact your dentist’s insurer to negotiate compensation. Many insurers settle when faced with evidence, but if they refuse to offer fair compensation, we’re prepared to go to court for what you deserve.
You have three years from when you found out about your dentist missing tooth decay (the “date of knowledge”) to start a claim under the Limitation Act 1980.
For most people, the date of knowledge is when a new dentist tells them about extensive decay and says it should have been spotted years ago.
Once you know about the missed tooth decay, it’s best to consult with a solicitor immediately. Dental practices only keep records for a certain number of years. And dentists retire or move away. The longer you wait, the harder it can be to prove your claim.
You may be able to claim, but cases are generally strongest when patients attended regular dental check-ups. If you only went to the dentist occasionally, it depends on whether the decay was visible and detectable at those visits. We can assess your specific situation.
Dentists typically blame patients for poor oral hygiene when defending negligence claims. But even if your brushing wasn’t perfect, your dentist still had a duty to spot decay during examinations and give you proper advice. If they examined you regularly and never mentioned decay or warned you about risks, they likely failed in their duty of care.
Yes. NHS and private dentists must meet the same professional standards. You’re claiming against the individual dentist and their insurer, not the NHS itself. Many people worry about straining NHS resources, but successful claims are usually paid by insurers and don’t come from NHS budgets.
Finding out your dentist missed decay for months or years while you diligently attended check-ups is difficult to accept. You trusted them to look after your teeth, and they let you down. Now you’re dealing with more aggressive treatments, or maybe even tooth loss, and ongoing pain that could have been prevented. We can help by:
We’re proud of our 95%+ success rate in personal injury cases (https://www.tjlsolicitors.co.uk/personal-injury-claims/), including dental negligence claims, and could help you get justice too. But time limits apply to injury claims, so contact us today to find out if you’re owed compensation.
Our team of solicitors will handle your case personally.
We are based in Manchester and all our work is done in-house.
Our solicitors are fully trained and qualified to handle your case.
We are dedicated to winning your case and there are no hidden fees.
TJL Solicitors LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales (registered number: OC367616) and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA Number: 564906). Registered office: Washbrook House, Lancastrian Office Centre, Talbot Road, Manchester, England, M32 0FP. A list of our partners can be found here. We use the word partner to refer to a member of the LLP.
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