Conditions

Conditions we report on


Dentistry is not one discipline. Each condition below is matched to the sub-specialist the clinical issue requires.

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Dental radiographic evidence, study models and diagnostic instruments arranged for expert review
Condition-led matching Clinical issue · relevant discipline · defined questions
Diagnosis and monitoring Treatment and surgery Cosmetic care and trauma

The legal threshold

What counts as dental negligence

Care that falls below the standard of a reasonably competent practitioner in the relevant discipline, where that failure causes harm.

A poor outcome on its own is not negligence. Root canal treatment, implants and other procedures can fail despite competent care.

What decides the claim is whether the standard applying to that procedure was met and what, if anything, the alleged failure caused the claimant to lose.

Clinical index

The conditions

Each condition requires an opinion tied to the treatment provided, the alleged failure and the expert questions within the instruction.

01 3 clinical issues

Screening · recognition · referral

Diagnosis and monitoring

01 Periodontal disease Failure to screen, diagnose or treat gum disease across a course of care. 02 Oral cancer misdiagnosis A suspicious lesion not recognised or not referred. 03 Dental abscess Delayed treatment of spreading infection.
02 4 clinical issues

Planning · treatment · review

Treatment failures

04 Endodontic failure Failed root canal treatment, missed canals and perforation. 05 Dental implant failure Planning, placement and management of implant complications. 06 Crown and bridge failure Preparation, fit and the consequences for the underlying tooth. 07 Orthodontic harm Root resorption, decalcification and treatment-planning failures.
03 3 clinical issues

Extraction · nerve · retained tissue

Surgical injury

08 Wrong-tooth extraction The wrong tooth removed, or a tooth removed without adequate indication. 09 Nerve injury Inferior alveolar or lingual nerve damage. 10 Retained roots Root fragments left after extraction.
04 3 clinical issues

Appearance · function · prognosis

Cosmetic care and trauma

11 Cosmetic and veneer disputes Irreversible preparation, veneers and bonding in private cosmetic care. 12 Dental and facial injury Trauma to the teeth, jaw and face. 13 Jaw and TMJ injury Fractures and temporomandibular dysfunction.

Expert matching

The sub-speciality follows the clinical issue.

A periodontist reports on gum disease. An oral surgeon or oral and maxillofacial surgeon may report on nerve injury, depending on the treating discipline and setting. Implant planning is matched to a clinician with relevant implant dentistry experience.

  1. 01

    Issue

    Identify the clinical question

    We review the treatment, alleged failure and opinion the solicitor needs.

  2. 02

    Discipline

    Match the relevant field

    The proposed expert’s discipline follows the work and standard under scrutiny.

  3. 03

    Scope

    Separate distinct opinions

    Where standard of care and consequences require different expertise, we identify both before instruction.

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Frequently asked questions

Before you instruct.

Practical answers for solicitors considering a dental negligence instruction.

Treatment falling below the standard of a reasonably competent practitioner in that discipline, where the failure causes harm. Both must be established.

No. Root canal treatment can fail, implants can fail and teeth can be lost without anyone having been negligent. The question is whether the care met the relevant standard.

The one whose discipline matches the clinical issue. We confirm the proposed match when the case is scoped and provide the CV before instruction.

Yes. We accept instructions from the claimant, from the defendant or as a single joint expert.

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Not sure which expert your case needs?

Tell us the clinical issue and a case manager will provide a suitable CV and a fixed quote.

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