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Case ref:201604307
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Date:April 2017
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Body:A Dentist in the Fife NHS Board area
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Sector:Health
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Outcome:Not upheld, no recommendations
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Subject:clinical treatment / diagnosis
Summary
On attending his dentist, Mr C was noted to have dental decay in two of his teeth. It was agreed that this would be removed and his teeth would be filled. Despite this, Mr C remained in pain and he required root canal treatment. The treatment and known risks of such treatment were explained. Mr C experienced one of these risks in that a file broke during treatment and was required to be left in his root canal. Mr C's treatment was completed but he remained in pain.
Mr C complained that he did not receive appropriate or reasonable treatment. We took independent dentistry advice. We found that while it was regrettable that the instrument broke, this was not indicative of poor treatment and was a known risk, as was the possibility of continuing pain. We therefore did not uphold Mr C's complaint.