Oral Surgeon issue - in need of some advice

Oral Surgeon issue - in need of some advice

Author
Discussion

Marcellus

Original Poster:

7,163 posts

226 months

Monday 1st April
quotequote all
Simplistically I have had an operation on a tooth which was not the tooth idenitied in the xrays at the consultation.

I think it potentially is an issue as it will cause ongoing issues and I'm not sure how to get resolved.

(Happy to share all the background but having typed it out I made a very long post)

ucb

1,040 posts

219 months

Tuesday 2nd April
quotequote all
No follow up by the dentist/surgeon?

Marcellus

Original Poster:

7,163 posts

226 months

Tuesday 2nd April
quotequote all
Very dismissive, brushing my concerns aside ending with "please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any other issues".

Not sure who to escalate to and how!

CrgT16

2,112 posts

115 months

Tuesday 2nd April
quotequote all
Depends what outcome you are looking for.

Can the treatment be reversed? Has the original problem been addressed? Do you want compensation or do you want the oral surgeon to loose his ability to practice?
Depending on the above the path to complain differs.

First instance would be say you are not satisfied with the response and want further clarification, etc.

drmike37

499 posts

63 months

Tuesday 2nd April
quotequote all
Wrong site surgery is an example of a “never event” snd should be investigated properly. I would ask to see the outcome of that review.
If they cannot show you this, the CQC would be interested.

Despite being called a never event, these things can and do happen. The most important thing is that the cause of the balls up is identified and measures put in place to prevent recurrence.

Beyond that, if you are actually having problems you are entitled to some recompense. Assuming NHS treatment, NHS Resolution are the people to contact.

Marcellus

Original Poster:

7,163 posts

226 months

Tuesday 2nd April
quotequote all
I'm not looking for compensation, nothing done thus far will cause future issues but what he's not done may be which is what i would like sorted and not at my cost!

At the moment he's refusing, through his admin, to even acknowledge he may have done anything wrong..

interstellar

3,784 posts

153 months

Tuesday 2nd April
quotequote all
Ombudsman for medical negligence or Dental if he wont engage?

Marcellus

Original Poster:

7,163 posts

226 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
Just to update….. had 1st meeting with consultant after surgery.

Whilst not admitting doing anything wrong or any fault he’s offered not to charge me any of his “professional fees” for any further scans, consultations, procedures etc needed to resolve the cause of my issues.

Countdown

42,033 posts

203 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
Apologies if I've missed it but has he answered the question "Why did you operate on the wrong tooth?"

Marcellus

Original Poster:

7,163 posts

226 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
Countdown said:
Apologies if I've missed it but has he answered the question "Why did you operate on the wrong tooth?"
No, just acknowledged that “there’s been some confusion over which roots needed removal” (ones that appeared to be there then and now or ones which weren’t”

The_Doc

5,121 posts

227 months

Tuesday 21st May
quotequote all
Marcellus said:
Countdown said:
Apologies if I've missed it but has he answered the question "Why did you operate on the wrong tooth?"
No, just acknowledged that “there’s been some confusion over which roots needed removal” (ones that appeared to be there then and now or ones which weren’t”
https://www.baos.org.uk/never-events/

To deny a Never Event is far worse than it happening in the first place. We actually have something specifically for this called Duty of Candour.
If the wrong tooth was treated, and it is identified that this error could have been avoided, then it's Wrong Site Surgery. If you just said to him "this one hurts" and his xrays found it was coming from another tooth, then that's not wrong site. Anyhow, the facts come out in governance work.

Errors are forgivable by High Up, but not admitting or covering up an error is not forgivable and people get erased (the term for being struck off) and units get investigated.

It doesn't matter how much free treatment he offers you, the Governance of the unit he operates under says that if the wrong tooth was treated, then an investigation is needed. And data passed to High Up and/or the government.
To err is human, to deny is not allowed, to not learn is unforgiveable.
How else do we keep people safe?

Marcellus

Original Poster:

7,163 posts

226 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
Thanks Doc, things have progressed a bit more and now I'm not so convinced that it has been wrong site surgery.

I was referred by my dentist for surgeon to remove roots of upper left 7 and review upper left 8 wisdom tooth as there was a persistent infection presenting through the void of upper left 6 which had been removed and he believed was being caused by the roots in u/l 7 as they decayed.

He supplied x-rays to support opinion.

Surgeon agreed and planned operation.

During operation surgron went in at u/l 6, found infection/decay which he cleaned out.... but no roots.

I went all "f@@king idiot roots are u/l7 and he's gone u/l 7".

However, (here's the kicker) in the process of working what's really going on , yesterday he sent me for a cone beam ct scan of my upper left area which found no roots between u/l 5 and u/l 8 but saw something with bone density up near u/l 8 that shouldn't be there!

Anyway, back to surgeon to review ct tomorrow.

But, in light of scan i am a bit less "f@@king idiot wrong tooth"





Edited by Marcellus on Thursday 6th June 20:55