Man 'scared to smile' after teeth 'crumbled into stumps' following crown failure
A Liverpool man has said he “didn’t like smiling” after major dental problems caused his gums to bleed - leaving him in need of surgery.
Liam Daley, 34, had issues with his upper front teeth, which degraded into stumps over a number of years due to a number of unsuccessful crown fittings. Liam eventually required surgery and root canals to deal with the inflamed gums - and blames his dentist. The case was settled out of court in May 2023, when Liam was paid £10,000 - although the dentist, Dr Roger Hollins, does not admit liability. Liam tells of his confidence reaching an “all-time low” during the ordeal, from around 2012 to 2018.
Liam explained: “I attended numerous appointments over the years to have crowns fitted on my four front teeth, but had to keep returning due to issues with them cracking, fracturing or coming loose. I had to return to have one of the crowns retreated more than five times.
Liam's teeth degraded into bloody stumps after his alleged poor treatment (Liam Daley)“By 2019, I was experiencing regular issues with bleeding gums around the crowns, which had been ongoing for months. The crowns were also going yellow which I did mention a number of times. I’d never been advised that anything was wrong with my teeth, so I assumed the issue must have had something to do with how I ate, as I trusted the dentist to tell me if there was anything wrong with my teeth," he said according to the Liverpool Echo.
The Anfield-based telecoms planner had been a patient with Atlantic Dental Practice on Croxteth Hall Lane, Croxteth, from 2011 to 2019, and Dr Hollins was his chief dental care-giver from 2012 to 2017. When Liam visited a new practice in April 2019, he was shocked by what he was told.
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He said: "When the new dentist looked at my mouth they were shocked as my mouth was so damaged. At the new practice, they explained many issues with my front teeth which would require root canals, and could ultimately require extraction to get my mouth back to a good state.”
Liam's gums were left in a mess by 2019 (Liam Daley)Liam then contacted dental negligence solicitors at the Dental Law Partnership. “I was appalled when everything came to light. When my mouth was at its worst, my confidence was at an all-time low - I didn’t like smiling or talking near people who could see my mouth.”
In a statement, Dr Hollins said: “This claim was resolved with no admission of liability on my part. I have been retired as a dentist for three years now, but during my career I always took pride in providing the highest standards of treatment and care to all my patients.”
It is understood the Atlantic Dental Practice was sold to Smart Dental Care in 2019 and now operates as a new practice, Croxteth Dental Centre, with no involvement from Dr Hollins. Heather Owen of the Dental Law Partnership said: “The distress, inconvenience and pain our client has experienced was completely unnecessary."
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