Excruciating pain as women's dental treatment causes more problems

Suzanna Senatore, a 26-year-old dog walker has received a pay out of £15,000 with the help of specialist dental negligence solicitors the Dental Law Partnership.

The Dental Law Partnership took on Ms Senatore’s case in 2018. The case was successfully settled in 2020 when the dentists paid £15,000 in an out of court settlement. The dentists did not admit liability.

Following the settlement Dr Traian Ichim from the practice said: “Our staff always strive to provide the very best care for all patients. We cannot provide details of the treatment and management because of our professional duty to protect the confidentiality of our patients.”

Ms Senatore visited Dr Peter Hunt and Dr Traian Ichim at Llanfyllin Dental Practice, Llanfyllin September 2017 and February 2018.

“I’d been suffering from toothache so made an appointment with Dr Hunt,” Ms Senatore said.

“He told me I needed a crown. As he’d been my dentist since I was a teenager, I thought he knew what he was doing and took his advice. I trusted him.”

However, her dental problems only got worse.

“I then started seeing Dr Ichim,” Ms Senatore said.

“I had chipped tooth and he said I needed another crown. I thought that the problem would be sorted once I’d had the crowns placed.”

“I started experiencing severe pain where the crowns had been fitted.

!I went to see Dr Ichim who took an X-ray and said there was nothing to worry about. I thought it would settle down, but I continued to be in absolute agony - it was so bad I had to take time off work. I called the practice to ask if I could have an emergency appointment with Dr Ichim, but they said that he wasn’t available. I decided to get a second opinion from a different dentist.”

“The new dentist was shocked at what he found, He said the crowns were defective and one of my teeth was very badly damaged. He also said my teeth would likely need to be extracted. I was really upset, I couldn’t believe they were in such a state.”

Ms Senatore contacted the Dental Law Partnership. Analysis of her dental records revealed that Dr Hunt and Dr Ichim had failed to diagnose and treat decay which was clearly visible in X-rays. They had also placed defective crowns at Ms Senatore’s teeth. This led to the ongoing problems she experienced, and the loss of one of the teeth, she now needs extensive corrective treatment.

“It’s been awful . I’m only 26. I can’t believe I’ve already lost a tooth. I'm still suffering with infections and the fact I’m going to need to have further treatment is just horrendous. I feel really nervous whenever I go to the dentist now, and it is all because they didn’t do their jobs properly.”

Kyle Padley of the Dental Law Partnership commented: “The distress and pain our client has experienced was completely unnecessary. If the dentists had carried out adequate treatment in the first place, her problems could have been avoided.”