Stockton man receives thousands in compensation after dental nightmare

Mr Paul Evans, a 36-year-old senior project leader from Stockton, visited Dr Nicholas Fleming at Wynyard Dental in the town between 2007 and 2017.

“I first visited Dr Fleming in 2007 when I started suffering with painful toothache,” Mr Evans explained. “He went ahead with extracting the tooth that was causing the pain just four months later - I was really nervous but relieved that this would put an end the pain.”

Unfortunately, however, Mr Evans, continued to endure dental problems.

Paul Evans was a patient at Wynyard Dental from 2007 - 2017

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“After the first tooth was extracted, I then started to experience excruciating pain with yet another tooth,” Mr Evans said.

“I was devastated that this would mean a trip to see Dr Fleming again, but at the time I genuinely believed that I was in safe hands. After having a root canal treatment and being prescribed antibiotics I really hoped this would be the end of my problems, but no, I returned 10 months later to have yet another tooth extraction.”

Mr Evans underwent a total of four tooth extractions over 10 years whilst under the care of Dr Fleming.

As a result of this, not only does he find eating difficult at times, he also cannot undergo orthodontic treatment and feels extremely self-conscious about his smile. 

By 2017, Mr Evans suffered widespread bone loss

“I felt like every time I would go and get yet another filling or even a root canal treatment, I would just end up back at the practice with more dental problems. I thought it was never going to end,” Mr Evans said.

“The bleeding and inflammation were causing me sleepless nights and I started to see it impacting my work. I couldn’t understand what was going on! I only started to get some answers when I sought a second opinion for orthodontic work.”

It was only then, 10 years later that the true extent of Mr Evans’ dental problems was revealed.

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Wynyard Dental Practice in Stockton. Picture: GOOGLE STREETVIEW

“It was only when I saw another dentist that I was diagnosed with bone loss and gum disease and was subsequently told I couldn’t have braces,” Mr Evans said.

“I was so confused as I had been seeing Dr Fleming at the practice for almost a decade with no mention of these problems.

"In my mind I was asking myself: surely if my dental problems were this extensive they would have been found before? Understandably, I was finding this all really hard to process and felt unbelievably let down by Dr Fleming.”

Mr Evans contacted specialist dental negligence solicitors, the Dental Law Partnership, in 2017.

Analysis of dental records revealed that Dr Fleming failed to carry out adequate examinations and provide preventative care for gum disease.

Mr Evans suffered with bone loss, which resulted in him being an unsuitable candidate for orthodontic work.

He will also sustain the future avoidable loss of 5 teeth.

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“Not only has this been a huge blow to the trust that I put in dentists, I now really struggle with my appearance. I don’t even like eating or smiling in front of my close friends and family.

"It is very easy to think of the physical problems that this has all caused, but it has also had a big impact on my psychological wellbeing. This whole ordeal has been unbelievably traumatic.” 

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

The Dental Law Partnership took on Mr Evans’ case in 2017. The case was successfully settled in 2021 when the dentist paid £35,000 in an out of court settlement. The dentist denied liability.

Wynyard Dental declined to comment due to patient confidentiality.

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