A grandmother has won almost £90,000 after a Harley Street dentist told her to ‘put up with it’ during a botched operation which was ‘excruciatingly’ painful.
Caroline Bailey had to endure ‘unbearable’ and ‘extreme’ pain as experienced Dr Monica Bijlani negligently drilled into the root of a tooth while fitting a dental implant.
Mrs Bailey, 60, lost part of her jaw as a result of the botched procedure and developed a debilitating bowel condition due to the painkillers she had to take.
The High Court found Dr Bijlani, 59, did not bother to carry out a ‘full or proper assessment’ of Mrs Bailey and drilled in an implant which was too big for her mouth, causing an infection.
After three sittings in Dr Bijlani’s chair, one of which was described as ‘horrendous and traumatising’, Mrs Bailey had to spend 10 days in hospital.
The High Court heard during one stint in the chair, Mrs Bailey was in ‘agony’ and did not think she was being given effective pain relief but Dr Bijlani told her to ‘put up with it’.
The High Court has ordered the dentist of 30 years to pay Mrs Bailey £87,663 in damages after the mother-of-five sued her.
The tribunal heard Mrs Bailey had visited Dr Bijlani’s practice on London‘s famous Harley Street once for veneers work without any issues in 2016.
Caroline Bailey, 60, spent six hours in Dr Monica Bijlani’s dentist chair being fitted with an implant that was two sizes too big and drilled into an adjacent tooth
Dr Monica Bijlani negligently drilled into the root of a tooth while fitting a dental implant
Two years later in May 2018 the then 54-year-old visited Dr Monica’s Dental Clinic again to have a bridge removed and have an implant put in.
Mrs Bailey had worn a three-tooth bridge for many years on her lower jaw.
The High Court heard Dr Bijlani did not measure her jaw bone or take an x-ray, instead relying on information from two years before.
She also did not tell Mrs Bailey about the associated risks.
While having the bridge removed Mrs Bailey spent six hours in the chair.
‘Some of the equipment being used seemed to be ineffective and parts were coming off’, a High Court judgement said.
‘During the journey home Mrs Bailey became increasingly unwell and in pain.’
Days later she returned for the implant to be fitted but suffered severe pain as Dr Bijlani botched the procedure.
‘Dr Bijlani’s drilling began to cause Mrs Bailey extreme pain’, it was heard.
‘She spoke of gripping the chair and trying to raise her left hand to indicate she was in pain but Dr Bijlani reached across and pressed her arm down.
‘Despite the topping-up of the anaesthetic Mrs Bailey continued to be in “excruciating pain” which was relentless and did not subside. She said she was in agony.
‘She recalled Dr Bijlani telling her to move her tongue out of the way but she could not feel her tongue as it was anaesthetised.
‘Mrs Bailey was told the anaesthetic had reached the maximum dose so she was told she would just have to put up with the pain.
‘The drilling lasted more than an hour and Dr Bijlani attempted to place the implant post into Mrs Bailey’s mouth several times over the course of more than an hour.
‘Mrs Bailey noticed the state of the dental nurse, Maria, who looked quite worried or distressed.
‘Once the post was in place Mrs Bailey repeated she was in pain but was advised to take painkillers and rest.’
The High Court heard during one stint in the chair, Mrs Bailey was in ‘agony’ and did not think she was being given effective pain relief but Dr Bijlani told her to ‘put up with it’. File picture
At home Mrs Bailey remained in ‘unbearable pain’ and could not sleep. She returned to Dr Bijlani’s practice and the dentist suggested she perform root canal treatment.
Mrs Bailey said the treatment lasted two hours and was ‘one of the most horrendous, painful and traumatising experience’.
The treatment could not be finished because she was in so much pain and a week later she was urgently referred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge for surgery.
It emerged the implant had incorrectly been drilled into the root of a neighbouring tooth and it was infected.
While awaiting surgery Mrs Bailey encountered health issues brought on by the painkillers she had been prescribed.
‘On 9 June 2018 Mrs Bailey awoke in the middle of the night with extreme pain in her abdomen, pelvis and lower back’, it was heard.
‘She was experiencing rectal bleeding, sweating and vomiting. She went to Accident and Emergency and was very weak.
‘She underwent an x-ray and a CT scan revealing ischaemic colitis and necrosis in her intestine.
‘Mrs Bailey was admitted to hospital, where she remained for 10 days.
‘Attempts to treat the colitis were successful, although the alternative involving significant surgery was only narrowly avoided.
‘Following discharge Mrs Bailey required care and assistance from her husband and daughter in relation to all tasks, personal and household. This lasted for two to three weeks.’
It was heard Mrs Bailey had to cancel a summer holiday and her plans to move to Cambridge and seek work were hindered because of her appearance and inability to speak and pronounce words properly.
Experts told the High Court the extreme pain was caused by drilling into the neighbouring tooth and a ‘competently conducted clinical examination’ would have showed there was a lack of space for the implant.
There was no need for root canal treatment and the implant should have been removed, experts also said.
Dr Bijlani, defending herself at the tribunal, was ‘dismissive’ of Mrs Bailey’s pain complaints and said she had an ‘extremely low and exaggerated pain threshold’.
She said it was ‘unintentional human error’ in not fixing the implant straight because Mrs Bailey was writhing around in pain so much.
She said she has done ‘several thousand’ implants without issue.
His Honour Judge Simon found the dentist was liable for damages.
Judge Simon said some of her actions were ‘completely unsound and professionally unjustifiable’.
‘He specifically failed to undertake a full and proper assessment of Mrs Bailey’s suitability for the proposed implant procedure’, Judge Simon said.
Judge Simon also criticised Dr Bijlani for not accepting her negligence caused issues.
‘Whether the poor positioning of the post was due to Dr Bijlani’s lack of sufficient planning, due to the lack of sufficient care in carrying out the procedure, due to Mrs Bailey’s understandable inability to remain static due to the significant pain she was experiencing or due to a combination of these and/or other reasons, matters not.
‘They are all the responsibility of Dr Bijlani as she was the one who should have appreciated one or more of the risks involved must be manifesting itself/themselves.’
