A student has been awarded £11,000 after a dentist gave him braces that let his teeth fall out.
Kai Orley, 18, from Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, endured three and a half years of dental work to try and improve his smile.
He says it’s been a “traumatic” nightmare since his first dental appointment at age 10.
The teenager was treated by Dr Andrew Zaranko for orthodontic treatment at Belasis Dental Practice, Billingham.
Kai said: “My front four teeth gradually started coming out, which had never happened before.
“It was an extremely frustrating and traumatic experience that greatly affected my mental health and nutrition during high school.
“The retainers made me miserable as they were so painful and uncomfortable.
“I was constantly worried about my teeth and had a really hard time eating lunch at school for a while as I was in so much discomfort.”
“I first visited Dr Zaranko in year 6 of primary school to discuss orthodontic work when I was ten years old.
“Tooth extractions were discussed but Dr Zaranko thought I could go without them and we started orthodontic work properly in April 2017 when I was 11 and then in January 2018 I had a fixed brace fitted.
“Throughout 2018 and 2019, I attended appointments almost every month to get coils and tires fitted and adjusted, but my teeth didn’t seem to improve at all.
“My front four teeth gradually started coming out, which had never happened before.
“Mom and I expressed concerns about the lack of improvement, but we were constantly told by Dr. Zaranko that it would get better – we just needed more time.”
Kai’s mom contacted another dentist for a second opinion in November 2020.
Kai added: “At the new practice, we were told I needed two teeth – which Dr Zaranko had said we could go ahead without.
“I had the teeth extracted and a new set of braces fitted by the new dentist and my teeth started to improve.
“I finally got my braces off in April 2022, aged 16, more than five years after starting my original treatment.
“It scares me to think that this dentist could be treating other patients wrongly.”
Malpractice solicitors Dental Law Partnership took the case and Kai received an £11,000 out-of-court settlement from the dentist who did not accept liability.
Heather Owen, of the Dental Law Partnership, said: “The prolonged period of anguish, pain and suffering our client experienced at such a young age was unnecessary.
“If the dentist involved had provided the correct orthodontic treatment from the start, then our client’s treatment would have been completed sooner and the problems could have been significantly reduced.”
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