27 Jun 2016

Dentist removed wrong tooth

4:07 pm on 27 June 2016

Lack of care and attention led an experienced dentist to remove the wrong tooth from a teenage patient.

The Health and Disability Commissioner says it was basic dentistry, and the unnamed dentist got it wrong.

Dentist

Photo: 123rf

Anthony Hill said the 15-year-old was referred by an orthodontist last year to have three baby teeth removed.

The dentist removed two correctly but wrongly identified the third.

He extracted a permanent tooth instead, realising the error immediately by the length of the root.

The dentist re-inserted the tooth, but the teen had pain and needed a root-canal later.

The dentist apologised, and tried to minimise the damage.