In the UK, a 58-year-old man came very close to death after swallowing one of his gold crowns during a dental procedure.
Going to the dentist is far from being a cakewalk, and it’s not this British patient who will say otherwise! In the United Kingdom, Paul Thorpe, 58, came close to death at the dentist when his gold crown dislodged from his tooth to land in one of his lungs. It all started in March 2021. Disturbed by a filling that kept dislodging, Paul decided to consult his dentist. The latter then advised him to devitalize the tooth, a way to put an end to this somewhat too capricious filling.
Unfortunately, the operation did not go well. By pulling out the filled tooth, the practitioner moved the crown of the next tooth. It was then that Paul felt difficulty breathing. “I suddenly pushed him away, straightened up and started coughingsays the fifty-year-old in the columns of The Sun. I had trouble breathing and sputtered everywhere. The dentist just told me ‘Calm down, have a glass of water’ (…) But when I moved my tongue in my mouth, I said, ‘I can’t feel my crown anymore,’ which was attached to the tooth next to the one he was removing.”
“It blocked 60% of the air I breathed in”
At first, the dental surgeon assured Paul that “the crown would eventually come out the other side within a few days“. But Paul, convinced that something was wrong, insisted that he prescribe a chest X-ray. He then discovered the inconceivable: his crown had become lodged in his right lung. “It was shocking. It blocked 60% of the air I breathed in. I was told the only way to remove it was under general anesthesia.” This is how his simple appointment with the dentist resulted in a very invasive surgery. Operated at Northern General Hospital in Sheffield, Paul was able to have his crown removed successfully, but the doctors informed him that he could have died from this unfortunate incident.
In December 2022, the dentist involved denied responsibility for the incident, but the Dental Law Partnership found he failed to provide the necessary care before, during and after the procedure. Paul was thus awarded £4,500 (around €5,000) in damages.. “I didn’t even think about the moneysaid the grandfather. The reason I attacked him was to make sure he was better prepared for the future. I don’t want such a thing to happen again.” he concluded.
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Paul Thorpe
Paul Thorpe’s dentist appointment turned into a nightmare.
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The dentist did not immediately grasp the seriousness of the situation.
At first, the dental surgeon assured Paul that “the crown would eventually come out the other side within a few days”.
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His dental appointment resulted in a highly invasive surgery.
After surgery at Northern General Hospital in Sheffield, Paul was able to successfully have his crown removed, but doctors warned him that he could have died from the unfortunate incident.
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The dentist involved denied any responsibility in the incident
The Dental Law Partnership felt he failed to provide the necessary care before, during and after the procedure. Paul was thus awarded £4,500 (about €5,000) in damages.