Failed Root Canal Compensation – How Much Can I Claim?

For many, visiting the dentist can be nerve-wracking, even when everything goes smoothly, let alone if something goes wrong. A failed root canal is an unfortunate and deeply frustrating thing to go through, leaving you with physical pain, emotional distress, and financial losses. If your procedure failed due to your dentist being negligent, you might also be wondering, “How much compensation for a failed root canal can I claim?”. 

Key Takeaways

• Root canal treatment is a complex type of dental procedure designed to remove infected pulp from within a tooth.
• A failed root canal could lead to tooth loss, infections, nerve damage, and extreme pain. 
• Failed root canals can occur due to incomplete cleaning, improper dental techniques, or a lack of pre-operative imaging scans.
• Following a root canal gone wrong, a patient may need to pay out of pocket for restorative treatment or other surgical procedures.
• If eligible, one of the No Win No Fee solicitors from our panel can help you gather evidence to prove dental negligence occurred. 

Our panel of solicitors are experts in all dental negligence claims. They have the experience to ensure that your compensation covers all of the ways you’ve suffered from negligent dental treatment. To find out whether you can connect with one of them today, simply contact our advisory team for free:

Jump To A Section

1. How Much Compensation For A Failed Root Canal Can I Claim?
2. What Factors Determine The Final Failed Root Canal Compensation?
3. Can I Claim Special Damages For A Failed Root Canal?
4. Can I Make A Claim If My Root Canal Procedure Failed?
5. Root Canal Failures Caused By Dental Negligence
6. What Do I Need To Claim Compensation For A Failed Root Canal?
7. Get Help From How Much Compensation For A Failed Root Canal Claim
8. More Information

How Much Compensation For A Failed Root Canal Can I Claim?

The amount of compensation you could claim for a failed root canal will reflect the extent to which you’ve been physically, emotionally, and financially affected. These effects can be covered by 2 heads of claim:

• General damages for the physical and psychological impact of the unnecessary harm you suffered.
• Special damages for the financial impact of that harm.

To calculate general damages in a failed root canal claim, legal professionals can use medical records and the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). The JCG is particularly useful for this, as the document features guideline compensation brackets for various forms of harm. 

We have created a table using some guideline compensation brackets from the JCG. Please note that none of these brackets can be guaranteed, as all failed root canal claims have unique circumstances. 

Harm	Guideline compensation bracket	Severity
Multiple types of serious harm + special damages	Up to £150,000+	Compensation covering multiple types of serious harm and associated financial losses such as private corrective treatment costs, medications, and travel expenses.
Jaw fractures	£37,210 to £55,570	Multiple serious fractures (e)(i) - with prolonged treatment and permanent consequences.
	£21,920 to £37,210	A serious fracture (e)(ii) - with permanent consequences.
	£7,880 to £10,660	A simple fracture (e)(iii) - where immobilisation is required, but a full recovery is made.
Damage to teeth	Up to £46,540	Chronic and significant tooth pain (f) - with significant general deterioration, lasting for multiple years.
	£10,660 to £13,930	Loss or serious damage (f)(i) - to multiple front teeth.
	£5,310 to £9,310	Loss or serious damage (f)(ii) - to two front teeth.
	£2,690 to £4,820	Loss or serious damage (f)(iii) - to one front tooth.
	£1,330 to £2,080	Loss or serious damage (f)(iv) - to back teeth (the compensation bracket is per tooth).

What Factors Determine The Final Failed Root Canal Compensation?

The severity of the unnecessary harm, the long-term prognosis, and whether there are related financial losses are some of the factors that can determine the final failed root canal compensation. For general damages specifically, payouts can be influenced by the following considerations:

• How the harm you experienced has changed your quality of life (referred to as a loss of amenity).
• The type of harm you suffered, such as nerve damage or tooth loss.
• Whether or not a full recovery is possible. 
• How extensive the treatment is. 
• Whether you developed a mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression. 
• Whether any pre-existing conditions have altered the outcome of the harm suffered. 

Our advisors are available now if you’d like further guidance on the factors that can impact how much compensation for a failed root canal you could claim for. A solicitor from our panel can also provide a more personalised evaluation once you’ve discussed your circumstances with them. 

Can I Claim Special Damages For A Failed Root Canal?

If you have evidence to show that you have suffered financial losses as a direct result of the harm you’ve suffered, then you can claim special damages for a failed root canal. This part of a compensation payout can reimburse past and future financial losses, such as:

• Loss of earnings if you’ve taken time off work due to the harm.
• Future loss of income if you cannot work for a long period of time, including pension contributions and bonus opportunities. 
• Corrective private dental treatment, such as tooth extraction, bone grafts, and implants.
• Medical expenses, such as a prescription to manage an infection. 
• Additional support to help you manage with childcare or other day-to-day responsibilities.
• Travel expenses for medical appointments. 

Special damages can only be included in a dental negligence claim if there is proof of financial loss, ranging from payslips and bank statements to invoices and receipts. 

To find out how much compensation for a failed root canal you could claim for special damages, please have a chat today with our friendly team of advisors. 

Can I Make A Claim If My Root Canal Procedure Failed?

You can make a claim if your root canal procedure failed if you can demonstrate that a dental professional provided you with substandard care, resulting in you being avoidably harmed. As such, the eligibility criteria for making failed root canal claims are as follows:

1. A dental professional owed you a duty of care as their patient. 
2. They breached their duty by giving you substandard care. 
3. You suffered avoidable harm as a result. 

All healthcare providers, including dental professionals, have a responsibility to always meet the correct standards of care that are expected from them. This obligation is known as a duty of care.

Before we continue, it’s essential to note that not every failed root canal procedure will be because of a breach of duty. Even when dental professional provide their patients with the correct standard of care, some root canals will not have the desired outcome, and patients may still experience harm. 

If you’d like further guidance on what may constitute dental negligence, please continue reading and get in touch with our advisors. They can also confirm your claim eligibility in one free chat. 

Root Canal Failures Caused By Dental Negligence

Incomplete cleaning that causes infection and inadequate aftercare that leads to chronic pain are 2 examples of root canal failures caused by dental negligence. 

Here are some specific examples of how a dental professional could breach their duty of care, and what avoidable harm could result from this:

• A dentist fails to remove all of the infected nerve tissues during a root canal procedure due to carelessness. This leads to the infection returning, necessitating another corrective procedure. 
• Your dentist fails to give you the correct aftercare instructions after a root canal procedure and doesn’t tell you that you cannot chew on the affected tooth until a crown is placed. Because you aren’t told this, you chew on the affected tooth, which causes the tooth to fracture. This tooth fracture leads to severe pain and the loss of the tooth itself. 
• An endodontist fails to use a rubber dam during your root canal procedure. This leads to corrosive irrigation solutions (such as sodium hypochlorite) leaking into your mouth, resulting in serious chemical burns and soft-tissue damage. 
• A dentist doesn’t place a crown following your root canal. As a result, the tooth becomes infected again, leading you to experience life-threatening sepsis. 

If you believe you have suffered in a similar way as above, contact us today and ask, “How much compensation for a failed root canal could I be entitled to claim?”.

What Do I Need To Claim Compensation For A Failed Root Canal?

To claim compensation for a failed root canal, you will need to have sufficient evidence showing how the substandard care that you received caused avoidable harm. For dental negligence, that might involve using:

• Your dental records and notes, as these documents can show the detailed history of your treatment. 
• Copies of pre-operative and post-operative X-rays.
• Your own detailed account of the symptoms you’re suffering. 
• Photographs of your visible harm, such as visible cracking or chipping or noticeable symptoms of an infection.
• Contact details from anyone who witnessed the negligent treatment, such as family members or dental staff. 
• Any correspondence (letters and emails) between you and the dental practice relevant to what happened to you. 

Our panel of specialist solicitors have extensive experience in collecting evidence of negligence on behalf of clients, so you can rest assured you’ll get the help you need. This can make the failed root canal claims process a little easier to navigate, as it will allow you to better focus on your recovery and other personal needs. 

Besides evidence, you’ll also need to start pursuing compensation within the correct dental negligence claims time limit. Typically, this is 3 years, commencing from the date the negligence occurred or when you realised it had taken place. However, exceptions to the time limit can be made in certain circumstances. To learn about these circumstances, check out our dedicated limitation period guide. 

To ensure that you make your claim on time, please have a chat with our advisors today and ask, “How much compensation for a failed root canal can I claim?”.

Get Help From How Much Compensation For A Failed Root Canal Claim

If you are looking to claim dental negligence compensation after a failed root canal procedure, you can get help with your failed root canal claim from one of the specialist solicitors making up our panel. The services they provide can make the claims process as easy and straightforward as possible for you, allowing you to stay focused on your recovery. That support includes:

• Gathering evidence on your behalf to prove that dental negligence occurred. 
• Communicating with all relevant parties and handling any paperwork needed for your claim. 
• Negotiating the best failed root canal compensation possible, ensuring that all of your damages have been covered. 
• Helping you connect with rehabilitation specialists, if necessary, to assist your recovery. 
• Sorting the legal representation for you if your failed root canal claim has to go to court (don’t worry – this will be highly unlikely, as most compensation claims are settled before ever reaching this stage).
• Explaining any legal jargon you come across. 
• Answering any of your questions, such as “How much compensation for a failed root canal can be awarded?”, at any time. 

These services are provided on a No Win No Fee basis through a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This means:

• You pay no upfront fees for your solicitor’s services. 
• There are no ongoing service fees to pay.
• You pay no fees at all for your solicitor’s services if the claim is unsuccessful. 

If the claim is successful, your solicitor will only keep a small percentage of your compensation. This percentage is called the ‘success fee’ and is capped by law. 

If a No Win No Fee appeals to you, please contact us today to discover whether you’re entitled to receive our panel’s services. 

Contact Our Advisors

Contact our advisors today to find out how much compensation for a failed root canal you could claim. We don’t want you to suffer the effects of dental negligence alone, and you shouldn’t have to. Our friendly advisors are on hand 24/7 to have a chat with you:

• Call 0800 408 7826
• Visit our ‘Contact Us‘ page. 
• Message an advisor directly on our live on-screen chat box. 

More Information

For more information on pursuing compensation, you can browse some of our other guides here:

• Find out how payouts are calculated when claiming for a wrong tooth extraction.
• Advice on how to use our compensation calculator.
• See how much compensation you could claim for a misdiagnosis.

Additional information can also be found on these other pages:

• NHS – information on root canal treatment.
• General Dental Council (GDC) – the standards and guidance for dental professionals.
• Gov.UK – apply for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you have took time off work while you recover from your failed root canal.

We hope that this guide has been helpful for you, but please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time to find out how much compensation for a failed root canal you might be able to claim.