A Blackburn woman has received over £6,000 compensation after the drill bit being used in her dental operation came loose, resulting in her swallowing it.

Mrs Coyle attended her dental practice for a repair filling. During the procedure, the drill bit, a flame-shaped friction grip finishing burr, fell out of the dental hand-piece and was swallowed by Mrs Coyle. Mrs Coyle attended the hospital where she underwent numerous tests and invasive investigations, including open surgery, to try and remove the foreign body.

Mrs Coyle finally passed the burr naturally the following month and the hospital discharged her.

The claim was settled by Zoe Brodrick of Irwin Mitchell's specialist Medical Negligence Team.

She said, "In this case, the dentist was negligent in failing to ensure that the burr was correctly attached to the hand-piece before starting treatment. Furthermore, the dentist failed to appreciate the seriousness of the incident and did not prepare a detailed report in relation to the incident. All medical professionals should ensure that the wellbeing of their patients is of the utmost importance and that they take any mistakes seriously."

If you or a loved one has suffered as a result of dental negligence, we may be able to help you claim compensation. See our Medical Negligence Guide for more information.

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Compensation for Woman After Swallowing Drill Bit During Dental Procedure