A teacher who claimed a dentist had left her with a "goofy" look has lost her claim for damages against him for alleged negligence and breach of contract.
Judge Liam Devally, in a reserved judgment in the Circuit Civil Court, said Ms Eibhlis Lorden (30) had gone through a personal purgatory as a child because of four prominent upper teeth.
Because her parents could not afford remedial treatment while putting her older siblings through third-level education, the offending teeth were extracted when she was 13 and a plate inserted.
Ms Lorden, Seapoint Avenue, Dublin, a teacher in the Loreto College, Bray, Co Wicklow, went to Dr Brian P. Merry, Blackrock, Co Dublin, in the hope of obtaining a more acceptably cosmetic look by the insertion of a bridge.
Problems had arisen with her speech and some pronunciation. She tried to hide what she considered a was goofy look and was embarrassed to socialise. Judge Devally said Ms Lorden had been "deeply wounded" as a child. She had attended Dr Merry for remedial work after having set up an appointment with another dentist who had constructed a new bridge with which she was now happy.
A dental expert said Dr Merry had got the original bridgework right while the second dentist had got it "more right". Judge Devally could not hold there had been any negligence or breach of contract on the part of Dr Merry. Complicated dentistry frequently was a protracted operation requiring adjustments and resettings. He dismissed Ms Lorden's claim and adjourned consideration of costs until next month.