Nightmare at dentist

[amygarrard]

Took my daughter to the dentist for the woman to not tell me she had finished treating my daughter as I was bent down next to the dentist chair trying to comfort her as she was distressed. Next thing the chair has come down and crushed My leg in half trapping it between the metal frame of the chair. Don't know how to feel as I suffer with my own wellbeing and dealing with emotions. To feel trapped is the scariest thing. Think it's shock trying to process it as this never happens. How would other people feel about this?

Underscore21 yes I agree 100%

That looks really sore.

As a dentist I would have been really unhappy with you being that close to the chair, we often move them whilst we are working to improve our access and we are not looking at what you are doing, we are looking at the patient. To get that type of injury on the chair I work with your leg yould have been under the chair. Chairs usually have a sensor under the base that stops it when there is resistance but that would not work if you were not right beneath it.

I have seen a child have their leg broken on a Dental chair, they are motorised with mechanics capable of moving often 25 stone of weight so they're powerful. This probably makes me more aware of the risks. Your Dental Practice will also now be hypervigilant.

Accidents do happen, there was no intent to hurt you and I'm sorry you have been hurt. Moving forward I would recommend looking at managing your own response in the Dentist. Your daughter will pick up on your anxiety despite your best efforts. If you can sit in the room, for reassurance that's great but sit back and try to let Dental Team manage her anxiousness if possible. You are there for reasurance and support and if you can be calm it will help your daughter.

I think there are a few issues here.

1. Firstly, I’m really sorry you have been injured, and it does look very sore. I would keep topped up with analgesics and try to keep mobile to help prevent any swelling.

2. Secondly, Unfortunately, parents get themselves in all sorts of positions when their child is having dental treatment - most of which are unsafe and a huge inconvenience to the dentist. At best, they are distracting, and at worse, often dangerous.

For example: Parents trying to sit in the dental chair with the child/on the chair/leaning over the side/head in the way/hands in the way or moving things/accidentally pressing the chair controls or foot pedals/helicoptering around the dentist/nurse.

The dentist is trying to:

• treat the patient (the child)
• concentrate on the complex and delicate dental treatment (often more difficult in children and anxious patients)
• manage the child’s anxiety with kindness and support
• communicate back and forth with the dental nurse
• ensure the appointment doesn’t run over
• communicate with the parent

You would expect your dentist to be paying 100% attention to the child (their patient) at all times, as they should be. However, you also expect them to be distracted and watching the adult who is making their job more challenging.

However, your dentist should have been firm, and asked you to sit in a safe place (not allowed you to drape yourself underneath a mechanical chair designed to carry 28-32st in weight).

3. Third, Your own dental phobia/anxiety. Please try and find a dentist who is patient and supportive, which will help your own fears as well as your child. The primary cause of paediatric dental anxiety is parental anxiety, so please try and address this. I know in the current climate that NHS dentistry is limited, and you may not be able to afford private care, but please explore some options. I promise you that dentistry can be a calm experience, and if not totally pleasurable, it can (and should be) totally pain-free.

This is the bruising to the top and bottom of my leg today. I will live and learn thankyou to every person for their advice

I think you should report it to the HSE, what if a toddler had suddenly darted under it? Domestic lifts for wheelchair users have an auto shut off when any pressure is applied to it, to prevent accidents like these. I’m stunned dentist chairs don’t have the same precautions. Please report this to HSE (health and safety executive) it could have been so much worse and her attitude was awful, she should have got a first aider and an ice pack for you.

That looks really sore op. Really really sore
How is it today? I often find pain is worse after resting but that's what you have to do

Did your whole leg slip under the chair for it to catch your leg top and bottom or was it bent and the chair lowered on your folded leg and that's how your knee is saved? (Trying to picture it and I can imagine both scenarios)

I think I've and ibuprofen for the swelling and pain. See your gp if you need stronger painkillers than OTC cocodomal 8/500

He chair lowered on your folded knee I think looking again

Treating an anxious child is quite a stressful experience. The child is the patient and my concentration would be on them, making sure they are safe. Making sure their feet and hands are on the chair, making sure they don't move while I have a sharp object/drill in their mouth

Keeping a calm manner and helping the child through the appointment, talking to the child etc. Plus obviously doing the treatment which in itself is fiddly and takes concentration

Its a moving object and you put your legs under it. It's an unfortunate accident but I'm not sure much can be done. Perhaps some signs to remind parents not to stand too close to the equipment, but when moving the chair the dentist will be focusing on the child to make sure they keep their limbs in a safe position and I'd probably assume an adult would know to do this themselves

Yes you are right I was crouched down next to the chair on my feet so my knee is folded. With all that was going on at the time I hadn't realised part of knee was under the chair and down it came pinning my leg there folded. I'm OK just abit sore but I'm sure it will heal in a few days

As I said I will live and learn. I don't think I'm to blame for the whole situation although for some parts I am to blame

I do think it was just an accident and it probably is wise to know where you are in relation to moving machinery.

It might be worth writing a factual statement for them to put in their accident book. You could always ask them to check the chair to ensure that all safety features are fully functioning and not switched off.

With the bruising maybe try arencia tablets. You can get strong one. My mother had them after a fall and she found them excellent

Hang on a sec, there are a few things are odd. Yes OP should speak to the manager.
1)OP and her dd appear very nervous. But dentist should recognise that in both of them, and adapt her style.
2)If mum was consoling dd, then dentist must have seen that. To not inform dd and mum that she was then going to lower chair is a serious mistake.
3)Plus the lowering it again, by pressing down again, instead of up, is careless.

A complaint. Manager needs to instruct dentist not to be so careless/ more careful.

For goodness sake, it was an accident - get over it! I also agree with others that you are doing your daughter no favours by hovering over her like that and letting her pick up on your dentist phobia.

Onlythreenow I'm fine now thankyou for your concern 👍

For the people who have been nice a little update. I'm fine the brusing has basically gone now just abit tender to touch. I did message the manager just to make her aware and the manager apologised. Think it was just shock. Unless anyone else is in that situation they will never know how it feels. I'm hoping the dental nurse is OK too as I haven't stopped thinking about how she must have felt too. Thankyou again to the few people on here that were nice to me. Have a wonderful evening and thankyou for taking your time to read my post ☺️

Good. Pleased. Thanks for the update.

It's sad what has happened to you,but it is your responsibility to make sure your body parts aren't underneath a potentially moving chair. In the dentists panick they may have pressed the wrong button, but it was not malicious, so I do not think you have any right to sue or ask for Compensation and why?. You can suggest to the practice manager that the dentist should warn anyone near the chair they'll be moving it

As I say I let the manager know what had happened as I wouldn't want it to happen to any one else. The manager is aware of what happend and I've left it as that...don't know why your talking about compensation when that word has never come out of my mouth. I've done the thing you said which was to speak to the manager