A STUDENT is preparing for surgery after seven years of “incorrect" dental treatment resulted in an £8,500 out of court settlement.

James Worsfold, of Marks Farm, Braintree, received the money after claiming he was given the wrong course of treatment for an overbite by a now retired orthodontist in Essex.

The 20-year-old, who is now in his final year studying game design at Southampton University was first told to visit an orthodontist as a 13-year-old after a check-up at his dentist in Braintree.

Mr Worsfold said: “I went to see an orthodontist and was told I had an under bite which basically means your bottom jaw sticks out further than your top jaw.

“My brother had the same issue and it seemed as though I was going to have braces on for around three years and that would be that.

“But we got a few years down the line without seeing any improvement.

“There were gaps appearing between my teeth and it was starting to ache.”

Mr Worsfold claims he regularly visited for five years having the braces tightened repeatedly before starting university.

He said: “It played on my mind a bit when I started at university because anyone who had braces when they were a child had already had them taken off or had them off very quickly after starting.

“It made me slightly self-conscious but I didn’t allow it to get in the way of going out and making friends.”

However his concerns grew and he eventually went to see alternative specialists.

He told The Times this was when he found out he had been receiving treatment for an under bite when he actually had an over bite, where the top teeth protrude further than the bottom.

He claims he was told then treatment would not work and he would need surgery.

Mr Worsfold said: “The specialist I saw told me that I was going to need surgery and the braces were never going to fix the problem by themselves.

“I couldn’t believe it - apparently it had been written in my dental records that surgery was a possibility but I was never told about that.

“At the moment I’m waiting to find out when I’m going to be able to have the surgery - I’ve had a few consultations and I’m still waiting to be given a date but it should be before the end of the year.

“When I do have it though I’m going to have to be in hospital for up to a week so it’s going to take a lot out of me.”

Mr Worsfold sought compensation from the now retired orthodontist.

No liability was admitted however an agreement was reached for an out of court settlement before a court hearing without prejudice or any blame being admitted.