A man has been left facing a dental bill of up to £31,000 after being hit in the face by a bicycle.
Physiotherapist Thomas Johnston, from Langport, lost eight teeth and suffered serious mouth injuries during a night out in Cardiff.
He said: "I was in Cardiff on a friend's stag do on July 4 and was on my way home when I was struck in the face by a bike.
"I was walking down a road when, completely out of nowhere, it hit me.
"I was knocked to the ground and treated by paramedics at the scene.
"I was so dazed afterwards that I've had to rely on other people's accounts of exactly what happened."
Mr Johnston said: "Two teeth were knocked out completely at the scene and three others were left hanging.
"The handlebar went straight into my mouth and some of my teeth were forced through the jawbone.
"Two sockets were fractured and the roof of my mouth was fractured as well."
Hospital staff initially repositioned and wired his damaged teeth, but the full extent of his injuries became clear over time.
The NHS was only able to offer dentures, but clinicians advised that dental implants would be a better long-term solution to prevent jawbone shrinkage.
With implants available only privately, Mr Johnston faces a dental bill of between £26,000 and £31,000.
Read more
Somerset MPs unite to demand urgent changes to NHS dental contract
New scheme brings dental education into schools in Somerset
Somerset women 'dare to bare' as part of CPR campaign
He explored compensation through the Motor Insurers' Bureau but could not claim because the bike could not be confirmed as an e-bike and the rider remains unidentified.
Mr Johnston said: "The teeth weren't sitting properly in the sockets, so I couldn't even close my mouth.
"I was on high doses of codeine and, at my first dental appointment afterwards, the dentist couldn't really do much because I was in so much pain."
He has been off work since the accident and is signed off until at least mid-September.
The financial impact has also been substantial, forcing him to cancel a long-planned trip to South Korea with friends, for which he only received £100 back from his flights.
Mr Johnston said: "We've had to start making changes to our wedding (which is next year) and look at ways to cut costs wherever we can."
Family, friends and the wider community have rallied round, with his brother setting up a GoFundMe campaign.
To donate, click here.
He said: "When it really started to take off it was quite overwhelming.
"It's been humbling and it's made me appreciate just how many people are willing to help."
He also praised the care he received at Taunton Dental and Implant Centre.
Mr Johnston said: "I've been under the care of Justin George at Taunton Dental and Implant Centre since just three days after the accident.
"He's seen the whole picture from the start and has supported me throughout the process."
Dr George BDS, from Taunton Dental and Implant Centre, said: "Mr Johnstone had an unfortunate horrific accident that had left him with significant bruising and dental trauma.
"The immediate priority was to relieve his pain and help restore his ability to eat and carry on with his day-to-day life as comfortably as possible.
"We are now working towards restoring his smile, which will involve complex work and addressing the long-term effects of the trauma."
He added: "Long-term reconstruction and implant treatment may be required to restore function, preserve the supporting bone and surrounding teeth, and achieve a natural-looking and stable result.
"Careful planning is particularly important following traumatic tooth loss, as the gums and underlying bone may also have been affected.
"Mr Johnstone’s treatment is still in its early stages, and we are continuing to carefully plan each step of his reconstruction.
"Our ultimate aim is not only to restore his ability to eat and function comfortably, but to create a new smile that he feels confident and happy with."
Share