Dental Malpractice

Just like other health care providers, dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants can be liable for malpractice. These dental professionals have a duty of care to their patients. They must exercise the same care that a reasonably prudent dental professional with similar training would have done under the circumstances. Dental malpractice can cause serious injury to a patient. Examples of dental malpractice include:
Improper Tooth Extraction
Getting your wisdom teeth, or any teeth, extracted can be a stressful and scary time. Most of the time the procedure goes smoothly, but there can be serious health consequences and injuries. Jaw fractures and sinus perforation can occur if an extraction is improperly performed. Nerve damage can also occur if a tooth is not removed correctly.
Failure to Diagnose Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease can lead to horrible results, including the loss of teeth. Periodontal disease is very treatable if diagnosed early and dental interventions are timely performed. However, if periodontal disease is not diagnosed or treated there can be serious health consequences.
Improperly Sterilized Dental Equipment
Equipment that was not sterilized between patients can contain many types of bacteria that can lead to serious infections. Dental professionals have a duty to make sure dental equipment is thoroughly cleaned before using it on the next patient.
Problems with Anesthesia
Dentists often have to use anesthesia during procedures. Using too much anesthesia can lead to severe medical complications and could be malpractice.
Nerve Damage
Nerve damage during a dental procedure can be a devastating and traumatic experience. Some of these injuries can be permanent. Many nerves can be injured during a dental procedure, including the lingual nerve and the inferior alveolar nerves. Damage to these nerves can result in numbing of the tongue, loss of taste, numbness or pain in the chin, lips, or gums, and impaired speech.
Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
If you’ve been injured due to the negligence of a dental professional, you should have an attorney evaluate your case. At Bonina & Bonina, P.C., we have over 50 years of experience helping injured New Yorkers. Contact us online or call us at 1-888-MEDLAW1 to schedule your free consultation. Home and hospital visits are available. Se habla español.