If you have suffered a preventable injury during your dental treatment, you may have a dental malpractice case. Some injuries can be easily curable, while some may have long-lasting effects on a patient’s health. From improper administration of anesthesia to wrongful extraction of teeth, the possibilities are vast.
It is highly recommended that you seek help from a skilled attorney at Sullivan & Galleshaw who can hold the dentist liable for his negligent act and get you compensation for your injuries and damages sustained. Read this blog to learn more about dental malpractices and their common forms.
What is dental malpractice?
Dental malpractice is when there is negligence on the part of your dentist during your treatment or checkup. Malpractices are seriously alarming and can result in severe injuries. It happens when a dentist makes an unintentional mistake, which causes the patient to suffer.
Dentists and other staff workers are properly trained in dental care. Not following the procedures carefully and acting negligently can lead to severe problems. Dental malpractices can happen in many ways, such as if a dentist delays a treatment, negligent dental work, failing to diagnose dental conditions, and so on.
Gathering evidence
You will need an affidavit or testimony from dental health experts before making a dental malpractice claim. It is important because the patient or other people involved are not fully aware of the standards of care during treatment.
A medical or dental expert who has similar training and experience can give his opinion on what other professionals would have done during the same circumstances.
If your dentist fails to follow the safety or standard of care during your treatment, which results in your injury, you may have a dental malpractice case. Therefore, testimony from medical experts plays an important role in dental malpractice cases.
What are the common forms of dental malpractice?
Even if the dentist makes the slightest bit of a mistake on his part, you can suffer temporary or permanent injuries to the nerves of the tongue, lips, chin, and jaw. Some of the common forms of dental malpractice include:
- Improper administration of anesthesia
- Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders
- Delayed treatment
- Breaking the patient’s jaw during treatment
- Nerve injuries caused by dental injections
- Improper usage of tools
- Permanent or temporary numbness or loss of taste
- Dentists’ failures to take into account the medical history of the patient
- Wrongful death resulting from oral surgery
- Unnecessary extraction of multiple teeth or extraction of wrong teeth
- Failure to detect a disease
- Molesting a patient while under sedation
If you were harmed during your dental treatment, you do not have to suffer in silence. Contact an attorney to get the justice you deserve.
