As an Atlanta dental malpractice attorney, I am often approached by potential clients who have sustained nerve injuries after a dental procedure. The most common dental procedures that result in nerve injuries are root canals, dental implants and molar extractions (especially wisdom tooth extractions). Of these, the majority of serious dental nerve injuries result from work on the mandibular (bottom of the jaw) teeth. This is because the inferior alveolar nerve and the lingual nerve run very close to these bottom teeth and tongue and can be damaged if the dentist commits malpractice when performing any of these dental procedures.
Less often, a nerve injury can occur in the upper region of the face when the dentist attempts to perform a nerve block using a local anesthetic instead of trying to numb the area being worked on via an infiltration injection just above the tooth. The nerve can be injured either by a needle stick mechanical injury or by the local anesthetic chemically damaging the nerve. There is literature to support that post marketing studies conducted by the manufacturer of a 4% local anesthetic solution have indicated an increased risk of nerve injury secondary to the administration of 4% local anesthetic solutions when administered by nerve block in the mandible.
If you have sustained an injury from a dental procedure, and would like to discuss your case in complete confidence, contact Robert J. Fleming at (404) 923-7497 for a free dental malpractice case evaluation or contact us online.