Oral Surgery Can Cause Many Serious Dental Injuries

As a Georgia trial lawyer who specializes in Dental Malpractice, I represent clients who have suffered lingual and inferior alveolar nerve injuries and other maxillofacial nerve injuries caused by Oral Surgeon dental malpractice. Today, I read that an oral surgeon in Oklahoma who has “voluntarily” closed his offices after health officials began investigating his dental practice.

Despite his office’s “spiffy” facade, this oral surgeon is being investigated for contributing to the spread of hepatitis and the HIV to his patients. State and County inspectors raided the Oral Surgeon’s office and found evidence of employees using dirty equipment, re-using syringes, and administering drugs without a license.

This lack of quality assurance and proper medical protocol is appalling and I must say that it is not the norm. The injuries that I see most often result from dental errors during a number of dental procedures as follows:

DENTAL IMPLANTS

Nerve injuries related to dental implant treatment is becoming an increasing problem. The incidence rate of implant-related inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) nerve injuries varies greatly but can approach 40% of some patients. 25% of edentulous patients (those without any of their natural teeth left) present with a degree of altered IAN function, thus reinforcing the need to follow guidelines and the standard of care on the necessity of pre-operative neurosensory evaluation. 3-D scanning now available in many specialist practices and dental hospitals provides improved imaging for planning implant placement with little radiation exposure.

ROOT CANAL PROCEDURES

Any tooth requiring endodontic treatment that is in close proximity to the IAN canal should be given special attention by the dentist. If the canal is over prepare’ or the apex opened, chemical nerve injuries from irrigation of root canal materials is often the result.

 

WISDOM TOOTH EXTRACTIONS

Third molar surgery or extraction-related inferior alveolar nerve injury is reported to occur in up to 10 % of all extraction cases. Factors associated with IAN injury are age, difficulty of surgery and proximity to the IAN canal. If the tooth is closely associated with the IAN canal radiographically, i.e., it is superimposed on the IAN canal, darkening of roots, loss of lamina dura of canal, or deviation of canal  which is probably due to interference of the root with the inferior alveolar nerve canal, then the risk of nerve injury doubles according to some reports in the dental literature.

If you have been injured by an oral surgeon and would like to discuss your case in complete confidence, please call Robert J. Fleming directly at (404) 923-7497. Attorney Fleming has been handling wrongful death cases, personal injury cases, dental malpractice and medical malpractice lawsuits for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 20 years in and around Atlanta, Georgia and its surrounding areas, including Alpharetta, Austell, Avondale Estates, Chamblee, College Park, Conyers, Duluth, Decatur, Doraville, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Jonesboro, Lawrenceville, Norcross, Peachtree City, Riverdale, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Stone Mountain, and Smyrna. If you have been seriously injured and would like quality legal representation, contact Robert J. Fleming directly on (404) 525-5150 or contact us online.