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If you have suffered dental nerve damage due to negligence, you may well be entitled to substantial compensation. The best way to find out whether the harm that has come to you measures up to the standard of dental malpractice is to contact Lance Ehrenberg, Esq. of Dental Malpractice Lawyers of New York for a free consultation. Lance has focused on this branch of personal injury law for decades and has an impressive record of positive outcomes.
Nerve damage during dental procedures is not as rare an occurrence as one might hope, and can negatively impact patients for the rest of their lives. Dentists, like other healthcare professionals, have a responsibility to remain acutely aware of what they are doing (and not doing) in order to protect their patients from harm. Lance Ehrenberg is dedicated to holding negligent dentists accountable and will charge you no attorneys’ fees until he wins your case.
The Two Nerves Dentists Most Commonly Damage
There are multiple nerves in the mouth, each of which contributes to sensation or mobility in
the area, and the severance of a nerve can be life-altering. Dental nerves can be damaged in a number of ways:
- Mechanically (by instruments)
- Chemically (by substances)
- By heat (cauterization or laser)
The most common dental nerve injuries are to the lingual nerve or the inferior alveolar nerve and occur during surgical procedures.
Lingual Nerve
The lingual nerve transmits sensation from the floor of the mouth and most of the tongue. Because there are two branches of the lingual nerve, loss of sensation may be experienced on only one side of the tongue or mouth.
Patients who have suffered lingual nerve damage may bite their tongues, drawing blood, without realizing it, and complain of:
- Loss of taste
- Difficulty speaking
- Pain
- Loss of feeling during oral intimacy
While some types of minor nerve damage may heal within weeks or months, others result in permanent damage.
Inferior Alveolar Nerve
The inferior alveolar nerve runs alongside the outside of the mouth. This nerve is frequently injured when a tooth is overfilled or through invasive instrumentation during a root canal treatment, extraction of wisdom teeth, or placement of dental implants. Because dental nerve damage causes the sensation of an electrical shock, as well as numbness and pain, such nerve damage requires immediate treatment.
The Broad Range of Symptoms Nerve Damage May Cause
Any of the following symptoms after a dental procedure may be temporary effects of novocaine or simply part of the healing process. Nonetheless, if these symptoms are severe or persistent and you suspect nerve damage is the cause, it is critical that you contact your dentist:
- Pain in the jaw
- Loss of taste
- Peculiar sensations in the mouth
- Problems speaking clearly
- Numbness of the tongue or face
- Abnormal appearance of the face
- Food and liquids falling out of the mouth
- Food sticking to the lip and chin without feeling it
Though in most cases these symptoms will gradually subside, if they do not, you may well be a victim of nerve damage caused by a negligent dentist. If you believe this may be true, get in touch with Lance Ehrenberg promptly to find out whether you are entitled to compensation for medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and other costs related to your nerve damage.
Contact Our Experienced Dental Nerve Damage Attorney Today
You should be aware that even if you gave informed consent to the dental procedure in which you suffered harm, you may be able to win a reasonable settlement or a positive verdict. If you are suffering permanent losses due to your dentist’s negligence, contact Lance Ehrenberg now. He is committed to fighting to recover every dollar of compensation you deserve.