Nerve Damage from Dental Work

Many people dread going to the dentist, even though they know it is a necessary part of keeping their mouths clean and healthy. The cleaning and scraping are enough to make some individuals cringe, and if more serious work is necessary, injected anesthetics might be necessary.

While the temporary numbness these shots cause can be uncomfortable and inconvenient, what happens if the discomfort persists longer than it should? Unfortunately, nerve damage is a very real danger when dealing with some dental procedures and anesthetics. Such damage can cause long-term numbness, tingling, or pain in the tongue, mouth, chin, lips or jaw.

While medical procedures do come with inherent risks, sometimes dentists, orthodontists, and oral surgeons may take unnecessary risks or practice other negligent behaviors. This puts the patient at undue risk for suffering nerve damage that could cause long term discomfort. If you want to learn more about medical malpractice, contact the Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. today at 215-238-1130.

Causes of Nerve Damage

There are two primary causes of dental-related nerve injury:

• Injected anesthetics – There is a possibility that anesthetics used to numb parts of the mouth and face for dental procedures can cause long-lasting numbness or discomfort (particularly if the anesthetic is accidentally injected into a major nerve trunk).
• Tooth extraction – When teeth are surgically removed, especially molars such as wisdom teeth, the relatively invasive nature of the procedure can result in nerve damage.

While these are the most common causes of oral nerve damage, there are many others. If you think you may be seriously injured, it is important to determine the cause of your discomfort.

Contact Us

Even though many cases of nerve damage are treatable, if you have suffered due to negligent actions by a medical professional, you may be eligible for compensation. Call 215-238-1130 to contact the Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. today.