Orthodontic Malpractice

Americans are world-renowned for their obsession with straight, white teeth. At the Olympics, the American athletes can be picked out in any competition based on the perfect alignment of the teeth. To get these perfect pearly whites, Americans turn to orthodontists, dentists, and cosmetic dentists to ensure their teeth are in tip top condition at all times.

While the majority of orthodontists are perfectly competent individuals, there are some who should never be allowed near any adolescent’s teeth ever due to their routine inability to get a person’s teeth straight in a way that is also correct. Common problems with orthodontists include improper alignment as well as lack of informed consent.

In addition to being an integral part of any smile, a person’s bite is crucial for proper digestion. Without the teeth meeting correctly, improper wear situations can occur which causes the teeth to wear down faster. In addition, chewing is just harder which can cause injuries to the jaw and neck as a person adjusts his or her chewing to actually make contact with the food.

As a result, when an orthodontist makes an error regarding the alignment of teeth, it is a serious problem. Typically, people go to the orthodontist to have their bite corrected, not damaged further. If the only purpose behind orthodontia were to give the appearance of straight teeth, caps and crowns would be sufficient. Orthodontists can misalign teeth when they move one part of the mouth in the wrong direction, pull teeth out at an angle to make room for other teeth, or determine that only one level of the mouth needs braces.

Lack of informed consent arises in orthodontic situations most commonly when the orthodontist advocates removing teeth to fix some problem. Many people do not fully understand what is happening with their teeth and may be in too much pain even to contemplate having teeth pulled.

Contact a Philadelphia Orthodontic Malpractice Lawyer

If you or your child’s teeth have been damaged by the faulty actions of an orthodontist, contact the Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 215-238-1130.