Botched Tooth Extractions: Long Term Pain And Suffering

Tooth exactions can fairly simple procedures or very complicated oral surgeries.  If the extraction is performed negligently the results can be life-altering injuries and even death.  Injuries that result from unsafe extractions include:

• Extraction of the wrong tooth
• Fracture to the jaw
• Infections
• Jaw joint / temporomandibular joint (TMJ) injuries
• Severed or crushed nerves
• Sinus perforation
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Death

If you have suffered an injury due to an extraction gone wrong, it is important that you contact an experienced Kingston, New York medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible to evaluate your case.

A person may need a tooth extracted for many different reasons including:

• When a tooth does not grow normally because of obstruction by the gums, bone, or other teeth, they can become impacted.  This is a common reason for a tooth (or teeth) to be extracted.
• If you have teeth that are poorly positioned or particularly tight-fitting, teeth may be removed so that the remaining teeth can be straightened or moved with orthodontic (brace) treatment.
• If you have teeth with severe decay or fractures you may require extraction.
• A tooth with a failed root canal may require extraction.
• If bone support has been destroyed by advanced gum disease, tooth extraction is often required.
• If a tooth or surrounding bone become infected, extraction may be necessary.
• If you suffered trauma that resulted in fractured teeth, extraction may be required.
• Diseases, which may include bone problems, cysts, or cancer can require pre-treatment or treatment extractions.

Following extractions, a patient can expect:

• A day or two of tenderness
• Mild swelling
• Slight bleeding
• About two weeks for the wound to heal
• Three to six months for the bone and tissue to fill in

Complications resulting from malpractice can take the form of the following:

• Fever and/or chills.
• There is excessive redness, swelling, or discharge from the extraction site.
• Bleeding or pain that is severe for more than four hours following the procedure.
• Signs of infection
• Discharge by the dentists while still experiencing steady, moderate-to-severe bleeding.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Development of swelling, fever, puss, shortness of breath, or severe pain.
• Continued numbness in the tongue, gums, lips, chin, or face which are possible signs of instrumentation into the nerves.
• Extraction of the wrong tooth.
• Negligent removal of excessive bone or gum tissue.
• Fractured jaw.
• Lacerations or burns due to an instrument slip into unintended tissue.

Injuries that result from negligence include:

• Infection that requires hospitalization
• Fractured jaw
• Nerve injuries
• Numbness or the gums, tongue, face, or chin
• Jaw stretching resulting in TMJ dysfunctions
• Need for jaw reconstruction
• Death

But what do you think?  I would love to hear from you!  Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com.  You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.