(845) 802-0047Have you Suffered Nerve Damage After a Wisdom Teeth Removal?
Dental MalpracticeNerve damage after a wisdom tooth extraction can be medical malpractice in New York. It is necessary for dentists to exercise extreme care while performing dental procedures so as to not injure important anatomical structures in the oral cavity, such as nerves. The removal of wisdom teeth can result in injury to the lingual nerve, causing either temporary or permanent nerve damage. Symptoms can include numb tongue and even more serious complications.
Blockage of the inferior alveolar nerve and the lingual nerve, which supply the teeth and tongue respectively, can be caused by the administration of anesthesia. Surgical procedures in the lingual area are the most common cause of nerve damage. This can result in temporary or permanent loss of sensation or pain.
If your oral surgeon dentist severs a nerve during a procedure, then you should be referred for surgical repair immediately. If, after the anesthesia wears off, it is determined that you have sustained nerve injury (and if the damage does not improve within 6-8 weeks) then it may be important to seek out a board certified surgeon who has expertise repairing nerves. Failing to do so could be dental malpractice when nerve damage after a wisdom tooth extraction occurs.
Should surgical repairs be completed in a timely manner (usually 10-12 weeks) then it can be expected to attain about 75% of normal sensation in about 70% of the cases. If the there is a longer delay, there is a lower chance of success and surgical repair is rarely recommended after nine months. Seeking surgical repair can be a harder decision to make when only partial numbness is involved. However it should be made within 4-5 months.
It is possible to repair both the inferior alveolar nerve and the lingual nerve. This includes the portion of the inferior alveolar that travels in the bone. The recovery rate of the inferior alveolar nerve exceeds that of the lingual nerve.
Nerve damage after a wisdom tooth extraction can be serious dental malpractice. 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.