Atlanta Injury Lawyers Blog

As an Atlanta Dental Malpractice Lawyer, I know that many so-called "routine procedures," such as wisdom tooth extractions, root canals, crowns, and dental implants, can result in horrifying injuries. This is because the mouth contains many vital anatomical structures, including the lingual nerve, the inferior alveolar nerve, the mylohyoid nerve, and the mandible jawbone.

Many instances of dental malpractice involve damage to the lingual nerve. The lingual nerve descends from nerve centers in the brain into the lower jawbone and finally into the tongue and adjacent gums. Partial or complete severance of the lingual nerve can occur during the surgical extraction of a tooth, during the injection of anesthesia, or as a result of inflammation. Overfilling of the space under a tooth, during a root canal for example, can also result in leakage into the mandible canal and lingual nerve injury.

Damage to the lingual nerve can result in numbness or decreased sensation in the tongue, the floor of the mouth, the inside of gums, and the lips. Clients who have experienced lingual nerve damage have experienced an inability to taste their food, to know when to swallow, to stop biting their own tongues, as well as drooling, slurred speech, and a changed appearance. Lingual nerve damage can also cause residual pain, which can decrease one's quality of life and ability to work. This type of neuropathic pain is often worse at night, resulting in sleep deprivation and adding to the emotional burden of the sensory nerve damage.

In an attempt to regain functionality in their lingual nerve, some patients have undergone complex surgeries in which a nerve from another part of the body is removed and reinserted in their jawbone. However, these surgeries are not always successful and present additional risks to the patient.

Dentists have a duty, not only to provide competent dental care, but also to inform their patients of the risks inherent in any procedures they wish to perform. If you feel that your dentist has breached his duty to you, protect yourself by hiring an experienced dental malpractice lawyer to help you pursue your claim and redress your injuries.