What Causes Dental Nerve Damage?

The vast majority of the Atlanta Dental Malpractice cases that we litigate involve damage to the Lingual Nerve or the Inferior Alveolar Nerve (or both). Recent studies in dental journals have identified common factors that contribute to the incident of nerve damage. Most are secondary to a dental procedure such as installing dental implants (when the nerve is crushed due to the implant being installed too deep), oral surgery (usually when a tooth is extracted and the nerve is damaged by a dental instrument of the root of the tooth itself or severed during wisdom tooth extraction).

The factors identified as substantially increasing the risk of lingual nerve damage are: increased age of the patient undergoing the dental procedure; un-erupted wisdom tooth extraction; raising the lingual flap; and lingual split technique (splitting the bone to remove the tooth), drilling the osteotomy for a dental implant too deep, drilling past the root end and into the underlying inferior alveolar nerve or negligent extraction techniques which traumatize the nerve from excess force or contact of the nerve with dental instruments.

The factors identified as substantially increasing the risk of Inferior Alveolar Nerve damage are: the depth of impact; the difficulty of the surgery; and radiographic signs that the wisdom tooth root is lying in close proximity to the Inferior Alveolar Nerve or, similarly, that the nerve has grown into and created a groove into the wisdom tooth root.

When any of the above factors are present, there is much greater risk of injury and permanent dental nerve damage.

As an Atlanta dental malpractice lawyer who frequently meets with patients suffering from these injuries, I know how important it is to properly evaluate patients before oral surgeons extract teeth or install dental implants. Sometimes, dental malpractice occurs in the form of over treatment because the procedure is not warranted. Other times, the malpractice occurs because the dentist is not properly trained to perform the procedure that caused the injury. Still other cases are the result of a failure of the dentist who caused the nerve injury to properly chart the injury and timely refer the patient to a competent nerve specialist to timely treat the injury caused by the malpractice.

If you are a family members have suffered permanent dental nerve damage due to suspected dental malpractice, please call us today. Robert J. Fleming has been handling wrongful death cases, dental malpractice, bus accidents, car accident cases and premises injury cases for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 20 years. He practices in and around the Atlanta area including handling lawsuits in Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, Gwinnett, Cobb and other counties and nearby cities including Alpharetta, Austell, Avondale Estates, Chamblee, College Park, Conyers, Duluth, Decatur, Doraville, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Jonesboro, Lawrenceville, Norcross, Peachtree City, Riverdale, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Stone Mountain, and Smyrna. If you have been seriously injured and would like quality legal representation, contact Robert J. Fleming directly on (404) 525-5150 or contact us online.