Can you sue a dentist for extracting the wrong tooth?

Can you sue a dentist for extracting the wrong tooth?

Anyone can choose to sue their dentist for a bad dental procedure. This is called a dental malpractice lawsuit, and it is part of the medical malpractice practice area within personal injury law.

What happens if the dentist pulled out the wrong tooth?

When dentists pull the wrong tooth and commit dental malpractice, the victim is allowed to recover compensation for his or her injuries, the extra pain and suffering, and the value of a tooth, and the damage to any of the surrounding tissue or bone structure. This includes any damage to nerves.

Do dentists extract teeth unnecessarily?

In the United States and elsewhere across the country, dentists are needlessly extracting teeth for financial gains and as a result of medical negligence.

What is a dental malpractice?

Dental malpractice can occur when a dental patient is harmed through the provision of sub-standard care. Just as doctors can be held liable for medical negligence, so can dentists (as well as oral surgeons and orthodontists).

Should I get a second opinion on a tooth extraction?

It is perfectly reasonable and acceptable for you to seek out a second opinion regarding potential dental work. A reputable dentist will not be offended by your desire to seek a second opinion for major dental work, and he or she may even suggest that you get a second opinion.

What teeth are unnecessary?

Our third and final set of molars to grow, wisdom teeth don’t quite fit in many people’s mouths, leading to millions of surgeries per year. But in some people, these “extra” teeth come in just fine, while others don’t have them at all.

Can you sue a dentist for pulling out the wrong tooth?

Additionally, if the dentist actually believed they pulled out a tooth that was causing your pain and then later determined that the tooth was not the cause of the pain, a patient may only sue if the dentist should have known it was the wrong tooth. “Doing bad work”: Again, this depends.

What happens if a dentist damages a healthy tooth during extraction?

For example, if a dentist negligently damages a healthy tooth during an extraction, you will receive more compensation than if you suffer a period of pain as a result of a substandard extraction. Compensation received following a successful claim for dental negligence will be comprised of:

How common is wrong-site tooth extraction?

The National Practitioner Data Bank, which was created by Congress to track information about malpractice claims, reports that there are about 8,500 dental malpractice lawsuits every year. Among the many different medical mistakes that are made by careless dentists, one of the most common is wrong-site tooth extraction.

What do you need to know about a dental injury lawsuit?

Causation: The plaintiff will need to establish that the dentist’s negligent act was the cause of injury. The dentist could argue that the injury was something the patient would have sustained, even if the dentist was not negligent. They may also argue that the patient should have reasonably expected the pain from the procedure.