A dentist is a medical doctor who specializes in the medical branch of dentistry. This field involves the study and practice of diagnosing, preventing and treating diseases of the mouth and teeth. Examples of dental work include drilling teeth, filling cavities and placing crowns and bridges. More advanced forms of oral surgery are performed by dentists specialized in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Other oral health care providers include dental assistants, hygienists, technicians and therapists. When a dentist, oral surgeon, or other oral health care provider's level of care, skill or treatment falls below the standard of car and inflicts serious injury or death to a patient, dental malpractice may have occurred.
Signs of dental malpractice or negligence may include:
- Difficulty in Speaking, Drinking or Eating;
- Jaw Bone Damage;
- Lip Damage;
- Lingual Nerve Damage;
- Numbing;
- Unusual Pain;
- Parasthesia;
- Slurred Speech;
- Tongue Nerve Damage
Sometimes during the extraction of a tooth, molar or wisdom teeth, a patient may suffer certain injuries due to dental malpractice which can include the following:
- Bond and tissue damage to oral cavity;
- Excessive force during extraction;
- Fractured Jaw;
- Infections;
- Jaw Stretching;
- Nerve Injuries;
- Numb Tongue, Chin or Face;
- Other Mouth, Lip, Cheek or Facial Injuries;
- Severed Nerve Damage;
- Sinus Cavity Injuries
The application of braces can also cause injuries due to orthodontics malpractice which may include:
- Blunted Teeth Roots;
- Inability to Chew;
- Loose Teeth;
- Need for Oral Surgery;
- Temporalmandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ);
- Unnecessary Teeth Extractions.
Dental or oral surgery malpractice can also include:
- Complications of Oral Surgery;
- Anesthetic Complications;
- Delay in Diagnosis or Diagnostic Errors;
- Failure to Diagnose Oral Cancer;
- Failure to Diagnose Periodontal Disease;
- Failure to Diagnose Other Serious Oral Problems;
- Failure to Document Chart;
- Failure to Document Clinical Findings;
- Failure to Obtain Informed Consent;
- Failure to Obtain Informed Refusal;
- Failure to Obtain Medical Clearance from Patient's Doctors;
- Failure to Refer to Other Specialists;
- Failure to Supervise;
- Failure to Treat;
- Improper Performance;
- Medication Error;
- Poor Follow-Up with Patients;
- Poor Patient Education;
- Standard of Care Violations.
There are several recognized dental specialties in the United States which include:
- Dental Public Health;
- Endodontics;
- General Dentistry;
- Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology;
- Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology;
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery;
- Orthodontics and Dental Facial Orthopedics;
- Pediatric Dentistry;
- Periodontics;
- Prosthodontics.
The practice of dentistry and oral surgery may include the diagnosis and treatment of the following:
- Bilateral Odontogenic Keratocysts;
- Bonding;
- Braces;
- Cosmetic Dentistry;
- Dental Caries;
- Dental Implants;
- Dental Pulp;
- Dental Restoration;
- Dental Surgery;
- Dentures;
- Endodontic Therapy;
- Exodontia;
- Filling of Decayed Teeth;
- Fluoride Therapy;
- Gingivitis;
- Gum Disease;
- Molar Extractions;
- Periodontal Therapy;
- Periodontitis;
- Prosthetic;
- Root Canal Therapy;
- Tooth Extractions;
- Unerupted Teeth;
- Veneers;
- Wisdom Teeth Extractions.
You can reach Personal Injury Lawyer J.P. Gonzalez-Sirgo by dialing his direct number at (786) 272-5841, calling the main office at (305) 461-1095, or Toll Free at 1 (866) 71-CLAIM or email Attorney Gonzalez-Sirgo directly at [email protected].
