Experienced Connecticut Dental Malpractice Attorneys Pursue Nerve Damage Claims
MeehanLaw, LLC, is one of the state’s leading law firms advocating for victims of dental malpractice. If you’ve suffered lingual nerve damage caused by your dentist’s or oral surgeon’s negligence, we are prepared to help. Our Fairfield County attorneys have handled dozens of these cases and have recovered significant compensation for clients throughout Connecticut.
About The Lingual Nerve
Running through the lower jaw near each side of the tongue, the lingual nerve provides taste and sensation to the front two-thirds of the tongue. A dentist exercising the appropriate standard of care will rarely cause harm to the lingual nerve during procedures. However, failure to meet an accepted standard of care can cause severe injury, and patients who suffer these injuries may be entitled to compensation.
Damage to the lingual nerve can lead to a range of harmful effects, including:
- Permanent loss of taste
- Numbness of the tongue
- Tingling sensations on the tongue (paresthesia)
- Pain and burning sensations (dysesthesia)
- Discomfort in the gums and floor of the mouth
Patients with nerve damage may experience more than one of these symptoms, and when pain and numbness do not resolve over time, corrective surgery may be required.
About The Inferior Alveolar Nerve
Another very common type of nerve injury occurs in the inferior alveolar. This nerve runs along the side of the lower portion of the jaw on each side to the midline.
Injuries to the inferior alveolar nerve occur from the following:
- Improper placements of implants
- Excessive removal of bone
- Overfilled root canals
- Overfilled bone grafts
We will advise you of your options if a dental treatment has left you with this type of nerve damage.
Wisdom Tooth Extraction Is The Most Common Cause Of Nerve Damage
The lingual nerve is most frequently damaged during wisdom tooth removal. When pulling an impacted tooth – one that hasn’t fully erupted – dentists must drill and cut through bone. When done inexpertly, this type of extraction can lead to severing of the lingual nerve.
If, a few days after wisdom tooth extraction, your sense of taste is affected, your tongue is tingling or numb, or any of the other effects listed above are present, you may have suffered a lingual nerve injury. We can determine whether your dentist had the requisite skill and background to perform this procedure or whether you should have been referred to a specialist, such as an oral or maxillofacial surgeon.
Treatment For Nerve Damage
Nerve damage is treated in different ways, depending on its severity. Sometimes it can be treated with simple pain management with the use of prescription pain medications. In other situations, it is necessary to have surgery to repair its damage to restore some sensation. If your nerve damage was caused by dental malpractice, our experienced dental malpractice lawyers can identify the full extent of your damages, including all relevant medical expenses and fight to recover it.
Contact An Experienced Connecticut Malpractice Attorney For Help With A Lingual Nerve Damage Claim
MeehanLaw, LLC focuses on helping victims of dental malpractice in Connecticut recover compensation. We have decades of experience pursuing complex dental injury claims, including many involving lingual nerve damage. To schedule an initial consultation, please call our office at 203-664-8059 or contact us online.