Dental malpractice gets dismissed — by insurers and sometimes by patients themselves — as ‘just teeth.’ Permanent nerve damage, disfigurement, untreated infection spreading beyond the mouth, and anesthesia injuries are not ‘just’ anything. The same malpractice framework that governs physicians governs dentists and oral surgeons.
Claims We Evaluate
- Nerve injuries — lingual and inferior alveolar nerve damage from extractions and implants, causing permanent numbness, pain, or taste loss; MedlinePlus covers the anatomy.
- Wrong-tooth extractions and implant failures — documentation cases: the chart usually convicts or clears.
- Missed disease — oral cancers and periodontal disease progressing under routine care that should have caught them.
- Anesthesia and sedation errors — monitoring failures in office settings, among the most serious cases in this field.
The Same Rules as Medical Malpractice
Certificate of merit, expert testimony, and the two-year framework with discovery nuances — the full apparatus of our medical malpractice practice applies, including the honest screening: many bad dental outcomes are known risks properly disclosed, and we say so when the records say so. Practitioner oversight sits with Pennsylvania’s licensing boards via the Department of State/health authorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
My dentist says numbness after extraction is normal. Is it?
Temporary numbness can be; permanent numbness is not an acceptable routine outcome. Duration is the signal — if it persists beyond the disclosed window, get evaluated medically and legally.
Is a dental case worth pursuing financially?
Serious ones, yes — permanent nerve injury, disfigurement, and spread infections carry real damages. Minor dissatisfaction usually isn’t a case, and we’ll tell you which yours is at the free evaluation.
Do I sue the dentist or the practice?
Often both, plus potentially an oral surgeon or anesthesia provider — the entity structure determines coverage, and mapping it is part of the case, not your homework.
How long do I have to file?
Generally two years under Pennsylvania law — with a six-month written-notice requirement for claims against government entities and special rules for minors and late-discovered injuries. Evidence fades faster than any deadline.
What does hiring you cost?
No attorney’s fee unless we recover for you; the contingency percentage and case-cost handling are in the written fee agreement you review before signing. Consultations are free.
Ready to talk about your case? Call (215) 464-4600 or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation — contingency fee, no attorney’s fee unless we recover, costs explained in the written fee agreement.