What is dental malpractice?

Dental malpractice, also sometimes referred to as dental negligence, is classified as an avoidable injury that has been caused by a dentist who has failed to take the proper care needed during your treatment or procedure.

Types of dental malpractice claims

There are many different types of dental malpractice claims. Here at Arizona Dental Law, we have dealt with a wide variety, including the following:

• Failure to diagnose dental problems
• Problems with restorative dentistry treatments
• Complications arising from tooth extraction
• Complications arising from dental implants
• Problems with wisdom teeth
• Complications with root canal treatment
• Cosmetic dentistry errors
• Failure to diagnose oral cancer
• Nerve injuries
• Jaw fractures
• Damages related to the use of anesthesia
• Infection as a result of dental treatment
• Inadequate follow-up care

Whether or not you have a viable claim will depend on a range of factors, such as the type of injury sustained and whether you have sufficient evidence that the damages were incurred directly as a result of your dentist not fulfilling their duty of care.

Failure to give consent

Another common type of dental malpractice is something known as failure to give consent. Before any type of dental treatment, your dental professional has various obligations. They should explain to you why they are recommending the proposed treatment, and if there are any potential risks, what these are. It is imperative that your dentist is satisfied that you understand the nature, purpose and any potential consequences of your treatment, and that you willingly give your written consent.

Unfortunately, sometimes dentists fail to fulfill this care of duty, believing that their patient should just trust that they, as a professional, should know best. Nevertheless, if you haven’t been given all of your treatment options to choose from or you haven’t given consent for even one aspect of your dental care, your dentist could be held liable.

The effects of dental malpractice and why you need a dental malpractice attorney

The effects of dental malpractice can be just as serious as that of medical malpractice, and patients can suffer anything from mild inconvenience to severe physical and psychological trauma. Further dental treatment, medical treatment, time off of work and ongoing rehabilitative care are just some of the ongoing challenges that may be faced by the victim of a dental malpractice case.

Nevertheless, pursuing a claim without professional assistance can be extremely difficult. Dental malpractice laws are complex, and there are many stipulations that must be met for a claim to be successful. By hiring an experienced and knowledgeable specialist dental malpractice attorney, you can escape the considerable strains on your time and energy. You can simply leave your case in the hands of a capable lawyer who is prepared to work tirelessly to get you the compensation that you are entitled to.

At the Arizona Dental Law Group, we are committed to getting our clients fair settlements for their dental malpractice cases. To arrange your confidential and complementary consultation, please call our Phoenix offices today at 602-833-4200.