Like doctors, dentists go under years of education and training before they begin treating patients. Although dentists ensure that they provide or exceed the basic standard of care for their patients, violations to provide the basic standard of care for patients can occur. This is termed dental malpractice.
A dentist’s negligence can cause severe injuries and affect your physical health. If you become a victim of dental malpractice, you can file a lawsuit against the dentist and seek compensation for all the expenses you incur due to their carelessness. Filing the claim alone can be stressful, but seeking help from Philadelphia, PA personal injury attorneys can eliminate the hassle.
Common dental malpractices:
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Failing to diagnose the problem:
A dentist’s primary duty is to diagnose any problem in your teeth, even if you are paying a visit for a routine checkup. If the dentist noticed the early signs of problems and overlooked them, it is evident that they failed to provide standard care for the patient.
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Incorrect diagnose:
Sometimes the dentist may fail to diagnose the correct problem. This may be due to a lack of proper knowledge or failure to address the problem. Failure to diagnose the problem may increase the complications without the patient being aware of the issue.
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Performing treatments that are not needed:
Dentists may perform treatments that are not required. Primary examples include the extraction of a tooth that may not be necessary or influence the patient for dental fillings even if there is no cavity.
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Inappropriate anesthetic:
Most dental treatments need anesthesia. However, a dentist may use too much anesthesia or too little, making it worse for the patient. Using too much anesthesia can create adverse health effects on the patient’s health, including nausea, vomiting, brain damage, and more. Furthermore, lack of anesthesia can cause unbearable pain for the patient.
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Using unsterilized equipment:
The basic standard of care includes sterilizing the equipment after using it on every patient. The dentist uses equipment on almost every patient, and failure to sterilize equipment can give rise to various infections and health problems to the patient.
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Accidentally causing severe injury:
Sometimes the dentist can cause severe injury to the patient’s teeth due to various reasons that can be prevented. These injuries include never damage to jawbones and more.
To prove a dental malpractice case, you must have a good lawyer who can help in gathering evidence against the dentist and assist you on the next steps. Proving that the injury was caused due to dentist’s negligence is crucial. Therefore, a lawyer will help you get the proper compensation.