A 49 year old man had issues with a wisdom tooth. He went to several different times and had him attempt to remove it. He was sent home believing the extraction had been performed. However, the dentist had stopped the extraction after learning that the tooth was fused to the bone.
Several hours after returning home, the man was rushed to the emergency room and was diagnosed with air emphysema and residuals roots by an oral surgeon. The oral surgeon than extracted the remaining portions of the wisdom tooth.
Both the oral surgeon and dentist were found liable for the man’s injuries as neither obtained informed consent for the procedures they performed.
The man has been unable to return to work as a hydro-geologist, and remains totally disabled as a result of his constant pain. He suffered extensive oral nerve damage, chronic pain, a fractured jaw, memory loss, migraines, permanent loss of taste, fear, anxiety, and depression. The man had subsequent brain surgery (craniotomy) performed to help alleviate his constant-pain.
The man was awarded $9.8 million in New York, in October, 2012.
See http://www.teethremoval.com/dental_malpractice.html for numerous additional cases of jury awards after wisdom teeth extractions.
Erik Shilling, Patient Gets $9.8 million in wisdom tooth suit, USA Today, October 17, 2012. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/10/17/wisdom-tooth-lawsuit/1639923/