Dental Malpractice: Patient Seeks Damages After Wrong Tooth Pulled

A patient is suing a dental practice for a up to a million dollars after a serious dental error occurred during a routine procedure. According to the lawsuit in Texas, the dentist allegedly mistakenly extracted the wrong tooth and then attempted to improperly reinsert it. Specifically the lawsuit says after the dentist allegedly pulling the wrong tooth the dentist then tried “stuff the tooth into the socket”. As a result of the dental malpractice, the patient claims to be experiencing severe ongoing pain and mental anguish and requires extensive corrective dental work. The lawsuit alleges negligence on the part of the dentist and the dental practice. The lawsuit further asserts the dental practice has negligent hiring practices and creates an unreasonable risk of harm to patients. This case highlights the importance of thorough dental care and patient safety. Dental errors … Read more

Rare Case Highlights Importance of Communication and Follow-up After Dental Procedures

An interesting article titled “The interplay among a dental procedure, infective endocarditis, and an acute ischemic stroke” appears in the Journal of the American Dental Association by Momodou G. Bah and et. al., published January 24, 2024. The article discusses a case report that shares the importance of communication and follow-up after dental procedures, especially when it comes to potential complications like infective endocarditis and stroke. The Case: A previously healthy 54-year-old woman experienced a cracked tooth while eating, specifically tooth #30 while chewing a popcorn kernel. Her dentist extracted the tooth, but she did not inform the dentist about persistent pain at the site for two weeks, and there were no follow-up calls scheduled. Five weeks later, she developed stroke symptoms and was diagnosed with infective endocarditis, a rare but serious infection of the heart valves. The Connection: Tests … Read more