Can I Sue My Dentist for Nerve Damage? Your Complete, Compassionate Guide
Have you found yourself dealing with numbness, tingling, or even burning pain after seeing your dentist? Maybe you only wanted to get rid of a wisdom tooth or fix a cavity, but now you’re worried you might have nerve damage that just won’t go away. It’s a scary and frustrating time—one that leaves many people wondering:
Can I sue my dentist for nerve damage?
This guide is here to walk you through those worries, explain what’s really happening, and simply show your options. No confusing legal language. No preaching. Just honest, expert-backed information for real people facing a tough situation. Let’s help you understand your rights, the facts about dental nerve injuries, and the steps you can take—so you don’t have to face this on your own.
In This Article
- Understanding Dental Nerve Damage & Your Rights
- Dental Work That Can Cause Nerve Damage
- Which Nerves Can Be Hurt? Signs to Look For
- Can You Sue? How to Prove a Mistake Was Made
- How the Lawsuit Works (Step by Step)
- What Money Can You Get Back? (Types of Damages)
- Time Limits and Other Things to Know
- Your Healthy Takeaway: What to Do Now
Understanding Dental Nerve Damage & Your Rights
Ever walked out of the dentist’s office feeling something just wasn’t right—maybe your tongue tingles, or your jaw feels numb for hours or even days? If so, you’re not alone. Many people notice weird feelings after having dental work done, but sometimes these signs point to something more serious: dental nerve damage.
What Is Dental Nerve Damage?
Dental nerve damage is when one of the main nerves in your mouth—like the trigeminal, lingual, or inferior alveolar nerve—gets hurt while having a dental procedure. This hurt can be short-term or, sometimes, last forever. Signs may include:
- Numbness (paresthesia)
- Tingling or burning (dysesthesia)
- Face pain
- Trouble talking or eating
- Can’t taste things
It’s not just uncomfortable. It can get in the way of your life and how you feel about yourself.
So, Can You Really Sue Your Dentist?
Here’s the easy answer: Yes, you can sue your dentist for nerve damage—but only in some cases. If the nerve injury happened because your dentist didn’t do the job the way they should have (“negligence”), then you might be able to get money for what went wrong, under dental malpractice laws.
This article will break down:
- Why nerve damage happens
- Which dental work brings the most risk
- What counts as a mistake
- What you have to prove in court
- How to start the lawsuit
- What kind of money you can ask for
Remember, having a bad result from dental work doesn’t always mean a lawsuit—but if your dentist made a mistake that any other careful dentist wouldn’t have made, the law might help you.
Dental Work That Can Cause Nerve Damage
Not all dental work is just as risky for nerve problems. Some jobs have a bigger chance of nerve injuries. Here’s what you need to watch out for.
1. Wisdom Tooth Removal
This is the biggest reason for nerve injuries! Wisdom teeth roots are often very close to the inferior alveolar nerve and the lingual nerve. If a dentist isn’t careful, these nerves can get bruised, stretched, or cut while the tooth comes out.
2. Dental Implants
Putting in implants in the jaw for missing teeth needs to be done exactly right. If the dentist goes too deep, or the plan is off, it can hurt those important nerves in your jaw or chin.
3. Root Canals
A root canal saves teeth, but if too much stuff is pushed out or the dentist works too close to the nerves, it can leave lasting pain.
4. Numbing Shots (Anesthetic Injections)
Giving numbing medicine sounds easy, but if the needle hits a bad spot, especially when numbing the bottom jaw, you can end up with numbness or tingling that stays around.
5. Jaw/Mouth Surgery
Fixing jaw problems, treating injuries, or taking out tumors in the mouth puts the doctor close to lots of sensitive nerves.
6. Other Dental Jobs
Even simple work—like crowns, fillings, or braces—can, but not very often, irritate or pinch a nerve.
Remember: These are the most common times, but nerve injury is still rare. Dentists are trained to keep the risks very low, but mistakes sometimes happen.
Which Nerves Can Be Hurt? Signs to Look For
Your mouth has a lot of nerves, but a few are usually the ones causing trouble if they’re hurt. Here they are and how you might notice a problem.
The Main Three Dental Nerves
1. Lingual Nerve (part of the trigeminal nerve)
- Where it goes: Along your tongue
- Look out for: No taste, tongue tingling, pain, trouble talking
2. Inferior Alveolar Nerve
- Where it goes: In your lower jaw, to your bottom teeth, chin, and lower lip
- Look out for: Numb chin or lip, sore jaw, hard time eating
3. Buccal Nerve
- Where it goes: Inside your cheek
- Look out for: Numb cheek or sore spots (happens less often)
4. Facial Nerve (rare)
If this one’s hurt, it can mean trouble with moving parts of your face or showing feelings.
Signs That Might Mean Nerve Damage
- Numbness that sticks around for days or weeks after dental work
- Constant tingling, pins and needles, or burning
- Sharp, stabbing pains
- Changed taste or no taste at all
- Trouble moving your mouth, talking, or chewing
Short-Term vs. Lasting Damage
- Short-Term: Might last hours to weeks; nerves grow back
- Lasting: Signs last for months or longer; bigger or complete nerve hurts
Both kinds might be enough for a claim—but long-lasting problems are usually worth more.
Can You Sue? How to Prove a Mistake Was Made
Let’s be straight—just because something bad happens at the dentist doesn’t always mean a mistake was made. The law sets a high bar. So what makes a slip-up into medical malpractice?
What Is Dental Malpractice?
Simply put: Dental malpractice is when a dentist doesn’t do their job to the right standard and that caused you harm. Dentists don’t have to be perfect; they have to do what a careful dentist would have done.
The “Four D’s” of Proving Negligence
Think of suing for dental nerve damage like making a table with four legs. If one leg is missing, your case likely won’t stand up.
Common Examples of Dental Mistakes
- Using wrong or outdated ways to numb
- Drilling in the wrong place, or too deep (hurting a nerve)
- Not warning you about risk of nerve injury before work (should have told you)
- Not acting on signs of trouble after the work is done
- Not figuring out your problem and treating it soon enough
The “Standard of Care”
Each dentist is supposed to be as careful and skilled as any other dentist would be. If yours rushed, skipped steps, or ignored clear warning signs, that might be a mistake.
Real-World Example
Say you had a wisdom tooth removed. After surgery, your tongue tingled and food tasted strange, but your dentist said “that’s normal” and ignored you for weeks. Later, you learn your lingual nerve was cut, and earlier action might have helped. That might be medical malpractice.
How the Lawsuit Works (Step by Step)
Thinking about starting a lawsuit can be scary, but knowing what happens next helps. Here’s the path from injury to finish.
1. After Getting Hurt
- Write Down Signs: Note when pain or tingling started, what makes it worse, and if it changes.
- See a Second Doctor: Go to a different dentist, oral surgeon, or nerve doctor for a check.
- Collect Papers: Get your dental files, x-rays, and bills. You’ll need these.
2. Talk to a Dental Malpractice Lawyer
- Why You Need One: Dental law is tricky. A good lawyer knows what to look for.
- First Meeting: Bring every paper. Get ready to talk about what happened and how it’s changed your life.
- Cost: Many lawyers get paid only if you win. Ask right away.
3. Building Your Case
- Expert Help: Your lawyer will talk to dental experts to look over your files.
- Proving Mistake: Did your dentist do something outside of what’s normal?
- Scans: MRI or CT scans might show how badly the nerve is hurt.
4. Starting the Lawsuit & Learning the Facts
- The paperwork begins. Each side finds out about the other’s claims.
- You may tell your story (“deposition”) about what happened.
5. Trying to Settle
- Usually, both sides try to agree before going to court. If your proof is strong, you might get a settlement offer. Lots of cases end this way.
6. Going to Court
- If no deal happens, you may go to court. A judge or jury decides if your dentist was at fault and, if yes, what you get.
What Money Can You Get Back? (Types of Damages)
When you sue for dental nerve damage, you want more than a refund—you want money for real, sometimes big losses.
Money for Bills and Lost Wages (What You Can Count)
- Medical Bills: Past and future, including specialists or maybe nerve repair surgery
- Wages Lost: If you couldn’t work because of your injury
- Lower Pay Later: If you can’t go back to your old job
- Therapy: Physical healing or mental health help
Money for Suffering and Life Changes (Harder to Measure)
- Pain and Suffering: Ongoing pain or trouble using your mouth
- Mental Pain: Worry, sadness, embarrassment
- Different Looks: Face change, speech trouble
- Lost Joy: Can’t enjoy eating, social times, or hobbies
Real-World Numbers
Some settlements for dental nerve injuries were $50,000 to over $350,000, based on how bad and long-term the problem is.* [Source: National Library of Medicine dental malpractice review]
Remember: These are just averages. What you can get changes with your case and where you live.
Time Limits and Other Things to Know
You only have a certain amount of time, called the statute of limitations, to sue. If you wait too long, you may not be able to sue, even if you have a real injury.
Basic Time Limits
Usually, it’s 1 to 3 years from when you got hurt (or when you found out), but each state is different. Sometimes, the clock starts when you “should have” noticed the problem.
- Act Quickly: Don’t wait to talk to a lawyer, even if you’re not ready to sue.
- Save Evidence: The longer you wait, the harder it is to get records and facts.
Trouble Spots in These Cases
- Tricky Proof: Proving nerve injury—and that your dentist caused it—takes lots of medical proof.
- Expert Witnesses: You’ll almost always need a doctor or dentist to say what your dentist did wrong.
- Small Problems: If your injury is mild or went away fast, a big lawsuit may not be worth it. For less money, some people use small claims court.
What If I Don’t Have Much Money?
A lot of dental malpractice lawyers work on a “get paid only if you win” basis—you only pay if your case wins.
Extra Support, New Technology, and What You Can Do
Dealing with nerve pain or numbness is tough. You don’t have to do it alone.
- Think about joining dental nerve damage support groups—other people’s stories can help.
- Ask your dentist about new ways to fix nerve injuries. Labs like a digital dental lab or an implant dental laboratory are making things safer and more exact to prevent injuries.
- If you need new teeth or tooth coverings because of your injury, a trusted crown and bridge lab can help make sure your new teeth fit and work well.
Your Healthy Takeaway: What to Do Now
Here’s what matters most as you take your next steps.
Main Things to Remember:
- Nerve damage from dental work is rare—but it happens.
- Not every problem is a dentist’s mistake; you have to prove they didn’t do their job right and that it caused your issue.
- Signs include numbness, tingling, face pain, and not being able to use your mouth right.
- Fast action—writing down signs and seeing another doctor—is important for your health and if you go to court later.
- Talk to an experienced dental malpractice lawyer as soon as you can to protect your rights.
- You can get money for both money loss (bills, missing work) and for your pain and life changes.
Easy Next Steps:
Feeling upset or lost after a dental injury is normal. You deserve care and respect. Getting advice isn’t about payback—it’s about your health, paying your bills, and making sure dentists do careful work.
If you’re scared about dental nerve damage, talking to a caring professional is your best first step. You don’t have to know everything—you just have to ask for help.
This guide is for general help and does not take the place of legal advice. If you have a medical or legal emergency, please talk to a professional quickly.
