Nerve damage following wisdom teeth extraction
A medical negligence expert from our Birmingham office helped a woman recover compensation after she suffered nerve damage while having wisdom teeth removed.
After suffering from recurrent pain with her wisdom teeth, Dawn visited her dentist who identified that both wisdom teeth were impacted and infected.
Dawn underwent surgery at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch for the removal of her wisdom teeth. A nerve supplying her tongue, the lingual nerve, was damaged during the procedure and left her with no sense of taste or sensation in her tongue. She also lost her voice, which took 6 months to recover.
After the procedure, Dawn was immediately aware of numbness in her lower chin and lip. Her tongue then started to feel numb and swollen. However, it was nine months after the surgery that the damage was realised and Dawn was diagnosed with right lingual parasthesia.
The damage caused to Dawn is permanent and has left her unable to enjoy simple pleasures such as being able to taste food. As a result of the nerve damage, Dawn also suffers from extreme pain when anything comes into contact with her tongue.
The Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust initially denied that it was responsible for causing Dawn’s injuries. With the help of medical negligence lawyer Matthew Waite, the Trust subsequently admitted liability and Dawn received a five figure out of Court settlement.