Dental surgery is often required to correct a variety of oral complications. However, dental surgery doesn’t always go as it should, and in some cases, a patient may experience abnormal pain after dental work. If this happen, the pain may be a sign that something has gone wrong.
If you believe that your dental surgery wasn’t performed properly, and you’ve developed serious complications as a result, you may be able to recover damages through a dental malpractice claim.
Bleeding, Swelling, and Pain after Dental Surgery
After dental surgery, there is usually a fair amount of bleeding, swelling, and pain that is to be expected, depending upon the type of surgery. For wisdom teeth removal, for example, bleeding should not be excessive or exceed a period of 24 hours. If bleeding continues for a period of longer than 24 hours, you should call your dentist immediately.
Like bleeding, swelling and pain are also fairly common. However, if swelling and pain persist for more than three days, then a problem may be present, such as an infection, according to the Merck Manual. Additionally, pain should never be so severe that it can’t be controlled with pain medication. Pain that is overly severe, or that does not subside within a few days, is abnormal.
What to Do if Pain is Severe
If you are experiencing pain following dental surgery that is so severe that pain medication does not help, or if your pain does not subside within a few days following surgery, the first thing that you should do is seek medical attention. Call your dentist, and request an appointment where your post-surgery progress can be assessed.
In some cases, if the surgery was performed incorrectly or infection has developed, additional measures may be required, such as additional medications, the use of antibiotics, or even secondary surgery.
Contact an Attorney if You Suspect Dental Malpractice
If your abnormal pain after dental work is because your dentist or oral surgeon failed to perform the procedure responsibility and reasonably, speak with an attorney. In New York, you have 2.5 years to file a dental malpractice claim for damages, according to New York Civil Practice Law & Rules, section 214-a. This means that if you’re the victim of a dental medical malpractice surgery, you need to take action to get started.
At Gacovino, Lake & Associates in New York, our attorneys can help you exercise your rights to recover compensation for your damages. Contact us today at 800-550-0000 to get started.
