Many Ohio residents likely dislike going to the dentist. Dental work and procedures are not only expensive, but also uncomfortable as they require an individual to hold their mouths open for an extended period of time and endure prodding, drilling and poking. While some equate the visit to the dentist with a teeth cleaning or the occasional cavity, a dental emergency can be extremely serious in nature and require the expertise of a highly trained dental and medical professional.

A man recently filed a lawsuit against his dentist after suffering painful injuries that resulted in the man nearly dying and suffering permanent injury and disability. According to the lawsuit, the man visited the dentist complaining of an infected and painful impacted wisdom tooth.

In an attempt to alleviate the swelling and pain, the dentist performed a tooth extraction. The morning after the extraction procedure, the man began experiencing severe side effects which lead him to visit a hospital's emergency room after he was told the dentist would not be able to examine him until later in the day.

Once at the hospital, test results showed the man was suffering from a serious infection called Ludwig's Angina. Due to the swelling in the man's throat, he was incubated and placed on a respirator. Additionally, the man was given antibiotics to stave off the infection and was required to stay in the hospital for a total of four days.

The man filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the dentist who performed the tooth extraction, claiming the dentist failed to both properly diagnose and treat his medical condition. As a result of the dentist's negligent acts, the man claims he experienced extreme pain and suffering as well as disfigurement and disability. He is seeking to recover compensation related to medical expenses, loss of enjoyment and diminished earning capacity.

Source: The Southeast Texas Record, "Man claims he nearly died after dentist failed to properly extract tooth," Kelly Holleran, Aug. 2, 2013