An Oregon man filed a dental malpractice lawsuit against his former orthodontist for leaving braces on him for 11 years.
According to CBS Seattle, Devin Bost, 22, filed the dental malpractice lawsuit against his former orthodontist, Brad Chvatal, D.M.D, after allegedly suffering from permanent tooth, mouth and gum injuries. In the lawsuit, Bost states he had braces from age seven up until age 18.
Dental Malpractice Lawsuit
The lawsuit, filed on August 24 in Multnomah County circuit court is seeking $150,000 for pain and suffering, plus an additional $35,100 for corrective oral surgery and similar expenses, states Bost’s attorney, David Hollander.
The dental malpractice lawsuit states Bost visited Chvatal starting in August 1997. Bost received his braces from another orthodontist prior to visiting Chvatal. Bost attended appointments at Chvatal’s office periodically, but admits he did not visit the orthodontist as often as he should have.
In June 2008, Bost “received an urgent phone call from (Chvatal’s office) that he needed to have the braces removed immediately,” according to the lawsuit.
According to Chvatal’s website, he received his license from the Oregon Board of Dentistry in 1997. Chvatal states he could not have treated Bost until 2002 because that is when he says he became licenses as an orthodontist specialization.
Chvatal says he is proud of the work he does for his patients. “We have the utmost respect for them and empathy, and treat them—everybody—with the best quality care as we possibly can,” Chvatal states.
He could not talk further about the dental malpractice lawsuit citing patient privacy laws.
A major factor in the lawsuit is the timing and the visit consistency. The lawsuit does not fault Chvatal for treating Bost at such an early age.
The Damages
Bost states he suffered severe damages to his mouth, gum and teeth resulting from the braces.
“What I’m told by experts is, ‘You can’t do this. You can’t keep them on that long. It’s just not done,’” states Hollander. Hollander also says a dentist will need to pull some of Bost’s teeth and replace them with implants.
Hollander says pulling the teeth may not be a viable option because in some areas of Bost’s mouth the teeth have rotted through the jaw. Bost’s dental problems have cost him more than $35,000 in bills so far. Bost says he sought the expertise of the nation’s top dentists in Boston because of the extensive damage caused by the braces.
According to Dr. John F. Buzzatto, president of the American Association of Orthodontists, typically a person should only wear braces for one to three years.
South Carolina Medical Malpractice Lawyer
If you or a loved one sustained injuries resulting from a dental professional’s negligence, you need to contact a South Carolina medical malpractice lawyer at the Strom Law Firm. We understand injuries sustained from medical malpractice can leave you out of work and with bills to pay. The lawyers at the Strom Law Firm will fight to get you the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Fill out a web form or contact us today to see how we can help you. 803.252.4800
