Clayton Swan v. Spring Dental Bartlesville, PLLC

Let’s be real: most of us dread wisdom teeth removal about as much as we dread jury duty or being tagged in a cousin’s conspiracy theory Facebook post. But for Clayton Swan, a routine trip to the dentist turned into a horror story involving a fractured jaw, severed nerves, and a mouth that now feels like it’s been permanently kissed by a frozen burrito. What should’ve been a quick outpatient procedure spiraled into emergency room visits, corrective surgery at OU Medical, and a lawsuit that’s demanding $150,000 in damages — half of it punitive, because apparently someone thought it was fine to yank out a wisdom tooth like it was a stubborn weed, without so much as a proper anesthetic or a basic understanding of human anatomy.

So who’s who in this dental disaster? On one side, we’ve got Clayton Swan, an Osage County man who, prior to September 2021, probably just wanted to avoid future crowding in his mouth and the vague, looming threat of impacted teeth. On the other side: Dr. Brandon Sturgell, a licensed dentist operating out of Spring Dental Bartlesville, PLLC — a professional dental outfit in Washington County, Oklahoma, which, despite the name “Spring,” does not appear to offer seasonal rebirth or miraculous healing. According to the filing, Dr. Sturgell wasn’t just some rogue hygienist playing doctor — he was a fully credentialed D.M.D., which stands for Doctor of Dental Medicine, not “Definitely Making Mistakes,” though you’d be forgiven for the mix-up here. And because he was working at Spring Dental at the time, the clinic itself is also on the hook, thanks to a legal concept called respondeat superior — fancy Latin for “the boss pays when the employee goes full cowboy with the dental tools.”

Now, let’s walk through what went down, because this isn’t just a case of “I had pain after surgery.” This is a medical thriller with plot twists, escalating stakes, and a body count — of, well, not lives, but definitely quality of life. On September 9, 2021, Swan shows up at Spring Dental, ready to get his wisdom teeth removed. Standard procedure, right? Except it wasn’t. Pre-op x-rays — the kind of basic diagnostic tool even dental students know how to read — clearly showed that Swan’s lower left wisdom tooth was angling forward, a red flag that this wouldn’t be a simple pull. Teeth growing sideways or impacted like that often require surgical extraction, sometimes under general anesthesia. But Dr. Sturgell decided to treat it like a regular extraction and only used local anesthesia. So picture this: you’re awake, you’re aware, and your dentist is now wrestling with a tooth that’s basically glued in sideways. Not fun.

According to the petition, Sturgell didn’t adjust his technique. He didn’t bring in additional tools or call for backup. Nope. He allegedly tried to pull the tooth out like the others, despite the resistance. And that’s when things went full Saw movie. The filing claims this improper technique caused three catastrophic outcomes: first, Swan experienced “excruciating pain” during the procedure — which tracks, since he was conscious and his jaw was being manhandled. Second, Sturgell allegedly fractured part of Swan’s jaw. And third — and this is the real kicker — he severed a nerve in the process. Not nicked. Not irritated. Severed. That’s like trying to unclog a drain and accidentally cutting the water main.

In the days that followed, Swan wasn’t just sore — he was in “unfathomable pain,” and parts of his mouth and tongue went completely numb. On September 15, he saw another oral surgeon, Dr. Heath Evans, who basically said, “Yeah, keep taking the meds and hope it gets better.” But it didn’t. By September 27, Swan was in the ER at Bailey Medical Center, where doctors confirmed the nightmare: his jaw was fractured in multiple places, infected, and had bone fragments just chilling in his soft tissue like dental shrapnel. They also confirmed nerve damage — a diagnosis later backed up by Dr. Michael Moody, who found Swan had no sensation in his chin and lip, and almost none in his tongue. Let that sink in: your face, your ability to eat, speak, taste, smile — all compromised because a dentist decided to wing it.

Swan eventually got corrective surgery on December 10, 2021, at OU Medical Center, where they fixed the broken jaw. But the nerve damage? That’s permanent. The petition says he now struggles to eat, has a lisp, his sense of taste is messed up, and parts of his mouth are numb forever. Imagine biting into a hot slice of pizza and not knowing if you’re about to burn your tongue. Or not feeling half your face when you laugh. That’s the new normal.

So why are we in court? Legally, Swan’s team is making two big claims. First: negligence. That means Dr. Sturgell didn’t meet the basic standard of care that any reasonable dentist would’ve followed. He ignored the x-rays, used the wrong technique, skipped general anesthesia when it was clearly needed, and caused serious, lasting harm. And because he was working for Spring Dental, the clinic shares the blame. Second — and this is where things get spicy — Swan is asking for punitive damages. This isn’t about covering medical bills. This is about punishment. Punitive damages are the legal system’s way of saying, “What you did was so reckless, so beyond the pale, that we’re going to fine you extra just to make sure nobody else tries this.” The petition argues that Sturgell’s actions were “intentional, wanton, and reckless” — strong words in a legal context — and that awarding punitive damages would send a message to other dentists: don’t treat human jaws like DIY home improvement projects.

Now, let’s talk money. Swan is asking for $150,000 — split evenly between $75,000 in actual damages and $75,000 in punitive damages. Is that a lot? For a dental procedure gone wrong, it’s not outrageous. Actual damages cover real losses: medical bills, pain and suffering, future care, lost wages if he couldn’t work, and the permanent impact on his daily life. Nerve damage in the face isn’t just physical — it’s emotional, social, deeply personal. And punitive damages? That’s the court’s slap on the wrist, the “you messed up bad” tax. In the world of medical malpractice, six figures is not uncommon — especially when the harm is irreversible.

So what’s our take? Look, we’re not doctors. We can’t diagnose a cavity, let alone a severed inferior alveolar nerve. But we can say this: if the allegations are true — and again, these are allegations — then this isn’t just a case of bad luck. It’s a cascade of poor decisions. Ignoring x-rays? Check. Skipping proper anesthesia for a complex extraction? Check. Using brute force instead of surgical skill? Check. And then having the nerve — pun intended — to send a patient home with a fractured jaw and a severed nerve like it’s just “normal post-op swelling”? That’s not malpractice. That’s malpractice the musical.

We’re not rooting for ambulance chasers or frivolous lawsuits. But when someone entrusts their body to a medical professional, they shouldn’t walk out with permanent damage because the doc took shortcuts. This case is a reminder that even “routine” procedures carry risk — especially when the person holding the drill isn’t following the playbook. And if the jury agrees? Well, let’s just hope Dr. Sturgell has a very good malpractice insurance policy. Because in the court of public opinion — and yes, in the actual District Court of Washington County — pulling a tooth shouldn’t mean pulling a patient’s life off the rails.