AGGA Lawsuits Allege Appliance Caused Permanent Dental Injury, Bone Loss and Nerve Damage

Manufacturer faces claims that the AGGA appliance not only failed to fix the plaintiffs’ teeth, but left them with severe pain and worsening dental problems.

Former patients continue to file product liability lawsuits against the manufacturers of the Anterior Growth Guidance Appliance (AGGA), indicating that the dental device left them with permanent bone loss, nerve damage and other injuries.

Just last week, two more complaints were filed against the APPA appliance’s designer, Dr. Steve Galella, and Orthomatrix Corp., Inc., which does business as the Facial Beauty Institute and Orthologic, as well as John’s Dental Laboratory, Inc., indicating that they knew or should have known the appliance was defective and unreasonably dangerous.

The AGGA appliance involves a metal wire insert that is placed between the teeth, which is supposed to help remodel or expand an adult’s jaw, without the need of surgery. However, a growing number of reports have surfaced involving problems where the AGGA actually pushed the upper teeth out of their housing, resulting in tooth loss, gum damage, facial disfigurement, nerve problems and other dental complications, often resulting in the need for corrective surgery.

Over the last year, a number of similar AGGA appliance lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturers and developers of the dental appliance, and the allegations have gotten the attention of media, federal regulators, and law enforcement agencies.

The latest two lawsuits were filed by Antoine Pentreath (PDF) of California, and Valentina Balov (PDF), of Croatia, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana on May 3.

Pentreath’s lawsuit indicates he received the AGGA implant in February 2019 on advice from his dentist. According to the complaint, Galella himself looked at x-rays of Pentreath’s teeth and approved him for the procedure.

As a result of the AGGA implant, Pentreath suffered loose teeth, gum damage, tooth root resorption, bone loss and headaches. He had the implant removed in October 2019 and replaced with a Controlled Arch Brace, which failed to fix the problems caused by the AGGA, leaving Pentreath searching to this day for a dentist who can repair the damage, the lawsuit indicates.

Balov describes a similar experience, indicating she received the AGGA in October 2020. Afterwards, she suffered sudden pain, gum recession and her dentist indicated the AGGA was not resulting in optimal teeth repositioning. Due to continued pain, she had the device removed in March 2021. However, her pain continued after the device was removed, the lawsuit indicates.

“By October 2022, Plaintiff’s pain became increasingly severe; she experienced severe pain in her teeth, especially between the front two teeth, as well as in the area of her nose and upper lip,” Balov’s lawsuit states. “The pain became excruciating at times and affected her sleep. She was unable to keep her tongue up and her teeth became severely painful and would move and shift under gentle pressure.”

AGGA Dental Appliance Lawsuits

AGGA injury lawyers are pursuing lawsuits for individuals nationwide, alleging that the dental appliance was negligently designed and that users were given false representations about the efficacy and safety.

Settlements and financial compensation from an AGGA appliance lawsuit payout may be available for individuals who received an AGGA treatment and suffered any of the following injuries;

• Loosing of upper teeth (anterior maxillary teeth)
• Tooth loss and/or damage
• Tooth or Jaw pain
• Flared teeth
• Gum Recession
• Tissue breakdown around tooth (Root Resorption)
• Tooth socket bone loss (Alveolar bone loss)
• Facial disfigurement
• Nerve damage
• Required corrective surgery