When a car is struck violently by an unforeseen obstacle or another vehicle, injuries to the head and face are common.
The ensuing injuries can be anything from minor to disabling.
Dental injuries are among them, and they can be among the most serious, painful, and demoralizing consequences of a car accident.
Your teeth and dental health have a significant impact on your overall quality of life, even if you are not aware of it.
You could experience excruciating pain, be unable to properly eat or drink, and experience other serious issues if your teeth are broken, damaged, or knocked out during a car accident.
Here are 5 common dental injuries caused by car accidents, and what you can do about them.
1. Chipped Teeth
Chipped teeth are among the most frequent dental injuries caused by automobile accidents. Try to visit a dentist within 12 hours if you have teeth that are chipped, broken, loose, or sore as a result of an accident.
Try to locate any missing portions of the tooth if at all possible.
With tooth-colored bonding material, it could be able to reattach them sometimes. Depending on the extent of the damage.
We could also recommend porcelain dental crowns, which will save the injured tooth while restoring the natural appearance and function of your teeth.
2. Knocked Out Teeth
In the dental world, this injury is known as avulsed teeth and happens when a permanent tooth is knocked out of its socket.
The sooner you schedule an emergency dental appointment when something occurs, the better. Bring the avulsed tooth to your appointment while keeping it safe.
If your tooth is clean, it is best to put it back in its socket and avoid touching the root to prevent further harm. Once the tooth has been “replanted” back into its socket, you should gently bite down on it to keep it there.
This will help prevent inflicting more pain. Before placing the tooth in your mouth, make sure to rinse it with clean water or saline if it was on the floor or covered with filth.
A root canal may be necessary at some time during treatment.
If your tooth is still salvageable, a splint may be used to help maintain its connection to the socket.
There are various tooth replacement options to choose or you can get implant retained dentures in London, Ontario, which look, feel, and operate much like real teeth if saving your tooth is not possible.
3. Displaced Tooth
Your teeth could become dislodged in a car collision, being pushed out of alignment, into the jaw, or out of the mouth altogether.
When this happens, time is of great importance. Seeing a dentist in Oshawa within six hours of the accident should be prioritized.
Your mouth will need to be carefully examined, along with any necessary x-rays, to determine the amount of damage and what restorative procedures are necessary.
4. Root Fracture
Accidental injury can occasionally result in a crack at the tooth’s root. The prognosis and course of treatment for the tooth depend on where this crack or fracture develops.
It is more challenging to salvage the tooth when the fracture is near the gum line.
Treatment options might range from using a splint to help reposition and stabilize the teeth to a root canal combined with a dental crown to reconstruct the tooth, depending on the location of the fracture and the chance that the tooth will survive.
If your tooth can’t be saved, there are a lot of options to replace your missing tooth, including getting dentures in Sarnia.
While the earliest signs of a tooth fracture are frequently mild or painless, undiagnosed root fractures can later cause more painful and serious dental problems. So do not put off having a dental appointment if you’ve been in a car accident.
5. Soft-Tissue Injuries
Injuries from a car collision might happen to other parts of your mouth not just your teeth. Soft-tissue injuries including injury to your gums, tongue or the interior of your cheeks can also happen.
Schedule an appointment with a dentist as soon as you can if you have any soft-tissue injuries.
Also take the following steps: wash and rinse any affected regions with soap and water, and remove any debris from your mouth by hand.
If there’s bleeding, gently press a gauze pad against the region that was injured.
Note: Visit an emergency room immediately if bleeding cannot be stopped after 10 minutes.
It is crucial to seek medical attention as soon as possible if you have been hurt in a vehicle accident and have dental problems.
This way, you can receive the proper course of dental treatment you need to avoid any further complications.
