Dental Damage Resulting from an Automobile Accident?
What You Should Know
One of the most common injuries resulting from an automobile accident is dental damage. This can occur if the driver’s face impacts the steering wheel, or if the passenger’s face hits the dashboard. Airbags have been a great advancement in auto safety, but when an airbag deploys and makes contact with the face, mouth injuries can occur.
Typically, auto insurance covers medical care, treatment, and pain and suffering in the event of a car accident. Coverage typically includes serious dental damage and should provide compensation to cover the cost of broken or chipped teeth resulting from the accident.
Common Dental Injuries Resulting from Automobile Accidents
Cracked or Chipped Teeth: Treatment for cracked or chipped teeth depends on the health of surrounding tissues and nerve and how deep the crack is. Victims of car accidents that suffer dental injuries must seek dental care within 12 hours of the accident to try to save the tooth.
Loosened/Dislodged Teeth: Loosened or dislodged teeth are still intact but have shifted or moved within the mouth or come out of their sockets. Common treatment may involve preserving the tooth if dental assistance is sought within four hours from the accident, splinting, or a root canal.
Lost Teeth: A knocked-out tooth or avulsed tooth can be treated if within hours following the car accident the victim seeks medical treatment from a dentist. If the tooth cannot be saved, veneers or implants may be necessary to restore the tooth or affected teeth.
Treatment Procedures for Dental Injuries
Implants, veneers, crowns, fillings, bonding, enamel shaping, root canals, and tooth extractions may need to be employed if the tooth cannot be saved.
It’s important to tell the doctor who examines you in the emergency room following a car accident about any mouth or dental damage resulting from the car crash. The sooner the dental damage can be assessed, the more likely it is that teeth can be preserved.
Check our video from a real patient after a car accident.
If you are looking for a great dentist in Cambridge or Somerville, MA who can help you with broken teeth then Dr Michael Ofir is the right choice!
Contact us today and have your updated beautiful and healthy smile tomorrow!