If you have been involved in a car crash in or around Sydney, dental injuries are among the most visible injuries you may have sustained. And, unlike other injuries to the face, dental injuries won’t heal on their own. Fortunately, cosmetic dentistry has many options for restoring injuries to your teeth and jaw.
Dental Injury Restorations
In a car crash, your head may come forward and strike the steering wheel or dashboard. Airbags have come a long way in reducing this type of injury. However, airbags don’t stop all injuries of this type, and some defective airbags may actually cause this type of injury due to flying debris.
When dental injuries do occur, chipped teeth are the most common injury, followed by cracked teeth and lost teeth. For chipped teeth, dental bonding and dental veneers are both good treatment options. For cracked teeth, dental crowns work well to protect and restore the heavily damaged teeth. And if you’ve lost one or more teeth, dental implants can be used to restore them with replacements that are comfortable, secure, and easy to maintain.
Hidden Injuries
Another type of injury from car crashes may not be so visible. Many people involved in a car crash experience temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). In a car crash, your seat belt secures your body, but your head, neck, and jaw experience a dramatic acceleration that is secured only by the soft tissues of the body. This can result in whiplash injuries of the neck and jaw.
When the force of a car accident displaces the tissues of the jaw joint, they may not go back in place on their own. You may experience popping or clicking of the joint, as well as jaw pain and headaches.
Fortunately, TMJ is just as treatable as the more visible dental injuries. TMJ treatment can reduce or eliminate headache, neck pain, jaw pain, earaches, and other symptoms after a car accident.
If you have suffered a tooth or jaw injury in a car accident, please call (02) 9686 7375 for an appointment with a dentist at My Hills Dentist in Baulkham Hills today.
