At the moment of impact, there was nothing that you could do to protect your mouth. Your injuries are, thankfully, not life-threatening, but they may require extensive and expensive treatments. Protect your physical and financial recoveries by learning everything you can about car accident dental injuries here.
How Car Accident Dental Injuries Happen
Generally, car accident dental injuries happen in one of two ways. Your jaw and teeth may be damaged if:
Your face hits a hard object.
If your face hits the dashboard, steering wheel, seat in front of you, or another hard object, you may sustain a significant and painful dental injury.
The impact forces you to bite down or clench your teeth.
The force with which your jaw is snapped shut can cause a dental injury.
Whatever the cause of your dental injury is, you will need expensive treatment to fix your teeth and jaw.
Types of Car Accident Dental Injuries
The kind of dental injury you suffer will depend on numerous factors such as the part of your face that was hit, your overall dental health, the force of the collision, and other factors. Some of the mouth and tooth injuries that can result from a car accident include:
Lost teeth.
When you lose a permanent tooth, it is known as a dental avulsion. There is only a short amount of time during which a dentist can reattach a tooth that has come out of your mouth. After that, a dental implant and crown may be necessary.
Loose teeth.
Tooth dislocation, or luxation, is a common result of a blow to the mouth. It is important to see a dentist to make sure that everything possible is done to save the tooth after it becomes loose.
Fractured teeth.
Chipped, cracked, and otherwise broken teeth may be painful and may lead to further problems if they are left untreated.
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) damage.
The temporomandibular joint connects your jaw to your skull. If the joint is damaged during a car accident, you may experience pain and difficulty opening and closing your mouth.
Dental Injury Treatments
Treatment will depend on the exact injury you suffered and could include:
- Fillings
- Crowns
- Medications
- Root canal treatments
- Tooth extractions
- Dental devices such as mouth guards and splints
- Surgeries
- Physical therapy (for TMJ)
Either your regular dentist or a specialist such as an endodontist can evaluate your injury, advise you of your options, and perform the dental work you need to get better.
Call a Louisville Car Accident Lawyer If You Suffer a Dental Injury
If you have dental insurance, it may or may not cover all of your dental bills after a car accident dental injury. Even if your dental insurance does cover your office visits and treatments, your dental insurance definitely will not cover any of the other expenses you suffered because of your injuries. For example, your dental insurance will not cover lost income if you are out of work, out-of-pocket expenses, physical pain, or emotional suffering.
There is a way to recover for all of your car accident damages, however. An experienced Louisville car accident lawyer can fight for fair recovery of all of your:
- Dental and other medical expenses
- Lost income
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Other damages
Have You Been Injured In A Kentucky Car Accident?
If you’ve been injured in a car accident you need to speak with an experienced car accident attorney as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Louisville office directly at 888.450.4456 to schedule a free consultation.
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