In most cases a dental injury will not have been caused by a car accident however there is a significant proportion that is a direct result of motor vehicle collisions. Road traffic accidents are a major cause of traumatic injury and represent more than half of all cases handled by personal injury solicitors. If you have been injured in a car accident and you want to make a dental injury compensation claim just complete the contact form, email our offices or use the solicitors helpline. Our car accident compensation claim solicitors offer advice at no cost and without further obligation. If we deal with your dental injury claim it will be on a no win no fee basis, compensation is paid in full and you do not have to fund or finance your car accident compensation claim.
Dental injuries can be caused by trauma to the face or teeth during a fall, sports injury or motor vehicle accident. Those who have significant head or neck trauma should be evaluated for dental injuries as well. There can be secondary trauma that involves bleeding from the nose or ears, concussion, loss of memory and dizziness. In cases of oral injury, an oral surgeon is generally the type of doctor used to treat these kinds of injuries. You can also get tooth fractures from wear and tear to the teeth, such as in grinding ones teeth or having cavities or chewing on hard objects routinely.
A tooth fracture can be minor and can involve a small chip in the tooth. It can involve a fracture of the enamel and dentine, which are the first and second layers of the tooth, respectively. Severe tooth fractures can involve vertical fractures, horizontal fractures of the root or diagonal fractures across the root of the tooth. Severe fractures expose nerve and are generally painful. The pulp is the inner portion of the tooth and is protected by enamel and dentine. The visible one third of the tooth is the crown of the tooth, whereas the remaining two thirds are the root of the tooth. You need dental x-rays in order to know what part of the tooth is fractured.
A serious tooth fracture exposes the dentine and the pulp of the tooth and needs prompt treatment. The tooth can be loose or displaced from its normal position and the gums often bleed. The dentist keeps the tooth from falling out by splinting the loose tooth to the adjacent teeth. A root canal may need to be done in order to save the tooth. A sedative dressing can be applied to the injured tooth in order to keep the tooth calm and relax the pain. The tooth can have a root canal immediately or several weeks later, depending on how much damage is done to the tooth root. A crown or filling is then applied to the tooth and the tooth heals. The splint can be removed then.
The worst dental injuries involve horizontal, diagonal or vertical fractures of the root of the tooth. A fracture of the tooth leaves the tooth much too loose to survive so it must be removed. It is replaced with a plate that contains a false tooth on it. Root canal treatment may need to be done for the fractured tooth before the false tooth is applied to the affected area.
Chipped teeth involve the enamel only. The tooth doesn't need to be replaced but a filling is applied to smooth out the rough edges. The tooth might not even hurt or be noticeable. Dentists can grind down the sharp areas of the chip are completely in the enamel and not in the dentine. In more severe cases, a crown is required.
One of the situations where a crown is required is a fracture of the tooth involving the enamel and dentine. The tooth isn't out of place and the gums are normal. There can be sensitivity of the tooth to cold or hot temperatures. Bacteria can get into the dentine and can cause death of the inner pulp. This can lead to a tooth abscess or a tooth infection. Dentine fractures need immediate treatment by placing a sedative dressing on the exposed area of tooth and by doing a crown or dental filling, depending on how big the fracture is. A root canal treatment may need to be performed to avoid a severe tooth infection.
If the teeth are completely knocked out, it isn't much of a problem if it is the baby teeth. The secondary (adult) teeth will eventually grow in their place. If the permanent teeth are knocked out, the tooth should be saved in a moist paper towel. It can sometimes be reattached and cemented into place. Re implantation of the tooth must happen as soon as possible or the root will die. It should be cleansed and re implanted within an hour of being lost. You can rinse the tooth in clean water or in milk and shoved back into the socket. The tooth is splinted by the dentist and is allowed to heal over time. Adults need a root canal within a week of re-implanting the tooth.
If you have suffered physically, mentally or financially, you should consider making an accident compensation claim. For telephone advice at no cost from dental injury solicitors just call the helpline. Our lawyers will assess the strength of your claim and will advise you on your potential award of compensation without any further obligation.
LAWYER HELPLINE: ☎ 1800 339 958The author of the substantive medical writing on this website is Dr. Christine Traxler MD whose biography can be read here