Posted November 11, 2021 in Emergency Dental Care, Gentle Care Dentistry News
2 Minute Read:
Facial injuries occur due to a number of reasons, from sports injuries to car accidents to clumsy trips and falls.
Whatever the cause, facial injuries can result in serious physical and appearance problems. One of these problems is dental damage.
Whether the accident leads to chipped, cracked, knocked-out, broken, or loose teeth, you can have long-standing oral health problems if you do not see a dentist.
Read on as we dive deep into common facial injuries and why it’s vital to see a dentist after the injury.
What Are the Most Common Types of Dental and Facial Trauma?
A majority of the facial injuries can be categorized into three main groups.
Soft Tissue Injuries
You can suffer from soft tissue injuries in the form of lacerations, which occur in the facial area or within the mouth. Others can occur as superficial lacerations on the skin. In both cases, you need immediate care to determine the extent of the injuries.
A dentist can evaluate them and make the necessary repairs to prevent permanent cosmetic damage and restore tooth function. Without immediate care, deep lacerations can affect the nerves and saliva glands.
Tooth and Mouth Injuries
Many dental injuries happen around the teeth and the bone. These can include broken or dislodged teeth or even an avulsion — where one or more teeth are knocked out of the jaw socket.
These injuries require immediate treatment to replace, reposition, or preserve the affected teeth or bones to prevent long-term damage. Some of the remedies consist of titanium screws or plates to stabilize the impacted teeth.
In some worse cases, you may require dental implants or bone grafts.
Facial Fractures
These are fractures affecting the bones around the face, such as the nasal cavity and the lower and upper jaws. Facial fractures can lead to swelling and result in the separation of facial bones from the cranial bones.
Why It’s Important to See a Dentist After a Facial Injury
Whether you have had a minor or severe facial injury, you need to see a dentist immediately. Dentists are professionally trained to take care of patients who have undergone facial trauma.
After a facial injury, a dentist will assess any dental emergency and determine the best remedy. This is mainly based on the type of dental injury and its severity.
For instance, if you have a dislodged tooth, the dentist will try to stop any bleeding and swelling. In case the tooth isn’t salvageable, they will have a plan to replace it.
Get the Best Dental Treatment From the Experts
If you have experienced any facial injury, it’s important that you see a dentist at your earliest convenience. Dentists will do a thorough check on your dental health and come up with a treatment plan. If you have more questions about your dental health, feel free to contact us at 575-524-3722 or fill out our online contact form.