Traumatic Dental injuries don’t just affect an individual’s smile; they are also a source of emotional trauma.
Anybody can suffer dental trauma due to sudden and unexpected impacts such as motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, bad falls, eating hard foods, or fights.
Any dental injury, even if mild, requires immediate examination by a dentist or an endodontist. Endodontists are dentists who specialize in treating traumatic dental injuries.
If you’ve experienced a traumatic dental injury, visiting a dental office in Ann Arbor, MI is essential to determine any necessary treatment.
An endodontist in Ann Arbor, MI, will assess the condition and appearance of your teeth and develop a customized dental treatment plan to restore your smile and confidence.
What Is Dental Trauma?
Dental trauma refers to physical injury to the teeth, gums, the alveolar bone (the bone that holds the tooth sockets), or the mouth’s soft tissue, including the lips and tongue.
Dental injuries can range from significant injuries such as avulsed teeth or minor injuries such as cracked or chipped teeth.
Types Of Dental Trauma
The following are dental injuries that require dental care as soon as possible:
Knocked-out (Avulsed) Teeth
A knocked-out tooth is one of the most common types of traumatic dental injuries.
When a tooth is completely knocked out of your mouth, time is of the essence. The tooth should be handled very gently. Avoid touching the root surface. If it is dirty, gently rinse it in water. You may be able to save it if you see a dentist immediately.
The dentist will return the tooth to its socket as soon as possible.
Once the tooth has been put back in its socket, the dentist will evaluate it and check for any other dental or facial injuries. A stabilizing splint will be placed for a few weeks. Depending on the stage of root development, root canal treatment may be recommended within a week or two.
In some cases, the missing tooth can be reattached. However, this is only sometimes possible. Dental implantations are a great option. In this procedure, artificial teeth are secured in the gum with a metal screw and serve as mechanical and biological placeholders for missing teeth. They look just like natural teeth and are equally functional.
Chipped Or Cracked Teeth
Chipped or cracked teeth are more common in children.
Chipped teeth account for the majority of dental injuries in Ann Arbor, MI. Most chipped or fractured tooth crowns can be repaired by reattaching the broken piece or placing a tooth-colored filling. If a significant portion of the tooth crown is broken off, an artificial crown or “cap” may be needed to restore the tooth.
Injuries to the back teeth often include fractured cusps, cracked teeth, or a more serious split tooth. A Ann Arbor dentist may recommend root canal treatment if cracks extend into the root.
Porcelain veneers don’t just treat tooth discoloration; they can also fix chips and fractures. Veneers are porcelain shells bonded to the front of teeth to improve appearance. They’re designed to match the color of your natural teeth, making them a perfect solution for treating discolored and chipped teeth. Veneers are durable and, if properly cared for, will last up to ten to fifteen years.
Tooth bonding is sometimes all it takes to fix minor chips. During a bonding treatment, dentists use an acidic substance to prepare the tooth’s natural enamel to apply an adhesive. This process is called etching. Then a tooth-colored, putty-like resin is applied, molded, and smoothed to the desired shape. The material is hardened with a bright (usually blue) light or laser.
Dislodged (Luxated) Teeth
Tooth luxation occurs when the tissues, ligaments, and sometimes bones that support your tooth become injured.
Tooth luxation can also affect the tooth’s nerves and blood supply.
When a tooth is pushed sideways or out of its socket, it must be repositioned and stabilized. Root canal treatment is often needed for permanent teeth that have been dislodged and should commence in a few days following the injury. Children up to twelve may not be suitable candidates for root canal treatment. Since their teeth are still developing, your dentist will monitor the healing carefully and intervene only if any unfavorable changes appear.
Soft Tissue Injury
Traumatic dental injuries can result in tongue, cheeks, gums, or lips injuries.
A dentist will first diagnose the extent of the injury and then determine the treatment. In a soft tissue injury, a dentist will have the wound cleaned, sutured, and repaired.
Facial Bone Injury
A facial bone injury usually results in more severe dental injuries. If a fracture occurs to the bone around the mouth, surgery may be required to repair and treat the damage.
Root Resorption
Resorption occurs when an individual’s body, through its defense mechanisms, begins to reject the tooth in response to the traumatic injury. Following the injury, one should see an endodontist to have the tooth examined or treated at regular intervals to ensure that root resorption is not occurring and surrounding tissues continue healing.
Gasior Family Dentistry – Pioneers In Designing Winning Smiles For Ann Arbor MI Patients
Suppose you have any oral health concerns arising from a recent accident or fall in Ann Arbor, MI. In that case, seeking treatment from an endodontist at our Ann Arbor dental clinic is one of the best ways to restore your teeth’s appearance and health.
At Gasior Family Dentistry – Ann Arbor, we use the most advanced technologies and procedures in dental healthcare to provide the best outcomes with the slightest discomfort, and every patient is treated with the utmost compassion, empathy, and professionalism.
Restoring smiles and giving patients in Ann Arbor, MI, the teeth that they’ve always wanted is what we do best here at Gasior Family Dentistry – Ann Arbor. As one of the leading cosmetic dental practices in Ann Arbor, MI, we offer different treatments and procedures to give patients a winning smile.
Contact us today to learn more about Gasior Family Dentistry – Ann Arbor’s treatments or to schedule a consultation.
