What to Do If You Suffer a Dental Injury in an Accident

A smile can tell a lot about someone, but it’s hard to show those pearly whites when a car or motorcycle accident has left you with a chipped tooth or a significant dental injury. Beyond needing immediate care to help take care of the issue as soon as possible, you may also need an attorney to cover the costs of the medical expenses incurred in this accident.

We’ll take a look at the steps you need to take should this situation ever happen to you.

Types of Dental Injuries

Traumatic dental injuries occur when the head or mouth is struck by or strikes some kind of object, while indirect injuries occur when an open mouth abruptly closes, causing teeth on the lower jaw to be crushed by the upper teeth.

For example, if a tooth is knocked completely out of its socket, it is said to be avulsed. Victims of a motor vehicle accident must be careful. Injury victims should seek medical attention immediately, placing the tooth in a container filled with saliva, saline solution, or whole milk to preserve the tooth. There’s only a 2-hour window to get this tooth back in the mouth.

Tooth luxation involves a loosened tooth that is not completely knocked out. This causes it to be able to move backward, forward, and sideways. This can be fixed by just pushing the tooth back into its original position, but it is best to see a dentist in order to avoid any further damage.

Dentists and other oral health professionals will be needed to fix acute dental trauma like fractured crowns that extend through the enamel of the tooth. This involves cracks in the dentin layer in some cases, making teeth tender upon touch and air exposure.

Finding Proper Medical Services

Whether the culprit is a cracked tooth or more complex cases involving the roots or gums, it is important to get proper dental care as soon as you can after an accident. If you can get to your trusted dentist for care that doesn’t require immediate care, it is best to rely on that person with whom you may have decades of experience. If you are a new patient to a dental practice, you want to find someone who is with you every step of the way.

Matthew Wimmer Dental, a leading dental practice out of Littleton, Colorado, prides itself on keeping the personal touch with their clients regardless of the level of care they need. Beyond a dentist, such a practice provides guidance through necessary oral surgery or dental implants that may be needed following a car accident or motorcycle accident.

Choosing the Right Attorney

You could see substantial medical expenses from an injury suffered in an accident and may need legal representation to get maximum compensation from the negligent party. Finding the right personal injury lawyer in Illinois, for example, or wherever you are based, means finding a personal injury attorney who has compassion for the circumstances, and understanding of the law.

By filing a personal injury lawsuit, you are seeking to cover incurred medical costs, as well as future medical care that may be needed resulting from this accident. An experienced attorney will find the best way to get you reimbursed. In the event an accident forces you out of work, you may want to look into an attorney with an understanding of workers’ compensation and state laws surrounding those programs. It is important to weigh your legal options when you are a victim of a car accident. The attorney-client relationship plays a vital part, as that trust can go a long way in finding the best way through the legal system.