According to car accident statistics from the CDC, approximately six million motor vehicle accidents occur annually in the United States, resulting in two million permanent injuries. Although most people associate car accidents with internal injuries and being unable to walk, car accident victims often experience other injuries, including permanent dental damage.
If you’ve experienced serious injuries due to a car accident, dental injuries may be pushed aside or ignored altogether. Obtaining an accurate diagnosis for dental damage, facial pain, and tooth injuries can help you avoid chronic pain and obtain fair compensation for your injuries. With that in mind, here’s everything you need to know about dental damage after a motor vehicle accident.
Dental Pain After a Car Accident
Dental injuries sustained during an automotive accident can be direct or indirect. In most cases, the type of dental injury you experience depends on what happened during the collision and the force of the impact. Direct dental damage occurs when the head or mouth strikes an object, while indirect damage occurs when the force of the impact causes the mouth of a car accident victim to forcefully close.
Regardless of the type of dental injury, accident victims commonly experience dental pain that negatively affects their quality of life. While treatments range from medications to surgical dental procedures, the treatment you need will depend on the extent of your dental injury, how many teeth were affected, and your dentist’s recommendations. If you’ve experienced dental damage after a car accident, be sure to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Common Types of Dental Injuries
Among car accident victims, the most common types of dental injuries include:
Fractured teeth: Fractured teeth, also called cracked teeth, require medical treatment to repair damaged teeth. Ellis I fractures occur when the crown—or enamel—of the tooth is damaged, resulting in rough edges, while Ellis II fractures affect both the enamel and dentin layer of the tooth, leading to tenderness when the tooth is exposed to air. Ellis II fractures, the most severe type of fracture, involves the enamel, dentin, and pulp layers, and can be identified during an examination by a visible region of pink, red, or blood in the center of the tooth. If left untreated, fractured teeth can lead to decay and chronic pain.
Orofacial pain: Orofacial pain involves chronic pain in the jaw, mouth, face, or neck. For accident victims, experiencing trauma to the neck, face, and jaw during an automotive accident can lead to teeth clenching and grinding, chronic migraines, and nerve issues. If you’re experiencing chronic orofacial pain following a motor vehicle accident, receiving an accurate orofacial pain diagnosis is essential to obtain fair compensation for your injuries.
Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you’ve experienced injuries due to an automotive accident, Uber accident, or motorcycle accident, it’s imperative to hire a lawyer as soon as possible. Between the statute of limitations for personal injury cases, added costs of dental and medical bills, and the possibility of lost wages due to serious injuries, pursuing a personal injury case against the at-fault driver can help you obtain fair compensation for your injuries.
Although acting fast is essential to obtain maximum compensation, it’s important to hire a reputable personal injury lawyer with positive reviews and years of experience working with automobile accident victims. Personal injury cases involve police reports, insurance claims, doctor’s appointments, and medical bills, and working with the wrong personal injury lawyer can cause added stress and confusion.
The legal team at Daniel Kim Law Firm, a personal injury attorney in Orange County, works with injury victims one-on-one to understand the details of your car accident and pursue every possible avenue to help you obtain maximum compensation for your pain and suffering. If you’re looking for a Southern California personal injury lawyer with years of experience, visit Daniel Kim Law at usaccidentlawyer.com for a free consultation.
After an automobile or truck accident, working with a reputable personal injury attorney can help you obtain fair compensation for your dental injuries.
