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Traumatic Facial Injuries And Dental Implants

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Injuries to the teeth are a common occurrence and for many maxillofacial surgeons, the replacement of teeth that have been broken or completely knocked out is also common. Facial injuries damaging the teeth happen a lot in athletic activities like hockey, car accidents and unfortunately, in fights and violent domestic disputes. If you have suffered an injury and lost teeth because of it, learning more about dental implants can be helpful to regain your smile and chewing ability.

Making It In Time

In the event you or someone you love has experienced trauma to the face and a tooth is knocked out, saving the natural tooth is an option. If you are able to collect the tooth, placing it in milk and packed ice is important. You can also place the tooth under your tongue to preserve its integrity. Remember to never touch the roots when handling a natural tooth. However, reaching a dentist within minutes after traumatic injury has occurred is vital for a natural tooth to be implanted. For many people, getting to a dentist that fast is impossible, leaving them the next option: dental implants.

Facial Injuries And Broken Bones

When bones are broken in the jaw or face, a maxillofacial surgeon is required for the best treatment. If you have lost teeth during a facial injury that caused broken bones, your chances of replacing natural teeth that have been saved become extremely low. Treatment for broken bones and other more serious injuries are necessary to treat first, so the replacement of saved natural teeth may not be an option. In many cases of severe facial trauma involving broken bones, dental implants are the best option for replacing knocked out teeth.

Dental Implants And Damaged Bones

When the jawbone is broken and teeth are knocked out, the bones primarily used for holding in the teeth start atrophying. Atrophying bones means the bone structure shrinks, a natural process also referred to as resorption. Due to the time some facial injuries take to heal, months in some cases, the need for bone grafting may become necessary before dental implants can be successfully placed.  Several options are available for safe, fast bone grafting.

If you have lost teeth due to an injury, you can replace those teeth with dental implants. Learn more from your dentist about whether or not you are a good candidate for implants. For more information, contact Cary Dental Associates or a similar location.


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