Cosmetic Dentist Apex NC

Cosmetic Dentist Apex NC

Dental injuries frequently happen in a car accident. The lower part of the face or mouth can readily hit the steering wheel or dashboard. Or, there can be impacts to the face and mouth when an airbag deploys. A cosmetic dentist in Apex, North Carolina can help with your recovery.

Victims of car accidents may want to pursue compensation for their dental care, treatment, and pain and suffering under the law. Dental insurance plans typically classify replacing chipped or broken teeth as cosmetic procedures, not medical procedures, and will not cover the repair and replacement costs. Consequently, when a motor vehicle accident is the source of tooth damages, you may be well-advised to seek compensation to cover the cost of treatment and any out-of-pocket expenses.

Types of Dental Injuries from Car Accidents

The following list includes common dental injuries caused by car accidents.

Fractured or Chipped Teeth

Treatments such as dental filling and bonding for broken, cracked, or chipped teeth depends on the severity and extent of the damage and on the health of surrounding tissues and nerves. Victims of car accidents that suffer dental injuries should seek dental care from a cosmetic dentist in Apex NC promptly after an accident to try to save the tooth.

Loosened/Dislodged Teeth

Loosened or dislodged teeth may still be intact, but have shifted or moved within the mouth or have even come out of their sockets. The tooth can often be saved, but an Apex NC cosmetic dentist needs to be involved in the repair promptly—usually within only a few hours—to ensure the tooth and surrounding tissues stay healthy. If dental assistance is not sought quickly, as time goes on, root canal and extraction of the tooth (or teeth) may be the only options.

Lost Teeth

A knocked-out (or avulsed) permanent tooth is one of the few real emergency situations in dentistry. These severe, unexpected injuries are typically a result of trauma and often occur in vehicle collisions. If not treated by a cosmetic dentist in Apex NC within hours following the accident or trauma, the tooth may not be salvageable. If the tooth cannot be saved, veneers or dental implants may be necessary to restore the tooth or affected teeth.

Treatment Procedures for Dental Injuries

To repair or save the tooth or teeth, an accident victim with may have to undergo one or a combination of the following procedures:

• Dental implants
• Veneers
• Crowns
• Fillings
• Bonding
• Dental splinting
• Enamel shaping
• Root canals
• Tooth extractions

You may want to tell the doctor who examines you in the emergency room following a car accident about your dental injuries related to the car crash. The ER doctor may or may not suggest it, but you should seek prompt dental assistance. The quicker an Apex NC cosmetic dentist intervenes to assist, the more likely your tooth or teeth can be saved.

Have You Suffered Dental Damage in a Car Accident?

Dental injury compensation may need to be handled through a personal injury claim so your dentist will have to keep meticulous documentation of dental injuries and repairs, as they may need to be presented as evidence at trial. Contact a cosmetic dentist Apex NC patients recommend from Alliance Dentistry to get prompt treatment of post-accident dental injuries.

Other Ways You May Have Damaged Your Teeth

We all know that taking care of our teeth is an important part of maintaining overall health and wellness, but it can be easy to forget the consequences of not doing so which might lead you to schedule an appointment with an Apex, NC Cosmetic Dentist that local residents trust. Not only can poor dental hygiene lead to cavities, gum disease, and other dental issues, but it can also cause severe damage to your teeth. Let’s discuss some of the worst ways to damage your teeth and why you should visit a cosmetic dentist if you find yourself in this unfortunate situation — if you know you need help right now, contact a dentist at Alliance Dentistry today!

Biting Your Nails

Besides the damage it causes to your teeth, biting your nails also comes with other risks. There are bacteria and germs on your hands and nails, and you’re putting them directly into your mouth when you bite your nails. This puts you at risk for developing various infections and illnesses. If you’ve been biting your nails for years, breaking the habit can be difficult. However, it’s important to take steps to stop in order to protect your oral health and overall wellbeing.

Chewing on Ice

Chewing on hard objects such as ice puts a lot of pressure on your teeth and can cause chips, cracks, or even breakage. It can also wear down your enamel and make your teeth more vulnerable to decay. Even if you don’t chip or crack your teeth, the enamel damage can lead to discoloration or staining of your teeth. If you’re an ice chewer, it’s best to break this habit and replace it with a less damaging alternative. Chewing sugar-free gum or sipping on cold drinks through a straw can help satisfy your cravings without the risks associated with chewing on ice.

It’s important to maintain good oral hygiene and visit your dentist for regular check-ups in order to prevent any further damage to your teeth. If you have already suffered from tooth damage due to chewing on ice, contact an Apex cosmetic dentist for a consultation. Our cosmetic dentists can help restore your smile with a variety of treatments that can repair chips and cracks, rebuild damaged enamel, and brighten discolored teeth.

Not Flossing

Flossing not only helps prevent cavities and gingivitis, but it also helps keep your teeth looking their best. Flossing removes food particles and bacteria that are stuck in between your teeth, which can cause discoloration and bad breath. It can also help reduce inflammation in your gums and prevent gum disease. If you want to keep your teeth healthy and free from damage, make sure to floss at least once a day.

Eating Acidic Foods

When it comes to damaging your teeth, one of the most common culprits are acidic foods. Acidic foods like soft drinks, citrus fruits, and tomato sauces can erode away tooth enamel and make your teeth more susceptible to cavities and other dental problems. Additionally, acid reflux can cause similar issues. It’s important to take steps to protect your teeth from the damaging effects of acidic foods and drinks.

Brushing too Hard

To avoid this, use gentle strokes when brushing your teeth, using circular motions that cover all surfaces of your teeth. Make sure to brush for at least two minutes and use a soft-bristled toothbrush. It’s also important to floss regularly, as this can help to remove plaque and food particles between your teeth that can otherwise lead to cavities.

If you have damaged your teeth from the activities mentioned above, then it’s time to contact an Apex cosmetic dentist at Alliance Dentistry today for help.

Apex Cosmetic Infographic

Why Do Dental Injuries Happen in Car Accidents?

As your Apex NC cosmetic dentist from Alliance Dentistry knows, every year across the nation car accidents cause millions of people to get seriously injured. The severity of the injury depends on several factors, such as traveling speed and at which direction the cars crashed into each other. Facial injuries and dental damage may occur, and can be one of the most uncomfortable injuries to endure. Anyone who has had a simple toothache or cavity can probably attest to how painful tooth issues can be, so imagine the anguish that can be felt after sustaining serious dental damage that needs immediate help from a local dentist.

What Types of Dental Injuries are There?

Depending on how the accident happened and force of impact, dental injuries may be either direct or indirect. Direct dental injuries can result if the person’s head or mouth is struck by the steering wheel or other object. Indirect dental injuries can occur if the person’s mouth opens and closes very quickly, which forces the upper teeth to crush down the lower set. Dental injuries are more likely to happen if either driver was going at a very high speed at the moment of impact. 

Can You Explain the Severity of Tooth Fractures?

Traumatic auto accidents can cause acute dental trauma, such as tooth fractures. Treatment is needed to fix the tooth damage. As your Apex cosmetic dentist can explain, in general, dental fractures are divided into three different categories based on the severity of damage: Ellis I, Ellis II, and Ellis III. Below we have briefly described each category: 

• Ellis I: Fracture of the crown that only goes through the enamel and not any deeper. In this case, the tooth may have a rough edge where it was broken but isn’t tender and there won’t be any change in color to the tooth itself. 
• Ellis II: Fracture to the enamel and dentin layer. The damaged tooth will be tender when air passes through the mouth and when touched. During the exam, the dentist may observe a yellowing of the tooth, which is the dentin being exposed. 
• Ellis III: Fractures of the enamel, dentin, and layer of pulp. There is likely to be immense sensitivity and pain, and there may be a region of pink, blood, or red from the center of the tooth.

How Should I Handle an Avulsed Tooth?

An avulsed tooth is when the tooth gets pushed out of the gum socket completely. Car accident victims who have a tooth knocked out and see it on the ground or somewhere in the vehicle, are encouraged to only pick it up by the crown (and not the root). Then, put it into a container filled with whole milk, saline, or saliva. For an avulsed tooth, immediate dental care must be sought. There is only about a two hour window before the tooth cannot be saved and reinserted. 

Can a Luxated Tooth Attach Again Fully?

Tooth luxation is when a tooth has sustained force of impact, but didn’t completely fall out of the gum line. The tooth may move back and forth or side-to-side, and treatment usually involves placing it back to its original position. A dentist may also use a flexible splint to support healing and help the tooth attach back fully. 

For dental treatment after a serious car accident, please call an Apex cosmetic dentist from Alliance Dentistry as soon as possible. 

Can a cosmetic dentist help fix teeth grinding?

When you have suffered from teeth grinding and find that your smile is less than perfect, you may be interested in seeing how a trusted Apex, NC cosmetic dentist can help you fix it. Unfortunately, years of poor sleep, stress, and anxiety can cause you to grind your teeth. This means that you may be grinding away at your enamel and causing uneven, rugged surfaces in your mouth. You may notice that in addition to not liking the way your smile looks, your teeth may be hurting as some of the underlying layers are becoming exposed. It is important that when you notice your teeth grinding–also known as bruxism–is becoming a problem, you call your friends at Alliance Dentistry. 

What are the different ways that a cosmetic dentist can help? 

Your Apex cosmetic dentist can help you with your teeth grinding in a few ways. One of the first recommendations they may have is to begin using a mouthguard if you do not already. If your damage is not too severe and you want to help avoid further damage, a mouthguard can protect your teeth, especially at night when you can’t help with the grinding. A mouthguard can help to protect your teeth by having a protective barrier in place so that you don’t have that direct contact between your teeth. 

Are there fixes when my teeth grinding is already bad? 

If you have been grinding your teeth for years and you think you need more than just a mouthguard to help, you should reach out to your dentist about procedures that can help to fix the damage already done. Your dentist may have a few recommendations. 

• Crowns. Your dentist may want to help fix the damaged teeth by placing crowns (caps) over the damaged area. This can help to protect your teeth from any further damage. 

• Veneers. Veneers attach to the front portion of your teeth and can help restore the look of your smile while still helping to reduce further damage. You should talk about additional ways you may need to protect your veneers because it is still possible for veneers to chip and break if you are a chronic grinder. 
• Bonding. If you are looking for something more cost-affordable, your dentist may recommend bonding. This gives you a more natural look and can be matched to and shaped to look like your other teeth. 

Who can I turn to? 

When you are discouraged by your smile and are worried that your teeth grinding will cause permanent damage, you should not feel like you have no one to turn to. Instead, reach out to the team at Alliance Dentistry to see what we can do to help get you on track for the smile of your dreams. We believe in procedures that fit your lifestyle, help fix the problem, and give you the smile you are looking for. To see what we can do to help you, reach out to speak with our Apex cosmetic dentist now.