Dental Trauma
Austin, TX
 Any dental trauma must be addressed without delay. In some cases, a trauma may result in the extraction or removal of a tooth or teeth or oral surgery. When this happens, we will take the proper steps to resolve the problem immediately. Doing so will result in a more positive outcome and ensure a patient’s further dental health. We, at Widner Elite Oral Surgery and Dental Implants, do all that we can make sure every dental need of a patient is met.
What Is Dental Trauma?
The American Association of Endodontists defines a dental trauma as a dental injury that results from a sports injury or accident. Most of the injuries, according to the association, result in a chipped tooth or teeth. More severe injuries, although rare, may involve the dislodgement of a tooth or having it knocked out. Therefore, the treatment that is needed is based on the severity and location of the trauma. When a dental trauma occurs, you cannot waste any time treating the injury. In some cases, some of the adjacent teeth may require treatment, based on x-rays taken after the incident.
When You May Need the Services of an Oral Surgeon
While we may be able to take care of your regular dental care needs, such as placing restorations and fillings, we may need to consider oral surgery in certain emergency situations. In some cases, an extraction may be advised if we cannot save a tooth and must replace it with an implant or similar restoration.
We may also need to use oral surgery to restructure the bone after a traumatic event. If a patient does not receive treatment immediately, he or she may need to have the bone restructured to take care of a later dental issue or condition.
How to Prevent Dental Trauma
For our patients who regularly engage in sports, we suggest that they use a mouthguard. This appliance will protect the teeth and prevent the trauma involved with a dental injury. A mouthguard assists orthodontic patients and athletes in maintaining their smiles during sports activities. To reduce your chance of a dental emergency, you should invest in this appliance.
How We May Treat Traumatic Dental Injuries
In some cases, an injury occurs that goes past the teeth and affects the soft tissues. If this type of injury occurs, we use our oral surgery skills to suture the gums, taking special care not to disturb the glands or salivary ducts.
If your tooth is avulsed or knocked out, you should place it back in the socket immediately. We will check for other injuries at the site before stabilizing the tooth with a splint. In the case of a jawbone fracture, we may have to wire the jaws together or place plates at the site to stabilize and heal the bone tissue.
As you can see, it is best to address any dental trauma immediately. For both emergency and non-emergency dental needs, call Widner Elite Oral Surgery and Dental Implants at (737) 309-4351 for an appointment and consultation. Even if you are not sure if the circumstances qualify for an emergency, with all types of dental trauma, we would prefer you call us and let us help you decide. |
