Sporting Facial Injuries and Teeth Damage

Using dental implants to permanently replace badly damaged or lost teeth in Derby.

Anyone who has played sport will know that there is always a risk of injury. This can even apply, on occasions, to non-contact sports such as running, for example, where the runner may stumble and fall.

Whilst most injuries that occur are muscular and usually simply need time to recover; some sporting injuries require prompt action, especially when a blow to the face or head is the cause.

Immediate care

Whilst some physical sports such as boxing will always have medical care on hand in anticipation of injuries, other popular sports such as football, played at a local level, may only have rudimentary medical care available and whilst a cold sponge for a kick on the shin may be appropriate, a serious blow to the head should receive more immediate attention.

The first step of course must be for the head injury to be examined by a medical professional in case of any serious injuries that may require urgent attention. Thankfully, in most cases, these are rare and the patient will be discharged.

What is less rare though are the effects on the injured persons teeth. A blow to the face is likely to cause some damage to the teeth and this should be examined and treated as soon as possible.

Whilst some teeth may simply be broken and require the fitting of a crown or perhaps a small chip repaired, a severe blow may well break a tooth beyond repair or even knock it out altogether.

Dental Implants

At the Darren Bywater Dental Implant Centre in Derby, we have treated a number of sports injuries over the years. By replacing a lost tooth with a dental implant, not only have we been able to restore the person’s appearance but, in effect, given them a well rooted tooth which should be as strong as a natural tooth.

Because of the osseointegration period where the bone surrounds and attaches itself to the titanium implant, the ‘root’ of the tooth is held as firmly in place as would be the case with a natural tooth root.

Precautions

Ultimately, it is for the participant to decide on the risks involved in their own chosen sport, but, for sports where physical contact is likely, many sportsmen and women chose to wear a mouthguard to protect their teeth.

This should certainly be considered if the participant already has a dental implant as, because these are so firmly integrated with the jawbone, a blow to the tooth could also possibly result in a fracture to the jaw.

If you play sports and have suffered a facial injury and would like your teeth checked for damage, or just wish to discuss having dental implants placed, please contact us on 01332 550933.

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