The sickening crunch of metal gives way to a sharp impact as your face connects with the steering wheel. You taste blood. Your tongue frantically explores the jagged edge where your front tooth used to be smooth. In an instant, your smile—the one that's carried you through job interviews, first dates, and family photos—is forever changed.
Dental injuries are often overlooked after car accidents, yet they can lead to significant medical expenses, chronic pain, and even permanent changes to your appearance and self-confidence. At Bollwerk & Associates, our St. Louis car accident lawyers help clients who face extensive dental reconstruction after crashes caused by someone else's negligence get the compensation they need to move forward with their lives.
Common Dental Injuries From Car Accidents
When your head strikes a hard surface during a collision, the force can cause significant trauma to your teeth, gums, and jaw. Each type of dental injury presents unique challenges for treatment and recovery.
- Chipped teeth. Even minor chips can lead to pain, sensitivity, and cosmetic concerns. Dental bonding procedures typically address small chips, while more significant damage might require veneers or crowns to restore both function and appearance.
- Cracked or fractured teeth. Fractures can extend below the gum line and damage the tooth's interior structure. Root canals followed by crown placement may be necessary to save the tooth. When cracks are severe, full extraction and replacement with dental implants or bridges become necessary.
- Tooth displacement. This happens when teeth become partially dislodged from their sockets but remain attached to supporting structures. Emergency dental intervention is crucial to repositioning and stabilizing these teeth.
- Avulsed (knocked-out) teeth. Complete tooth loss requires immediate specialized care. If a tooth can be properly preserved and replanted within an hour, reattachment may be possible. Otherwise, dental implants become necessary.
- Jaw fractures. Treatment may involve wiring the jaw shut for weeks or even surgical intervention with plates and screws. These injuries can result in long-term complications like TMJ disorders.
The Long-Term Impact of Dental Trauma After Crashes
When insurance adjusters evaluate dental injuries from St. Louis car accidents, they often focus solely on immediate treatment needs while overlooking the effects these injuries create throughout a victim's life.
- Ongoing pain and discomfort. This can persist for months or years after the initial injury, affecting daily activities like eating, speaking, and sleeping. Nerve damage may cause chronic sensitivity to temperature or pressure.
- Multiple procedures and treatments. Initial emergency care typically addresses immediate damage, but follow-up treatments may include root canals, crown placements, implant surgeries, and orthodontic work to correct bite alignment issues. This treatment sequence can span months or even years.
- Cosmetic concerns and psychological effects. Visible dental damage may affect self-esteem, social interactions, and even employment opportunities. Many victims report feelings of self-consciousness about smiling or speaking in public.
- Future dental complications. Previously damaged teeth have higher failure rates for dental work and increased vulnerability to infections or fractures. Many victims face higher lifetime dental care costs as restorations require maintenance or replacement every five to 15 years.
- Speech and eating difficulties. Changes to dental structure may permanently alter pronunciation patterns or limit the ability to consume certain foods.
Compensation for Dental Injuries After a St. Louis Car Accident
St. Louis car accident victims frequently discover that what seemed like a straightforward injury evolves into a complex medical issue with far-reaching consequences for financial stability. When you work with Bollwerk & Associates, our St. Louis car accident lawyers will thoroughly document the effects of your injuries to maximize your compensation.
- Immediate treatment costs. This includes emergency dental care, pain management medications, imaging studies like X-rays and CT scans, and initial restoration procedures. Insurance companies often challenge these expenses, making detailed records essential.
- Future dental expenses. Dental work has a limited lifespan—crowns and bridges typically need replacement every 10-15 years, while implants may require component updates or adjustments. A comprehensive claim should include projected costs for maintaining and replacing dental restorations throughout your lifetime.
- Cosmetic considerations. Your smile plays a crucial role in personal and professional interactions. In addition, the psychological impact of dental disfigurement constitutes a legitimate component of pain and suffering damages.
- Lost income and productivity. For victims working in public-facing positions where appearance matters, dental injuries can impact earning capacity beyond direct treatment time.
- Pain and suffering compensation. Factors influencing this calculation include treatment invasiveness, recovery duration, permanent limitations, and psychological impacts.
Review our client testimonials to learn more about how our St. Louis car accident lawyers have helped people like you receive the compensation they need to move forward after a serious car accident.
