Suffering a dental emergency can be upsetting and destabilizing. The good news is that our Mill Valley emergency dentists provide prompt and effective treatment in case of dental trauma; we’re here to help you reclaim your smile and get back on track. Keep reading to learn more about how dental trauma can occur, and what you can do to protect your smile.
One of the leading causes of dental trauma is injury due to a sport or vehicular accident. If you take part in contact sports like football, hockey, lacrosse, etc. make sure to speak to your dental team about being outfitted with a custom protective mouth guard. Mouth guards protect your smile and absorb shock in case of impact. It is best to wear a personalized mouthguard, rather than an over-the-counter option. When a mouthpiece does not fit well, it can lead to dental alignment issues and even TMJ dysfunction.
Another common cause of dental damage is bruxism: chronic dental grinding. Patients exhibit bruxism behaviors for a number of reasons, including stress and poor dental alignment. The problem is that, as teeth rub back and forth against each other, the enamel develops small cracks and chips—sometimes so small that you cannot see them with the naked eye. As your teeth weaken, you become more prone to suffering from unexpected dental cracks or chips. Many people do not even realize that they have bruxism, because they are grinding and clenching their teeth at night as they sleep. If you wake up with a headache or a sore jaw or sore teeth, please talk to your dentist about bruxism.
When you are faced with unexpected dental damage, our team offers a range of restorative options to help get your smile back on track. Dental bonding and CEREC crowns, for example, deliver natural-looking and functional results.
Please feel free to contact our Mill Valley emergency dentists for more information or to schedule an appointment.