Personal Injury Lawyer
When you have been the victim in a bicycle accident, one of the most common places to get an injury is your mouth. Even if you were following the riding rules, wearing safety gear like a helmet, and paying attention to where you were riding, another person’s negligence can still cause you to become injured. This could happen through a negligent driver or through the county not maintaining the roads properly. When this is the case, the injuries you sustain can be painful and cause permanent damage if you do not get the help you need. Dentists know how serious dental injuries can be, even if they start off as minor chips. If you were recently in a bike accident and need dental help for both your treatment and for your legal claim, speak with one now.
Common Ways to Get Into an Accident
As noted above, there is only so much you can do to be prepared for a bicycle accident. If you were injured because of one of the reasons below, you should consider speaking with an attorney to file a legal claim.
- A car blew through a light or stop sign and hit you.
- A car was driving unsafely and you swerved and got knocked off your bike to avoid a collision.
- The county or city did not maintain the road well and there are potholes and uneven surfaces.
Common Dental Injuries After a Bike Accident
Two of the most common injuries you may face after a bicycle accident are a chipped tooth or an avulsed tooth.
Chipped Tooth. When you are in an accident and you have a chipped tooth, try to look around for the chipped portion. If you can find it, it may be possible for your dentist to repair it and save the entire tooth. Remember that the chipped portion is extremely fragile and likely very small. However, if you are unable to find the original chipped portion of your tooth, there are other ways that your dentist can treat you. They may choose to put a crown on your tooth or rebuild it from their own material.
Avulsed Tooth. If you suffer from an avulsed tooth—a tooth that has become completely knocked out—it is still possible to save the whole tooth. First, take care to gently retrieve the tooth and hold it by the crown, not the roots. You can carefully rinse it with water to keep the tooth moist, place it in a container with water or milk, or even gently place it back in the socket it fell out from. Once you have done this, you should get to the dentist as soon as you can—usually within two hours or less—to see if they can fix your original tooth.
Resources:
Wikipedia, Dental Care
