If your tooth has been injured, our Costa Mesa Dentist office can restore it to full functionality using a variety of cosmetic dentistry solutions. Sports injuries are incredibly common and according to the American Dental Association they account for anywhere from 13 to 39 percent of tooth loss on an annual basis. This is significant when you consider how many people end up needing to have their teeth repaired as a result of a recreational basketball game.
It doesn’t matter how old you are – athletes are at an increased risk of their teeth becoming damaged. As a parent, it is important to take steps to protect your children’s teeth and as an adult, there are preventative measures that you can take as well. We recommend that all athletes wear a mouth guard because they have been proven to prevent injury. In fact, the American Dental Association reports that over 200,000 injuries are prevented every year by high school and college football players wearing one. This doesn’t take into account other sports or youth and adult leagues. The University of California conducted their own study and found that in their athletic department the sport that had the highest number of dental injuries was basketball. Over the course of nine years, 11 out of every 100 basketball players had their teeth damaged or knocked out. This highlights the importance of wearing a mouth guard even if the league doesn’t require it.
Before you ever step onto the field, there are certain things you can do to protect your teeth. The healthier your teeth are, the less likely they are to become damaged during a sports accident or any accident. It starts by eating a healthy diet that includes green leafy vegetables, lean protein, nuts, dairy products, and crunchy fruits and veggies. By eating right, you will help to re-mineralize your teeth and strengthen them. Additionally, it is important to brush and floss throughout the day to remove any sugar that may have been deposited onto your teeth. Drinking plenty of water will also help to keep your entire body in good health. When you combine this at-home routine with teeth cleanings at our Cost Mesa dentist office, your teeth will remain strong and be more likely to withstand the impact of a wild ball or loose elbow.
If you follow these steps and still get a tooth injury, we can help. It is possible to restore teeth to their full functionality after becoming cracked, chipped, broken or even falling out. While in the past an injury would often led to a tooth being pulled, this is very rarely necessary now. We offer several solutions that include dental veneers to correct a crack or chip. This is a thin shell that is placed on top of the damaged tooth in order to restore its appearance and make it possible to eat again. Teeth that have suffered a larger crack or are missing part of the tooth are better served by a dental crown that serves as a cap to completely surround the tooth. Regardless of how your tooth has been damaged or the extent of the injury, we can restore it at our Costa Mesa dentist office.