Facial Injury and Dentistry
A facial injury can lead to a life-changing experience, depending on the severity or extent of the damage. Facial injuries are common among athletes, who are exposed to extreme physical conditions on a regular basis; however, a facial injury can also be experienced even by non-athletes; these injuries can be a result of accidents, or specific illnesses that can lead to facial nerve injury.
Facial injuries can lead not only to disfigurement, but also to loss of function in certain facial areas. No matter how small a facial injury may seem, treatment should be done in such a way that no other areas of the face is affected to limit the damage to a specific area. The treatment for facial injuries will be determined by the nature and cause of the injury, as well as the location of the damage on the head or face area.
Protection from Facial Injury
A dental facial injury from sports or specific activities can be prevented by taking some precautionary steps prior to engaging in that activity. Wearing customized mouthguards can prevent serious facial injuries from happening, and can even save lives in extreme conditions. If you regularly engage in sports that pose a threat of facial injuries, you can talk to your dentist about having a mouthguard customized. Customized mouthguards are much better than the ones you can get that are ready-made because of how well they will fit your mouth specifically; these custom-made mouthguards will feel comfortable, and can protect you from serious facial injuries from sports-related incidents.
Other Causes of Facial Injuries
Aside from facial injuries from sports and accidents, here are a few of the other reasons or incidents that can result to a facial injury:
- Medical conditions – A facial injury or trauma can result from specific medical conditions. Some of these conditions or illnesses include Bell’s palsy, lupus, multiple sclerosis or a stroke.
- Dental Problems – A dental problem, if left untreated, has the possibility of resulting to a facial injury. A temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problem can cause pain and swelling to the jaw area, which may develop into something more serious if proper treatment is not given.
- Animal Attacks – Facial injuries from animal attacks require the immediate attention of a physician, and may involve emergency surgeries to save not only the immediate facial area that was damaged– but the life of the patient as well.
