Skiing Near Salem, NH? You May Want Your Dentist on Speed Dial.
It’s that time of year again, when thousands flock to New Hampshire’s slopes to ski or snowboard. Unfortunately, this means an increased number of dental injuries related to skiing or snowboarding. Even more experienced skiers and snowboarders get injured, with a study of of ski instructors finding that 6.6% of them report having sustained a dental injury during their careers. Obviously, novices are very likely to get injured with a study finding that 4% of first-time snowboarders and skiers get injured.
If a dental injury does happen while skiing or snowboarding, especially in an instance where tooth gets knocked out, time is of the essence. Preserving the tooth in milk or saliva and getting to a dentist as soon as possible increases the chance that the tooth can be saved. Just make sure not to pick up the tooth by its root!
If saving the tooth is not an option, here are the options the dentist may recommend for replacing a tooth lost during a skiing or snowboarding accident:
- Removable partial denture – Unlike a regular denture, that replaces a whole row of teeth, a partial denture can be used to replace a smaller number. Just like a classic, denture however, it’s built to be removable. This option is likely the cheapest since it requires no preparation of any other teeth in the mouth to accommodate it. The downside of this is that the bone at the site of the missing tooth or teeth will slowly start disappearing, going through a process called resorption, as the body recognizes that bone is no longer being used.
- Dental bridge – For those who want an option that’s more secure in the mouth, the dental bridge might be a better option. The teeth on either side of the gap are shaved down and are used as anchors for a dental prosthesis that is securely cemented on them. There are two drawbacks to this approach , for one, healthy teeth need to be shaved down to accommodate for this and secondly bone resorption is still an issue.
- Dental implant and crown crown or bridge- The most ideal solution to replace teeth is dental implants. Dental implants are screws placed in the jaw bone and topped with a crown or a bridge. This ensures that the bone isn’t lost to resorption since it’s being used by the implant and the bridge or crown are securely attached to the implants with something called an abutment.
Regardless of which option you use to replace teeth lost during a skiing accident, the dental procedure has major cosmetic implications. It’s likely you will want a cosmetic dentist associated with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentists like Dr. Paul Mathew at Artisan Dentistry in Salem, NH.
If you’re looking for a dentist near Salem, NH that can replace missing teeth, don’t hesitate to contact Artisan Dentistry’s Salem, NH dental office to set up a consultation.