Can Blunt Trauma Cause Crooked Teeth?

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Crooked teeth develop because of several factors, including temporomandibular disorders, jaw developmental issues, and oral habits during infancy and early childhood. Experts in TMJ in Plantation would agree that misaligned teeth can also result from blunt trauma.

Woman suffering from TMJ in Plantation

What Is Blunt Trauma?

Blunt trauma refers to the collision between the human body and a flat surface that doesn’t result in penetrating injuries. These injuries always involve tremendous force on impact. Sports injuries fall under this classification, as well as vehicular accidents.  Blunt traumatic injuries leave the following effects on your body:

  • Bruises
  • Internal bleeding
  • Concussions
  • Fractures
  • Jaw injuries
  • Dental trauma like chipped, loose and broken teeth

Blunt trauma can also cause cardiac injury if the force is strong enough to penetrate your ribs and heart. The contact can trigger arrhythmia or irregular heartbeats or even turn your heart off.

How Does It Affect the Jaws?

The impact may dislodge the temporomandibular joints if your jaw encounters significant blunt force. Also known as TMJs, these joints link your lower jaw with the upper jaw. These hinges also allow movements like opening up your mouth, chewing food and talking. Jaw alignment also makes sure that you’re breathing correctly. TMJ trauma can cause all sorts of dental problems. The teeth’s arrangement becomes misaligned when the jaws move forward or backward from their usual positions. You’ll start encountering challenges in chewing food properly, leading to gastrointestinal complications.  Dental malocclusion also severely restricts the upper respiratory tract, which causes obstructive sleep apnea. OSA can lead to additional dental issues like teeth grinding and non-dental ailments like hypertension, depression, and obesity.

Woman suffering from TMJ in Plantation

Seek Out Surgeons for Injuries to the TMJ in Plantation

Surgeons specializing in rehabilitating TMJ injuries can help you recover from a blunt traumatic accident. You might need restorative surgery, depending on your injuries. Please contact us to know more.