Making a dental injury claim
The crash broke or knocked out teeth and you are unsure what that claim covers.
A dental injury claim covers teeth broken, chipped, or knocked out in a road accident. It forms one part of a wider road accident claim.
Dental work is rarely finished quickly. The claim usually needs to account for treatment still to come, not only what has already been done.
This page explains what counts as a dental injury, the evidence it needs, and how future treatment is claimed.
What a dental injury covers
Injuries range from a small chip in a tooth to a tooth knocked out completely. Damage to a crown, bridge, or existing dental work also counts.
Where the jaw bone itself is fractured, that is generally treated as part of a facial injury claim rather than the dental claim alone. A tooth that looks intact can still be damaged internally.
This is why a dentist’s examination matters, even when nothing looks obviously wrong.
How it affects daily life
Eating certain foods, especially anything hard or hot and cold, can become uncomfortable until treatment is complete. A visibly damaged or missing front tooth can also affect confidence in speaking or smiling.
Temporary solutions such as a space maintainer or temporary crown are common while a permanent repair is planned. These come with their own adjustment period.
The evidence this claim needs
A dentist’s or oral surgeon’s report is central, similar in role to a specialist medical report for other injuries. It describes which teeth were affected, the treatment given so far, and the treatment still planned.
Dental X-rays taken at the time of the accident, and afterward, help show the full extent of the damage. Because implants and crowns eventually need replacing, the report should also address the likely need for future treatment.
How the injury factors into your claim
General damages are assessed against a published compendium of injury awards, together with the medical and dental evidence.[1] This considers how many teeth were affected and how visible the damage is.
Special damages cover the cost of treatment already paid for. Future dental treatment, including eventual replacement of an implant or crown, falls under future medical costs.
This is one of the clearer cases where a claim can include cost that has not yet been spent, provided the dentist’s report supports it.
Recovery and outlook
A straightforward chip or crack can often be repaired within a single visit or two. A knocked-out tooth needing an implant can take months to complete.
Further work may be needed over the following years as the implant settles.
What to do next
Keep every dental bill, X-ray, and treatment plan. These form the backbone of both the special damages and the future treatment claim.
The general deadline to bring this claim is six years from the accident.[2] This gives room for a full dental treatment plan to be confirmed first.
Out-of-pocket costs explains how to keep this kind of record organised as treatment continues.
Common questions
Can I claim for a tooth that looks fine but feels different since the accident?
Yes, a tooth can be damaged internally even when it looks intact from the outside. A dentist's examination and X-ray can pick up damage that is not visible, so any change in sensation or bite should be checked rather than ignored.
Does the claim cover future dental treatment, like an implant?
It can, where a dentist's report sets out the treatment still needed and its likely cost over time. This is claimed as part of future medical costs, alongside any treatment that has already been completed and paid for.
Is a broken jaw treated as a dental injury or a facial injury?
A fractured jaw bone is generally treated as part of a facial injury claim, assessed by a maxillofacial surgeon, while the teeth themselves are assessed separately by a dentist. Both can be claimed together from the same accident.
What if I need a temporary crown before the permanent one is ready?
That is common and should be recorded as part of your treatment plan. Keep the invoices for both the temporary and permanent work, since they are both part of the same dental injury claim.
Sources
- Malaysian Bar Circular No. 255/2018 (Revised Compendium of Personal Injury Awards 2018) (accessed 2026-09-22)
- Limitation Act 1953, s.6(1)(a) (Government of Malaysia) (accessed 2026-09-22)