The most important repair for your car isn’t going to be a simple front or rear-view mirror fix.
The problem with the rear-facing mirror repair is the risk of injury, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association.
The study looked at nearly 1,000 patients who had lost their front and rear-mounted rearview mirrors in accidents.
Nearly a third of those injured by the damage were women.
The injuries occurred in cars in which the rear view mirrors were either removed or replaced.
The most common damage was to the mirrors themselves, with about a third (33 percent) requiring an external replacement.
“This is not an issue for most of us, but there are those who have had a significant injury, especially if the accident occurred at night, where they may not have seen the light of day for hours afterward,” said Dr. Karen McBride, director of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Washington School of Dentistry.
The damage to the teeth and jaw can be devastating.
The researchers said it’s possible to repair the damage with a different type of mirror.
But the best repair involves having the patient see a professional and understanding the risks.
“If you are not sure about the safety of this procedure, it may not be worth doing,” McBride said.
The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health.