3500 Lomita Boulevard Suite 201, Torrance, California 90505

Our Mission

We Offer Courtesy Treatment For Domestic Violence Survivors

DENTISTRY FROM THE HEART

SMILE HQ DENTAL is dedicated in helping victims reclaim their smile and improve their quality of life .

A number of dental solutions exist for damaged or missing teeth. Direct bonding, porcelain veneers and crowns, bridges and dental implants.

#itsonus #domesticviolenceawareness
FIND OUT MORE

AN ACCOUNT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Seldom do we come across an anecdote so devastating that it stills our feet and weakens our knees. Being medical professionals, we tend to witness many first-hand accounts and survival stories of some of the bravest souls who have fought against all odds and become the epitome of courage and inspiration to us all. On one of these fateful days, our team here at Smile HQ Dental encountered a story that arose from a truly heart-wrenching incident and we couldn’t help not doing anything about it. This is a story that we felt needs to be told and heard as a sign of immense respect for the woman who touched our hearts and left us moved and motivated.

Not too long ago, we had a survivor of domestic violence come to us with an injury that needed immediate attention. Her abuser had done very visible and harrowing damage to her, and so we took it upon ourselves to make sure that her scars become no longer the symbols of loss, but of survival and strength. The main goal was to give her back the smile she lost going through such an unforgiving and testing ordeal.

The physical damage done to her was of heinous nature. Three of her front visible teeth had been knocked out and there was significant damage to the tissues around them. Our team offered to replace these missing teeth with quality dental implants and we assured her that we would give her the best possible dental treatment. Building her smile from the ground up was challenging but we were driven to return the smile that left her lips through this awful experience. It is times like these when you realize just how much of a difference dentistry can make in the lives of people.

Recognizing abuse isn’t easy, because it could be a gradual transition. Abuse doesn’t always have to be physical. Violence can be just as many times mental and emotional as it has to be physical and sexual. Our brave domestic violence survivor urges that once you see the first signs that your partner is capable of laying their hands on you, you should leave immediately. Leaving an abusive relationship can be difficult, but you are more than your relationship and you are more than your partner.

There can be numerous warning signs of an unhealthy, toxic or abusive relationship and can be identified earlier. We are here to help you recognize some of these subtle key signs.

Unreasonable jealousy or possessiveness
Constantly putting you down
Extreme moodiness (Hot and cold)
Domination and control
Refusing to communicate clearly
Withdrawal of affection
Constant guilt trips
Degrading you when alone or in front of people
Physically rough or handsy with you
Unpredictable, inconsistent and erratic actions
Making everything your fault
Actions or words indicating self-harm or imminent harm to others’ lives
Controlling with money
Isolating you from your family and friends
When will we be ready to have this conversation out in the open? Research has suggested that about 35% of relationships involve some sort of domestic violence or abuse. 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have gone through domestic abuse at least once in their lifetime. If you are led to believe that love equates pain, which is commonly seen in abusive relationships and that the only good thing about you is being with your abuser, we would like you to take a moment to see just how special you are as an individual; as a human being.

The treatment procedure with our strong abuse survivor is in the works as of now. After examining her injuries, we took proper caution and care to prepare a treatment plan that worked for her the best. Three dental implants, which are screw-ins that go into the bone in preparation to receive crowns, were performed on her by monitoring on digitized data of the prosthesis. As of now, temporary crowns have been given to her to protect and preserve the aesthetics, and after the recovery period is completed, permanent crowns will be put in.

If you are involved in a tormenting relationship and are looking for a safe haven, a sanctuary, our team here at Smile HQ Dental urges you to reach out to organizations that are especially dedicated to and celebrate the brave survival stories of abuse victims. One such organization is One https://jenesse.org/domesticviolence/ the most helpful things you can do when you have been vulnerable to an abusive relationship is to speak up. Speak up about the abuse and the abuser, no matter how many days, weeks or years have passed since the abuse took place. There can be help ready for you, you just need to take a chance and reach out!

Through this close and personal meeting with our survivor, we have learned just how resilient people can be. We did our small part in returning the smile that was robbed of her. We hope that this true account of domestic violence has touched anyone who has come across it and inspired you to do whatever you can, no matter how small it is to help others or oneself who could be going through such despair and anguish. No one should ever have to go through something like this and especially never all alone. Stand against violence.

Let Us Keep Your Smile Bright!

Servicing the South Bay of LA:
Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach & Rancho Palos Verdes