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Original poster

Broken tooth - what can dentist do?

31 replies

TheSpottedZebra · 30/12/2018 13:56

So, to cap off a bit of a shit weekend, I broke my tooth this morning. It's a molar, the back one, but not the wisdom tooth as that's long gone. An inside corner bit seems to have come off, right to the gum line. I think it might have had a filling, 20 years ago ish but otherwise fine. I go to the dentist regularly with no issues.

What's left is very jagged and seems to be cut right down to gum line. It's not bleeding, and isn't crazily painful, only a bit jangly. I guess I'll call tomorrow and hope for a quick appointment, but what will the dentist likely do? I've never had this before!

Nb the tooth chunk is in milk - can they stick it back on? Should I put it in fridge, or not?

OP posts:
AlpacaLypse · 30/12/2018 14:05

I've got one like this - from 11 years ago! It didn't hurt then, and never has, although the jagged edge was rubbing my inner cheek and I was very pleased to get an emergency dentist who put a temporary filling to cover it. We were at the beginning of a long summer holiday at the time and actually the temporary filling lasted several months. I then had a 'permanent' one done, which lasted 4 hours, then another 'permanent' one which lasted three years, then another, which lasted three weeks, then another which lasted five years... we've discussed having a crown done, but as it's clean, not painful, and a crown might be more trouble than it's worth, we're leaving it in peace. The jagged edge fell off with the last filling but two. Frankly there's no reason why it should get any worse.

The tooth in milk thing is I think more to do with whole teeth complete with root getting displaced, I don't believe pieces can be reattached. But no harm in keeping it, I'm not a dentist.

dementedpixie · 30/12/2018 14:05

They can put a metal bracket round the tooth and fill it with filling mix so you end up with a tooth that is half tooth and half filling. If there is a filling there already they will drill it out and do one big filling. Well that's what they did to mine when my tooth broke in half

Original poster
TheSpottedZebra · 30/12/2018 14:10

OK, thanks, that doesn't sound too bad.
Well, the metal bracket thing sounds like I'd be 1/24th of the way to being Jaws from James Bond. And I don't have the charisma to pull that off.

I was worried about root canals and all sorts. I don't actually know that they are tbh, but they seem to cause people no end of trouble.

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dementedpixie · 30/12/2018 14:11

They take the metal bracket back off. It's just to stop the filling mix from attaching to neighbouring teeth

Original poster
TheSpottedZebra · 30/12/2018 14:11

Yikes to the v short term 'permanent ' fillings though.
It's such a bloody faff, isn't it? And of course happens on Sunday and right before a bank holiday.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 30/12/2018 14:12

My half tooth filling has lasted much longer than pp

RetiredNotExpired · 30/12/2018 14:12

It depends on how badly, and how far down, the tooth is broken. A filling, as described by dementedpixie is very likely. I have one back molar that was rescued in that way - but I also had to have one that had been crowned some years (probably a couple of decades) previously, extracted because it had broken off below the gum line. Doesn't sound like yours has though :)

Original poster
TheSpottedZebra · 30/12/2018 14:12

Oh yes that makes more sense re metal bracket Blush
Like shuttering when cementing.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheSpottedZebra · 30/12/2018 14:16

I'm hoping for a nice simple filling then, in that case.

I'm also hoping that I've not knackered the top tooth too (broken one is at bottom) as I didn't actually realise it had broken for a while, so I have a good chomp on the bit. And the top one is a bit sore too but I pretending it's not.

Yes, I am a twat.

OP posts:
WonkyDonk87 · 30/12/2018 14:18

I broke off half a tooth once and my
very lovely dentist rebuilt it there and then. I'm assuming it was similar to what a PP has had done, but I've not had any problems with mine since and it was some 7? years ago now.

E20mom · 30/12/2018 14:22

I've had this happen 3 times on different teeth as I seem to have weak teeth. One time they refilled it, one time it needed a crown and the last time it needed a root canal so I'd say it could be any of these options that you need.

Juells · 30/12/2018 14:31

Temporary fillings are good - I was 100 miles from home last week (or the week before, have lost track of time) and a filling fell out. Got a temporary filling from local pharmacy, and they kindly allowed me to use their consultation room to ram it in. Kept me going for a few days until I could get to a dentist.

Three years ago a huge chunk came off a tooth, and the dentist said I needed a crown - €800! AngryAngryAngry I said I couldn't afford it, wasn't having it, she re-built the tooth instead and it's still going strong. I may eventually have to bite the bullet and get a crown, but I've put off the evil day for three years.

Thymeout · 30/12/2018 14:38

My dentist made an on-lay with a 3D printer and then stuck it on with the sort of adhesive that needs curing with a blue light. It's brilliant. He just scanned it in the surgery with a special wand and then I sat in the waiting room for 20 mins watching the printer make a replica. No injection, no pain - except that it cost £300. But cheaper than a crown.

Juells · 30/12/2018 14:43

needs curing with a blue light.

Yes, that's the magic stuff that was used for both re-building the tooth and for the filling I had recently. Wish I could get all my metal fillings torn out and replaced with that nice white stuff. But some of my teeth are more filling than tooth, so it would be a huge job Grin

Original poster
TheSpottedZebra · 30/12/2018 14:46

3d printer and blue light?
Wow, you live in the future! I take it that bog standard NHS dentists done have such wizardry?

OP posts:
Original poster
TheSpottedZebra · 30/12/2018 14:48

Maybe if they can't see me tomorrow I should get me some of that mash-in temporary stuff?

OP posts:
APositiveMind · 30/12/2018 14:52

If you fail to get some temp filling in the meantime. Use sugar free chewing gum. Sounds stupid I know but works to keep food put of it and stop it cutting your tongue.
They'll fill it if they can, if not they may suggest a crown on it. Or extraction but that sounds a little extreme for a fractured cusp.

Original poster
TheSpottedZebra · 30/12/2018 15:00

Really chewing gum? That sounds like to would pull the innards out of my tooth!

It now feels like more has gone than just a corner - feels like it's halved diagonally. Bollocks.
I also may have eaten a bit I think, as the chunk I have doesn't seem the right shape for the gap.

OP posts:
girlandboy · 30/12/2018 15:02

Just want to add that I've had two temporary fillings for over 10 years now! They seem to be more permanent than my permanent ones!!

Juells · 30/12/2018 15:05

Just want to add that I've had two temporary fillings for over 10 years now!

Are they the do-it-yourself jobbies? The package on the one I bought said you could chew with it after three hours but I was a bit chary.

Original poster
TheSpottedZebra · 30/12/2018 15:07

Ooh, girlandboy you don't remember the make of your temp fillings, do you?
Maybe you're particularly skilled and you should be my a dentist?

OP posts:
VI0LET · 30/12/2018 15:09

Are you sure its tooth that has broken off and not an old filling ? If the jagged edge is filling you can try using a nail file to smooth it off, so it doenst cut your tongue .

Juells · 30/12/2018 15:10

Is there a Boots near you? You'd be able to buy temporary filling there, it's really cheap and would tide you over until you get to a dentist.

soulrider · 30/12/2018 15:11

I did the same, broke off a corner then the filling fell out a few hours later. I'm hoping they can just fill the gap, I'm not particularly bothered about them rebuilding the tooth as it's top molar at the back.

As there's no pain I'm just trying to keep it clean until i can get to the dentist. The little medicine dispensing syringes are good for flushing out any bits that get stuck beyond where a toothbrush can reach.

My teeth do seem to be disintegrating though, it's only 3 months since I cracked another in half and had to have it removed. I was told that going undiagnosed with coeliac disease for many years may be the culprit. Worried that i'm going to end up with no teeth.

girlandboy · 30/12/2018 15:14

Nope, not the homemade jobbies, my dentist did them.
And they're the white sort. I couldn't afford anything better at the time so she said she'd put in some temporary fillings "for the time being, but please be aware they won't last very long, a few months at the most".
She was wrong, they're still going strong. And like the OP, they're about a third/half a tooth in size down to the gumline.
I have absolutely no idea what they're made of, or what they're called apart from they're white!

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