Daughter lost half her tooth. Impact fracture

[poloarpanda123]

Hi all, Can you help?

Went to softplay this morning with dd (8) and her friend. She smashed her tooth (adult tooth) and half of it fell off (horizontal).
I rang NHS line ( as we have recently moved and it's been impossible to find a dentist) and they called back about 2 hours later with an emergency number. Called the number and they have no emergency appts today and told to call back tomorrow.
The other lady told me they would have night time emergency hours and seemed to think I should get her in asap and to say it was an impact fracture. So I am left calling back tomorrow to see of they have any. Is there anything I can do in the meantime? There is quite a sharp edge which she already cut her tongue on and is pretty miserable.

The top half of the tooth seems in tact but obv very sensitive. I managed to get the broken half and have it with me.

My dd8 did this recently. Front tooth diagonal fracture though. We were told to put broken piece of tooth in milk just in case the dentist decided to use it. In the end they built the tooth back up with white filling. It doesn't look perfect but is ok for now. She is terrified of the dentist and ended up at the dental hospital to have it fixed (wehad to wait 5 days for this). Unfortunately it has come away a few times and had to be fixed repeatedly. We've been told that she can have cosmetic work done on it when she's older. I hope your dd is ok and you get seen soon.

Not much help I'm afraid. DS2 did this to his front adult tooth so you have my sympathies (we were at Butlins at the time - apparently there are no dentists working on a Thursday in Skegness. We managed to get an emergency appointment with his own dentist, so had to just pack up and leave and drive two hours home).

You can get some sugarfree gum and cover the break, and keep her dosed up with paracetamol. I doubt there's much else you can do unless you can afford an emergency private appointment (and even then you might not get one at this time. )

Also when you look at remaining tooth can you see any red?

I should add, that they built his tooth back up as well and you can't tell its a 'filling' but were warned it could break off again at any time and will just have to keep being replaced until he's old enough for a crown. We also kept the broken bit but were told it wasn't of any use.

Thank you. There is no red on the tooth. There was bleeding when it happened but not now.

That's good there's no red. My dd you could see some red and if I remember correctly they said it could be more prone to decay if the pulp was exposed. Really feel for you and you and your dd have my sympathies

I did this when I was 11 - smacked my mouth on a climbing frame bar and broke one of my adult teeth. I was devastated.

In all likelihood there'll be no point keeping the broken bit of tooth. As PPs have said, the dentist will probably build a white filling, and crown the tooth when your DD reaches 16. That's what they did with me.

Thanks arewe, I think we may have just missed the pulp. Thanks too Choplin, I hope somehow it can be fixed. :(

It does really need to be seen asap. I think they should have found you an appointment.

If you can't get one first thing tomorrow I would ring all the local practices, I would always see a child with trauma even if they aren't my patient. The quicker a dentist sees it the better. Does the tooth look like it has moved at all or just broken? Is the remaining section wobbly?

If you can't see any red or pinky tinge where the tooth has broken that's a good sign, as it's probably not involving pulp, but it does need to be seen and monitored.

The dentist will probably build it up in white filling for now, until they are 18 and then consider corwning or it might be fine with white filling. Sometimes when teeth have had a big knock they can end up needing a root canal which is why it needs to be monitored, but if it's missed the pulp this is much less likely.

For the sensitivity in the meantime just some Calpol is all you can do really and stick to soft food if your DD feels like eating

Ex dentist here. Try to get her seen as soon as you can. I suggest keeping the piece of tooth. Sometimes it can be glued back on even if it's just temporarily.

The other option is to Google out of hours dental care near you, and see if your DD can be seen sooner. I don't know whereabouts you are but there is an out of hours service round here which would see your DD. If there's a dental hospital round you they should have this information somewhere on their website

This happened to my son. We kept the tooth and the emergency dentist managed to fix it together. Somebody told me to pop the broken bit of tooth in milk too to preserve it (not sure if that was an old wives' tale?) .

Yep another whose DC has done this.
Both upper front adult teeth.

I'd try 111 again, now it's after hours.

My DC was treated by an emergency dentist, they chucked the broken pieces, and rebuilt the teeth, it's a semi permanent fix for now, DC can't bite anything hard, so apples, crunchy bread similar stuff in case they break off.

When they're older they can have something more permanent put in.

I'm not sure if this will help but on a first aid course we were told knocked out teeth should be kept in milk. Full fat preferably.

Thank you so much Blue and Mady. I will see what I can do. I will have a look again in a bit to check the tooth which remains.

I'm in South Wales

I’m so sorry this has happened. My DS1 did this a few years ago to both adult front teeth, 70% broken off diagonally on each tooth. He got an emergency appointment the same night for a temporary fix before they could see him at our usual dentist. They rebuilt the teeth with some kind of composite material and have had to replace it twice since then as it’s fallen off.
Luckily you can’t tell the difference, but he can’t bite into anything hard like apples or crusty bread.
When he’s 17 he will be able to have them fixed permanently with a veneer or even a dental implant.
It’s a horrible thing to happen, I really hope she’s ok. It is fixable though don’t worry!

You could try some of these numbers at bottom of page? www.cardiffandvaleuhb.wales.nhs.uk/emergency-dental-treatment-at-udh

Heymummy, She seems OK at the moment. She keeps asking me though if the dentist will take her tooth out. She has two fairly big front teeth too like me :( so it's pretty obvious.

Thankyou Haggisfish

Front of gum is sore when I touch it, but may be where she banged it.

Yes try the numbers at the bottom of the page Haggis has sent you.

There's more numbers here if you are more Swansea way:
www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/localservices/dentistinformation/

The dentist absolutely won't take the tooth out. They will build it up, white fillings can look really natural

She'll be very relieved Blue! I'm more the Newport side.

Actually that doesn't look too bad to me!

It's not a particularly big fracture, I wouldnt think it would risk the pulp at that size. it just looks like it needs building up. A fracture that size could easily be fine with white filling, and may actually never need a crown

I would still want it x rayed and checked, but don't worry too much!

Thanks Corn, that's encouraging.

Blue, should I still treat it as urgent or tone it down a bit until I can see a dentist?