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Original poster

Ds has just cracked half his tooth off

20 replies

PissyMum · 26/10/2021 23:09

He’s 9 and it’s an adult tooth, his front one. We’re on holiday and he cracked it on the bottom of the swimming pool 😭. It looks absolutely awful, really sharp and very clearly has the bottom half missing.

He says it doesn’t hurt, there was no blood. Should I get it sorted here or should I wait until next week when we’re home? What even happens to a tooth like that? He hasn’t had all his adult teeth come through yet but it’s already very clear that he’ll need braces - his front two are very prominent, probably one of the reasons this one was knocked so easily. Could it be capped and then he have braces over the top of it?

He’s completely unbothered by it (he actually thinks it makes him look cool 🤦‍♀️) but I don’t know how long that will last. Any advice? Anything I should do?

OP posts:

Walktwomoons · 26/10/2021 23:29

Don't have detailed advice but just to say that happened to me as a kid. I think I had it capped before I had braces? Anyway it was left pointy for a couple of years before they capped it so you can definitely leave it till next week

BaronessBomburst · 26/10/2021 23:35

DS did this when he was 10. The dentist smoothed off the rough edges and left it for two weeks or so to allow the tooth to settle (it may have shifted/ loosened in the gun) and to check that the nerve isn't damaged or dead.
Then be built up a cap. It looks totally natural. I can't comment in braces as DS. hasn't had them fitted yet - but he has an appointment in January.

BaronessBomburst · 26/10/2021 23:36

That's gum, not gun.
Sorry, autocorrect has mangled more words too.

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Cherryana · 26/10/2021 23:37

Happened to my ds.

The dentist will build it up with bonding. They colour match it exactly and you won’t be able to tell. The dentist said he might have to have it redone in the future but right now it’s been 3 years and no trouble.

Cherryana · 26/10/2021 23:38

My ds will also need braces in a bit. They will go on over it.

Hairyfriend · 26/10/2021 23:41

It depends which country you are in and the facilities, on whether to have treatment there?

Do you have the bit that snapped off?

DH had a large chip from his front tooth. It was glued back in weekly, but just kept falling out. An older school type dentist put a tiny pin in the back, and its stayed there over 10yrs now!

I don't know about a half a tooth though, but maybe they pin in back in place? If its rough, could you get some braces wax from a pharmacy there?

RavingAnnie · 26/10/2021 23:41

This happened to my son. Hilariously because he stood on a rake!

The dentist rebuilt it with composite. We were warned that it might not last long and it might die and need a crown or other replacement but it's still going about 15/16 years later.

He had braces and was again warned there l was a high chance of it dying but it was absolutely fine.

Courtier · 26/10/2021 23:44

Wait til he gets back. It'll be fine. I have lots of friends who've had composite built in place

Downsize2021 · 26/10/2021 23:46

I smashed front tooth in a bike accident. Half the front tooth came off but filled and smoothed down you'd have no idea to look at it! The tooth remained healthy and honestly, no one could ever tell!

Downsize2021 · 26/10/2021 23:47

Its so good I genuinely can't even remember which one it was!

ASimpleLobsterHat · 26/10/2021 23:48

Happened to me as a child (not in a swimming pool). I was a bit traumatised from the stitches I needed in my lip (with no anaesthetic) and didn’t let the dentist near my tooth for a couple of years, so it’ll be fine to wait until you get back if it’s not causing your son any bother. Mine was capped around age 10 and I would say it’s fallen off/been knocked out twice in the intervening 30 years. The bigger problem for me was that the impact of my accident killed off the tooth that was next to the damaged one, but it wasn’t picked up until I was in my early twenties. In the end it needed very expensive private root filling. So make sure the dentist x-rates if possible to check the adjacent teeth too.

Ruth2009 · 26/10/2021 23:49

This happened to my ds when he was at primary school. We had the broken off piece (snapped in half horizontally) which school had put it in a glass of milk.
I picked him up straight away nad took him straight to the dentist and they glued it back on.
He is now 16 and it's never come loose, he's had fixed braces for 3yrs too.

I was really upset when he did it, sure you must be too, they can do fantastic things now.
Hope you get sorted.

Gertie75 · 26/10/2021 23:54

Dd did the same but to her bottom tooth a few months ago, we were also on holiday so I took her when we got back.
The dentist built it back up but she broke it off again on her sisters head a few weeks later and I haven't had it redone, it doesn't bother her at all so I'll see what the dentist says at her regular check up next month.

MillyMollyMardy · 27/10/2021 00:03

Dentist here, if you can access emergency care where you are, do. If you're in England or Wales call 111 for advice.
Ideally the surface needs sealing as there are channels that run to the nerve and bacteria can get to the nerve and irritate it- young teeth are more prone to that.
If you've got the broken bit- keep it sometimes they can be reattached. Don't worry about keeping it wet unless you've got saline but it would need soaking before being reattached.
His tooth needs an xray to check there's nothing more happened such as a broken root, assessment as to whether the root has finished forming and after being mended, monitoring to check the nerve remains OK.
If you can't get to a dentist, a pharmacy will sell temporary cement (some are better than others) that can be smeared on the broken part.
Glad he's calm about it. It's heartbreaking as a parent when they do something like this. Don't worry a dentist can make it look good again.

Snoopsnoggysnog · 27/10/2021 00:06

My DD did the same at a similar age and similar experience to other posters. It’s upsetting but don’t worry.
They dentist did say to get it seen ASAP though as it needs covering as it leave the nerve area open for possible inflammation or something like that. I’m no expert though so depending on where you are you could try to get him seen or wait until you get home. Could you call your UK dentist?

Snoopsnoggysnog · 27/10/2021 00:07

Cross posted with an actual dentist!

MillyMollyMardy · 27/10/2021 00:08

Just to say, in case anyone reads this later; if an adult tooth gets knocked out it needs to be kept wet in saliva, saline or milk and reimplanted asap.
Baby teeth can't be put back.
If you're not sure whether it's a baby or adult tooth keep it wet and let the dentist see it.

MillyMollyMardy · 27/10/2021 00:10

Snoopsnoggysnog your advice was good.

Snoopsnoggysnog · 27/10/2021 00:15

Thanks @MillyMollyMardy i always appreciate dentists on dental threads. Have a lot of teeth issues in this house!

Good luck OP. Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday.

Original poster

PissyMum · 27/10/2021 01:36

Thanks everyone for the advice, especially millymollymardy. Always reassuring to hear it from a dentist. We’re in the Caribbean but on a really small island at the moment, if you need urgent medical care you need to fly to the main island. We’re not doing that until we’re headed back on Saturday and transferring straight from there to our flight home so I don’t think it’s practical to do out here unless it’s an absolute emergency. I spoke to the receptionist at the hotel and she very kindly offered to buy him some Corsodyl and an emergency dental repair kit from the island shop on her way home. She gave it to the receptionist who was replacing her and we’ve done a bit of a bodge job with a sort of gum thing that was in the kit and hardened in his mouth. I think that’s sort of sealed it so hoping that will hold until we get home.

Despite much hunting there was no sign of the broken bit - the bottom of the pool is mostly sand. Typical of ds to find the one bit that was actually hard enough to snap a tooth off.

OP posts:

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