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Original poster

2.5 year old knocked out two top front teeth from roots

61 replies

Holliemac189 · 18/10/2023 10:54

It's been nearly two weeks since my beautiful boy lost is sweet smile. He ran toward the window to see a car outside and knocked out his two front teeth on the window sill. I know there are far worse things to have happen but I was just wondering if anyone had any advice or reassurance that I won't always feel awful. Five months pregnant too so feeling all the emotions!

I've been to several dentists who have all said the same - wait for permanent teeth to grow through.

I have heard that when they knock out teeth this early, their adult teeth are likely to come through stained and mottled. Also that their adult teeth will not show up until much later than the other kids' because there will be no baby tooth gap to help guide it down (by that point it would just be bone to make it harder to break through.

Thanks in advance

OP posts:
Original poster
Holliemac189 · 18/10/2023 22:19

@honestlyseriously Not melodramatic at all, I completely understand. I think that situations like these are tough because far worse things could happen and we know we should be thanking our lucky stars that this is all we're having to contend with. But... we can't help the way we feel and I, too, wouldn't be surprised if this was still hurting me a year or more down the line.

Thank you for your lovely message :)

OP posts:
bellsbuss · 18/10/2023 22:22

One of mine knocked out a front tooth aged 2 and my friend pushed it back in and I don't know how but it stayed. I took him to the dentist and he told me off saying you shouldn't do that.

Original poster
Holliemac189 · 18/10/2023 22:24

@Valid8me Thanks for your comment. The reason that the dentists warned of discolouration and/or mottled texture is because when the teeth are knocked out, they may have come into contact with the adult teeth developing in the gum. And the younger this happens, the less likely it is that the protective enamel has developed, allowing for visible marks when they eventually grow through.

OP posts:

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2 year olds Behaviour & development Dental health
Original poster
Holliemac189 · 18/10/2023 22:27

@SlipSlidinAway Thanks for your response. Parenting is tough! I don't know why I hadn't anticipated these kinds of things happening! I suppose I should prepare myself for more to come 😓

OP posts:
EffinMagicFairy · 18/10/2023 22:29

Discoloured mottled teeth can be sorted very quickly with composite veneer, a painless procedure that takes 10 mins, it’s like having white filling painted over your teeth. DS had it done at 12 for mottled teeth, doesn’t last forever but he’s 19 now and we haven’t had it redone yet.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 18/10/2023 22:35

My brother did similar at just a bit older, falling off a scooter. I can actually remember picking up the teeth and saying to my mum we could put them back in! He has amazing, straight white adult teeth.

Mumtobabyhavoc · 18/10/2023 23:03

Happened to me about age 3. Fell off a bike. I remember being in hospital, wheeled into surgery for the root extraction before being put OI out. No adult tooth issues. I adjusted to no front teeth as far as I remember. Sorry your ds had that happen.

jmh740 · 18/10/2023 23:23

Dd knocked her two first teeth out. Her adult teeth came through discoloured and she had a white filling over the top, she says they feel different to her other teeth when she runs her tongue over them but if you didn't already know you wouldn't really be able to tell

NImumconfused · 18/10/2023 23:59

My DD did this on her first day at pre-school. The adult ones grew in fine at the same time as her peers, no discolouration.

She then broke both the two adult front teeth tripping over a ball at Cubs aged about 8 - she is not a lucky child!

UsefulSmartPrettyHappy · 19/10/2023 22:29

Your poor little boy. My dd did the same. Her adult teeth were fine.

BiscuitsandPuffin · 19/10/2023 22:37

Oh the poor sweetheart!
I know you've already been to more than one dentist, but if you can get yourself into Richmond I really recommend Toothbeary. My son (3 at the time) had multiple serious issues with his teeth and the NHS said "there's nothing we can do" then when they got unbearably painful they referred us to the special care dentist who said "we'll pull them all out."
It wasn't cheap, but Toothbeary were able to sort out all but 2 of his teeth (those two were removed). They also gave us a special tooth mousse to help strengthen his teeth and pave the way better for his adult teeth.
They might be able to do your DS clip-in prosthetics or similar.

2chocolateoranges · 19/10/2023 22:50

Ds fell and burst his gum open when he was 16months old. Tooth was ok but gum was badly bruised. His adult tooth came in with parts of the enamel missing so adult tooth is slightly discoloured in places.

Original poster
Holliemac189 · 20/10/2023 14:43

@BiscuitsandPuffin Thanks for the recommendation. I did actually have Toothbeary on my list of numbers to call for prosthetics. Can I ask which teeth your DS had extracted? And could you explain what a tooth mousse is? Sorry, very new to all this!

OP posts:
Supportyourlocal · 20/10/2023 14:52

Don’t worry OP baby teeth are easier to knock out than adult teeth. The adult teeth will grow normal and providing he doesn’t take up ice hockey or UFC (every ice hockey player and UFC fighter is gummy) they will stay in the mouth.

Silverdogblue · 20/10/2023 15:00

bellsbuss · 18/10/2023 22:22

One of mine knocked out a front tooth aged 2 and my friend pushed it back in and I don't know how but it stayed. I took him to the dentist and he told me off saying you shouldn't do that.

This is only for permanent teeth. The order of preference is (best to worst and after rinsing gently in cold water):
reimplantation
keep in cheek if can get to dentist ASAP
keep in parent’s cheek
keep in ice cold water

and avoid touching the root, handle the tooth by the crown only to preserve the special cells on the root.

@Holliemac189 when they’re young the enamel
on adult teeth isn’t developed but also the adult teeth are further away so less likely to make contact. Likely that all
will be well but this episode must have been highly traumatising for you!!

Jandob · 20/10/2023 15:17

My child broke 1 off. It didn't grow back in well. But dentistry moves on. They have a false tooth bonded to the others. If the teeth grow in ok can be recoloured and built up with veneers etc.

Marylou62 · 20/10/2023 15:33

I really feel for you.. My DD shattered her beautiful permanent front tooth aged 8 and I was actually a snotty mess, absolutely distraught..(absolutely unreasonable as I knew it was ONLY A TOOTH..but I couldn't help myself..)
She then had tooth abscess after tooth abscess for the next 10 yes..we started a savings account to pay for implant and crown..
In the meantime she had numerous fake teeth.. some lasting hrs.. some longer..
Eventually at 17 our kindly dentist gave her the implant on the NHS and we bought the veneer..it was £400 as the NHS teeth were horrible.. we watched it being made.. fascinating..it was a perfect match... it's been nearly 15 yrs now and still (touch wood) going strong...
I feel for you...

Silverdogblue · 20/10/2023 15:40

Marylou62 · 20/10/2023 15:33

I really feel for you.. My DD shattered her beautiful permanent front tooth aged 8 and I was actually a snotty mess, absolutely distraught..(absolutely unreasonable as I knew it was ONLY A TOOTH..but I couldn't help myself..)
She then had tooth abscess after tooth abscess for the next 10 yes..we started a savings account to pay for implant and crown..
In the meantime she had numerous fake teeth.. some lasting hrs.. some longer..
Eventually at 17 our kindly dentist gave her the implant on the NHS and we bought the veneer..it was £400 as the NHS teeth were horrible.. we watched it being made.. fascinating..it was a perfect match... it's been nearly 15 yrs now and still (touch wood) going strong...
I feel for you...

One of my worst OOH cases was a stunning 12 year old who’d been dancing in the kitchen with socks on & absolutely annihilated her two front teeth. Really sad for her as it was the start of years of treatment like your DD. Glad you got an implant funded the way the NHS is intended. They’re excellent these days.

Eggmcmuffin · 20/10/2023 16:24

My daughter broke one of her top teeth at 15 months, root still there so we're lucky, but I get you with the guilt. She's just started losing baby teeth now at 5 so an anxious wait to see what happens. Don't feel bad, accidents happen and it'll most likely be fine.

Marylou62 · 20/10/2023 18:28

Silverdogblue · 20/10/2023 15:40

One of my worst OOH cases was a stunning 12 year old who’d been dancing in the kitchen with socks on & absolutely annihilated her two front teeth. Really sad for her as it was the start of years of treatment like your DD. Glad you got an implant funded the way the NHS is intended. They’re excellent these days.

Show quote history

Thank you...she still can't eat certain foods as she's paranoid about losing it again..
At a wedding when she was 14 and a bridesmaid she bit into a hog roast roll and her (temporary) tooth came out..we had to leave straight away..she just put her hand over her mouth and ran to the car... people were questioning why she was like that! 14 and a huge black hole? Luckily the bride totally understood...

NayhyRo2 · 11/12/2023 21:35

Hello @Holliemac189 I am new to this forum today in a upset state of mind to find other people like myself. I came across your post and saw it was very recent. My daughter knocked out her two front teeth yesterday 😭 (she is 2 years 8 months) and had the most beautiful smile. We were doing xmas crafts at the table, she sits or kneels on the bench to the table no more than 50cm high, I turned my back for a second and I think she had stood and tried to reach something, fell and hit her mouth straight down on the wooden bench on the downwards tumble.
We rushed to A&E in panic and went to the dentist today. We had the same - they are baby teeth and they will grow back. One has been pushed upwards which we have to wait to be pushed back down to see if it's damaged, then they will do something ie take it out if needed. Otherwise we sit and wait. I am totally heart broken and have cried for the last 48 hours blaming myself for the incident telling myself I am irresponsible and I shouldn't have let this happen to her, missing her little face I know and worrying about damage and what it will do to her. The heart break that I have ruined her teeth to come possibly. The first school photo. All I can see in the moment is being constantly reminded. It feels ridiculous to be so stressed when other parents have far worse things to worry about. I'm so grateful she is ok of course but my beautiful baby!!
Has it gotten any easier for you? I'm so sorry you have the same feelings and I totally understand what you are feeling. I'm so pleased to have found others (not that I wish it on anyone or anyone's most precious gift) that knows how this heartbreak feels as my friends have all been very much "don't worry they get more" they do but it doesn't help make their first toddler smile come back which means the world to you . X

Goldwakeme · 11/12/2023 22:01

The same happened to my DD at age 4, it took two years for the new teeth to come through and I felt so awful for her and very guilty. She's 7 now and the teeth are fully through and straight. I saw a video of her talking with her missing teeth and could hardly recognise her! The time goes so quickly, but only when you're looking back, I know.

DappledThings · 11/12/2023 22:29

I'm so pleased to have found others (not that I wish it on anyone or anyone's most precious gift) that knows how this heartbreak feels as my friends have all been very much "don't worry they get more" they do but it doesn't help make their first toddler smile come back which means the world to you . X
It's really not worth this much angst. With me it was easier because it happened at pre-school rather than under my watch but she still looked like her, she still has her smile. It was a couple of minutes of feeling a bit sad she would look different for years, not all this hand-wringing. She's fine. DD has a lovely first day at school photo with her gap cheerfully on show.

Original poster
Holliemac189 · 11/12/2023 23:39

NayhyRo2 · 11/12/2023 21:35

Hello @Holliemac189 I am new to this forum today in a upset state of mind to find other people like myself. I came across your post and saw it was very recent. My daughter knocked out her two front teeth yesterday 😭 (she is 2 years 8 months) and had the most beautiful smile. We were doing xmas crafts at the table, she sits or kneels on the bench to the table no more than 50cm high, I turned my back for a second and I think she had stood and tried to reach something, fell and hit her mouth straight down on the wooden bench on the downwards tumble.
We rushed to A&E in panic and went to the dentist today. We had the same - they are baby teeth and they will grow back. One has been pushed upwards which we have to wait to be pushed back down to see if it's damaged, then they will do something ie take it out if needed. Otherwise we sit and wait. I am totally heart broken and have cried for the last 48 hours blaming myself for the incident telling myself I am irresponsible and I shouldn't have let this happen to her, missing her little face I know and worrying about damage and what it will do to her. The heart break that I have ruined her teeth to come possibly. The first school photo. All I can see in the moment is being constantly reminded. It feels ridiculous to be so stressed when other parents have far worse things to worry about. I'm so grateful she is ok of course but my beautiful baby!!
Has it gotten any easier for you? I'm so sorry you have the same feelings and I totally understand what you are feeling. I'm so pleased to have found others (not that I wish it on anyone or anyone's most precious gift) that knows how this heartbreak feels as my friends have all been very much "don't worry they get more" they do but it doesn't help make their first toddler smile come back which means the world to you . X

Hi @NayhyRo2 thanks for reaching out and I’m so sorry that you are now going through the same thing. It doesn’t matter how much we are told that the guilt and heartbreak isn’t worth it, we can’t help the way we feel and I do
understand exactly what you are going through. I have been on a bit of a journey over the past couple of months! I don’t know if there is a way to direct message on here as also new to
mumsnet! But I can share with you my thoughts (and plan going forward) on it all privately of at all helpful. X

OP posts:
NayhyRo2 · 12/12/2023 06:27

Good morning @Holliemac189
No one understands unless they have been through it. Of course family understand but my Husband is very much it's happened, it was an accident and we have to move on. She is ok. Friends and work colleagues have been understanding but again 'it happens'. I am back to work today and just feel sick to my stomach and feel I have to just get on with it but I am struggling. I would love to contact you directly and hear how you have been getting on, how you cope with it and how you stop making yourself feel awful. I know it could have happened anywhere at anytime like your little one, but the fact I allowed her to sit up to the table. But then I know other mothers who let their kids sit up on a worktop while they cook, see kids this young sat at 'big adult' tables in cafes etc. Yet my daughter sits in a highchair still! So what have I done so wrong and ruined her little smile! x