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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be quietly gutted for my beautiful DD

176 replies

namechange505 · 07/02/2019 07:21

DD had an accident at school a couple of years ago and fell into some concrete causing quite a bit of damage to her front teeth. This week she had felt one of the fillings that the dentist had used to cap and rebuild one of her teeth moving slightly. We made an appointment on Tues yesterday to check it out and then another one yesterday after school to replace the filling.

Unfortunately at yesterday's appointment it became apparent that her tooth had split quite badly and part of it had to be removed. The split went beneath the gum-line resulting in extensive work to try to cover the exposed nerve and rebuild some semblance of a tooth temporarily. (Apologies if anyone is squeamish…) She was in the chair for over 3 hours and is on strong painkillers and antibiotics. She was understandably very upset by the whole thing. Sad

She is going to need some serious dental work going forward, likely she will lose the tooth altogether but we will know more in a few days. Unfortunately there was very little tooth left to work with and the resulting temporary fix is very fragile. The dentist is speaking with colleagues tomorrow to see what the best course of action is but likely an extraction and false tooth on a plate followed by a bridge until she's 18 when they can start looking at an implant. Sad Sad

I ended up googling teens with broken teeth to see if there were any success stories (I know...) but all I could find were stories from people who "luckily didn't lose the tooth" or "luckily they were able to put a cap on it" but that's unlikely in my DD's case.

She's had lots of cuddles and is being very stoic about the whole thing. I keep telling her (and myself) that there are far worse problems to have and that nobody is seriously ill or dying. It's just a tooth and we'll get it sorted.

But AIBU to be quietly gutted for her that she's losing a tooth so young due to a stupid accident? Anyone have any positive stories about similar situations that might cheer her up?

OP posts:
Original poster
namechange505 · 07/02/2019 07:22

She's 14 by the way, sorry should have said.

OP posts:
JustanotherCHRISTMASuser01 · 07/02/2019 07:25

Oh bless her I am so sorry - I dont have much factual information to give you but all I want to say is I found out at the grand age of 27 my mum had a plate and has done for 30 odd years (she couldn't remember exactly) so they can work magic and they will for her too

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 07/02/2019 07:27

Oh God bless her. The poor little lamb. My dd has had to have a lot of dental work done. Not because of an an accident or anything, though.

User383673 · 07/02/2019 07:29

My dad lost a front tooth in a cricketing accident and has an implant - you would absolutely never know. It’s really tough for her but they can work wonders these days x

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 07/02/2019 07:31

Your poor DD. That's a horrible thing to have to face at such a vulnerable age, appearance-wise.

Not the same thing at all, but DS had an extra front adult tooth (so three waiting up in the gum instead of two, iyswim). He had to have an op to extract the spare one, then one grew through normally and the other grew through sideways. It took a long period of braces and orthodontic treatment to correct but his friends just became absolutely used to it. Occasionally, people would ask about it and he would tell the story, but no-one bullied him or was nasty abut it. I think - hope - that your DD will find the same. It will take her a period of adjustment, but with the false tooth in, no-one will be able to tell anyway. They work really hard to match the colour with her other teeth. I'm a teacher and have taught at least one boy with a false front tooth after a rugby accident, and I had no idea until I was told.

andantecantabile · 07/02/2019 07:31

My mum has a false front tooth and you would never know. Occasionally it gets a bit translucent in very bright sunlight but that's it.

ZigZagIntoTheBlue · 07/02/2019 07:32

My husband lost both his front teeth at a similar age when a car hit him on his push bike. He's got false teeth (implanted) but it's something the dentist needs to keep an eye on as he should've had them replaced about ten years ago (he's 39 now) but add they're still going strong there's no need to yet. He had a pretty miserable year with it all going on but it's fine now and you can't tell at all.

BigGreenOlives · 07/02/2019 07:32

YANBU

This is probably about as bad as you’ll feel (I hope so anyway) as you’ll be coming to terms with the bad news. I hope your dentist comes up with a good treatment plan.

Avebury · 07/02/2019 07:35

Not wishing to be an ambulance chaser but wanting her to have the best possible job done - did you know a lot of schools hold dental insurance?

user1498854363 · 07/02/2019 07:35

Op I lost a front tooth at 13 (tripped running at party) and had a bridge and braces for some years. Hated it, but it was not a problem, you couldn’t tell the tooth was fake. As an adult I got it replaced and again had no problems. Apart from lots of dental work. She will be fine. But it is costly!

Namechangedzzz · 07/02/2019 07:35

My brother had exactly the same!!! False tooth on a little ledge which slotted into his mouth, noone could ever tell. It worked brilkiantly. He would sometimes wriggle it at me to make me laugh when we were little. He is in his 30s now. If you want to pm me with any questions for him that is fine. 🙂

Booboostwo · 07/02/2019 07:36

I don’t want to minimise anyone’s pain and suffering, least of all a child’s, but to give you another perspective, I broke my front tooth in early primary school. I was quite young but I still remember my DM’s horror and distress. It has stayed with me for life and caused problems with how I feel about that tooth. In reality I have a cap and no one knows I broke it, but in my mind it’s a nightmare still waiting to get me 40 years later.

Teeth can be repaired, even missing teeth, there are options. Don’t make it a bigger deal than it is.

Bekabeech · 07/02/2019 07:37

To be honest I would talk to the Dentist and see if he can do the job or if he'd recommend anyone else who has more experience or is a specialist in this area. (I would also be prepared to go private if at all possible and it would shorten waiting lists etc.).

Implants can look great nowadays.

bengalcat · 07/02/2019 07:38

Cosmetic dentists can work wonders - worth getting an honest opinion and costing from an NHS dentist as to comparing relative merits of what they can offer compared to private

museumum · 07/02/2019 07:39

It sounds painful for now but if the tooth goes it won’t hurt anymore and having a bridge isn’t that different from having braces. And implants are amazing. It’s likely that it will look cosmetically better than many real teeth.

BarbarianMum · 07/02/2019 07:41

Dear nephew has this. I only found out this year as he's having the implant (age 19), hadnt realised before. Blush I think it will be fine OP.

ToothlessReg · 07/02/2019 07:41

Your poor DD, sounds painful.

My DH lost his 2 front teeth at a similar age coming off his bike. He has a plate and I honestly didn’t know they weren’t his teeth for ages! H

Ynci · 07/02/2019 07:41

I had two front teeth removed at about 13. They were first teeth that had no second teeth above them. I had braces and two huge gaps for 3 years as I had braces to shift them a bit. During alevels I had a plate fitted which I had for nearly 25 years that NO-ONE could tell was there. Promise! Not the same plate as teeth on the front have a tendency to be a bit fragile and breakages do happen. I then plucked up the courage to have two bridges fitted. I’m now 50 have have had no issues at all with the bridges.
I remember I wasn’t told that I would have gaps when they took the teeth out (silly I know), neither did anyone explain that I would have to have “false” teeth. I was unbelievably upset about it so I can appreciate how your daughter must be feeling. However, please reassure her that dentistry is much better 40 years on and (whisper it.....) I still had boy friends etc who never knew!

FortunesFave · 07/02/2019 07:42

I've broken both my front teeth as a child. I had multiple treatments. I'm fine. Took it in my stride because my Mum did.

adaline · 07/02/2019 07:42

One of my mums friends damaged her two adult front teeth permanently and wears false ones.

You would have absolutely no idea they weren't real - I didn't and thought she was having me on until she showed me!

Knitwit101 · 07/02/2019 07:44

YANBU
Ds damaged his front baby tooth about 6 weeks after it properly grew in and has had a gap his whole life so far. I was really upset, even though it was just a baby tooth. It's their appearance, it's one of the first things people notice about you, the world is full of people aiming for perfect shiny teeth.

It's only a tooth, they can put in a false one, it will all be fine. But it is still really upsetting. Way more so in your case because it's an adult tooth. You know if will be fine, but it's fine to be upset too.

FraggleRocking · 07/02/2019 07:44

My Dad lost multiple front teeth in a rugby accident when he was young and had a bridge fitted. You really cannot tell. I think it’s been replaced a few times over the years but they seem to last well and look good. I hope your DD isn’t too downcast.

Patchworkpatty · 07/02/2019 07:46

Brother aged 12, bike accident. Lost both front teeth. Had two false teeth on a plate for ten years then a fixed bridge. Not sure anyone but family has ever known. Absolutely no drama about it - ever.

Ishoos · 07/02/2019 07:47

I had my 2 front teeth on a plate from 14-17, I have a bridge now which the dentist said would last 10 years.... 30 years later, it’s still going strong. The plate was fine, I did use it for comedy value but that was my choice and no one would have known. The only yuk moment was almost losing it whilst being sick at a teenage party, I think the blue WKD tipped me over the edge. Dentistry is amazing now, {flowers} for you and dc.

Queenofthestress · 07/02/2019 07:47

My sister lost her front tooth at 14, she slammed face first into a metal slide and snapped it clean in half lengthways, she ended up with a false tooth on a bridge and you honestly can't tell that its false at all. It makes a cool party trick taking it out Grin

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