to be quietly gutted for my beautiful DD

[namechange505]

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.

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.

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?

I had missing teeth in my teens. Not the front two but the incisors either side. The dentist made bridges for me that lasted for about twenty five years. then I chose to have a denture made rather than fork out £££ for implants.
It's been fine, really.

She's been back at school today and is feeling better now the soreness and swelling are starting to settle down. We're just waiting to hear from the dentist, he's going to call once he's spoken to the surgeon to know which way we go.

It's just all a bit unnerving as the dentist is worried that the cement filler he's used to build up a 'tooth' in the meantime is unlikely to last more than 2 weeks, so we really have to move quickly. Definitely no corn on the cob for tea!

Thanks for sharing your experiences, nice to hear that it should all come right in the end.

Not lost a front tooth (yet!), but lost a lot of other teeth and had extractions as well. I've had extractions under GA and local and also had extractions of just the root.
The main thing I would warn is about the pain AFTER the extraction. I was advised to 'take a few paracetamol' but once the GA wore off I was going up the walls. I didn't know as a teenager that you could take ibuprofen as well and that you can take more than the recommended 2 every 4 hours - a doctor can tell you how many you can take.
After this, I quite naturally, didn't go to a dentist again until my 30s. I had lost all trust in them. So my advice is to make sure she has adequate pain medication for afterwards. I'm talking about 25 years ago, of course. I think some things have improved since then.

I damaged 3 front teeth at the age of 8. They were capped but root damage meant this didn't last long so had to have a plate for s while before getting a bridge (I chose a bridge over implants due to cost). I actually loved my plate; it looked so much better than the original crowns because of the amount of damage I'd done!

my dc's dad faceplanted on to a kerb edge while drunk in his 20s; he has an implant at the top front, and you'd never know. he had to have it redone a couple of years ago and it wasn't cheap, but you'd honestly never know.

My dh has an implant and you would not know it. I have a vaneeer and same. Don't try and save tooth at all costs, infections are agony.

I fell down the stairs (pissed)..

I don’t know if this will help her but I was just thinking how often do you notice other people’s teeth? I have known some of my friends for more than 30 years and couldn’t tell you what their teeth were like so whilst she may be conscious of her remade tooth others won’t.

Please don't worry too much, I had two false teeth on a plate at 16, they were replaced with Maryland bridges at 19 and are still in situ over 20 years later as I am not able to have implants.

It is fine, they look normal, nobody knows unless I tell them. They are upper incisors so prominent ones.

The plate was a bit of a nuisance a bit like wearing a removable brace. So some foods were tricky and I had to remove it for cleaning. The bridges are fine, mine are more fragile than most due to my bite so I avoid corn on the cob, and the end of crusty baguettes. But that is it otherwise you don't notice them.

I'm sorry for this poor kid's pain, but please don't make it worse by wailing over her 'lost looks' in her hearing. Don't reinforce the bullshit idea that women/girls' worth is in their looks and damage to her appearance is a tragedy.

My two front teeth are false. They are on a plate and one day I will hopefully shell out for implants. I lost the teeth when I was 8 and am now 31! No ones knows, they look completely natural. Don't worry about it.

My DD 11 had a horrible rollerblading accident last year also. She was coming downhill and went over landing on her face! Her 2 front teeth and one next to it were broken in half. All 3 teeth have had to be root canaled as the nerves were severed. They built the 2 front teeth back with fillings and root canal and have said she will need to have dental implants at 18. The 3rd tooth (the one to the side of the front teeth) they believe has fractured above the gum line and now I have to take her to a specialist to see what can be done but she is looking at possibly having to have that tooth removed and have a bridge. They won’t do an implant there until she’s 18. It’s been an extensive and very costly experience (we are not in the UK) so I sympathise! Your dd will be ok. The dental implants look amaizing! One of the dentists had a similar accident as a child and he has 4 dental implants on his front teeth. They look better than the real thing!

Hi @namechange505 - specialist here.
Just came on to say that it’s best to keep the tooth root in the bone until your DD’s jaws have grown enough to have an implant, because if there’s nothing within the bone, it will recede.
That’s also the benefit of having an implant long term; the bone levels are maintained (unlike with a bridge or denture) and we think they can last for a lifetime (implants have only been around 30-40yrs so not proven). They can also look exactly like the real tooth next to it nowadays.

(Its basically what the dentist on this thread was explaining has been called ‘bone banking). Just need to make sure the oral surgeon who removes the root when the time comes, does so very carefully with special instruments to preserve the socket.
And start saving..but long term it will be a very good value investment.
Hope that’s helpful X

Children definitely take cues from you, so if you can be bright and breezy ( even if your heart is breaking ) and equally reassuring that should make her feel less distraught.
Has your dp been able to support her too? Sometimes it is easier to share the stress. There will be a solution to this, I am only sorry she has suffered so much aleady.
I am not sure if you work, but just all the apps can be so time consuming. Hopefully you have understanding employers if you work.
Best of luck to your beautiful dd, this will be nothing but a distant memory at some point soon op.

My dd was on playground, age 6, someone threw something (never found out who or what) and she is now 20 with long scar across forehead. (Several stitches, inside and out, not plastic surgeon available)
I know she has been kidded about it but she seems fine.

Your dd will be ok. It is going to be "character building" but if you have good professionals, you'll be ok. Do not skimp on second opinion if you are worried.

And yes, i have cried a bit or been struck by the sadness of seeing her scar. However. She is now recovering from brain injuries and that is enough to put things in perspective.

My husband lost his front tooth playing a football match As a teen.

He had a plate. It did take him a week or 2 to get used to it but you couldn't tell at all. He had an implant a couple of years later.

I lost all 6 of my front teeth around her age, they were replaced with veneers

I worked with someone who'd had a similar thing and lost both his front teeth. He had a thing that he could pop in and out with two teeth on but you'd never have known

I'm a dentist. I know how awful it can be... But, don't lose hope, ever. Naturally you're her mother so you're bound to be upset. I've treated countless cases like this and there are so many options going forward. Ever heard of a Maryland bridge? If she loses the tooth, this could be an excellent option too... Long term she'd probably qualify for an implant once she reaches adulthood. These are simply amazing, nobody would even know she has anything different if it was done well. Hang in there, you're doing amazingly!

Oh... And try and avoid Google generally. Not the best source of information. If you want to message me privately feel free, happy to help x

I'm sure she knows deep down that this isn't a life-changing catastrophe - though it IS going to keep popping up for the rest of her life as periodic mild discomfort in the mouth followed by rather less mild discomfort in the pocket!

I split a canine tooth recently. Caps won't stay on and it's getting extracted soon. I'm inclined to just leave it at that. I don't have a particularly toothy grin and, as my dentist said, I'm not likely to make a break for Hollywood at my age! But I can always change my mind later...

Poor soul, such an awkward age to lose a front tooth. Sure your dentist will do whatever is possible and for the best. Once old enough an implant will be the answer. Start saving!

When I was 5 I fell over in the playground and knocked both my adult teeth back up into my gum. They came back down again, but the teeth were dead and I had years of extensive treatment to keep them in my mouth. Once I was in my teens, the treatment was no longer effective and I had one removed, and the other broke by itself. A removable denture followed, and now I've had a fixed bridge for about 15 years. Eventually I will have implants when the bridge fails.

OP, it's a shitty thing to happen but she will be ok. I have wasted many moments wishing this accident never happened, but ultimately, I am ok and I have a lovely looking smile.

She will be ok

My dad had his whole top row of front teeth smashed out in an accident when he was nineteen and has worn false teeth ever since and you’d never know. I’d be gutted too if it was one of mine, but as others have said, it’s not the end of the world and they can do really good replacement teeth now

@ReanimatedSGB whilst I totally agree with your sentiment I'm not sure I mentioned anywhere in this thread that I have been "wailing over her lost looks". In front of her I have been nothing but as Springwalk says "bright and breezy". Inside I'm a bit gutted for her as she's young, self-conscious and will have to undergo a lot of treatment, most of it painful.

@mummyhat - thank you so much for that info, I have told the dentist that we would like to preserve the root so that she won't be looking at bone grafts later on and he fully agreed that it was the best option so I will push hard for that. The dentist has told us he would refer us to the surgeon and specialists for further treatments so I do feel like we're in good hands. We're putting money aside to cover the treatment.

On a good note she's just repeated my own words back to me when we talked about next steps, "it's only a tooth, we'll get it sorted!"

The stories on here have been so eye-opening about what can be done these days. It seems dentistry is making huge strides! Thank you so much again everyone.

@catsinthecupboard - that sounds terrible. I'm so sorry for what your DD had to go through. You're right on the character building and the perspective. Hope she continues to recover well.

My daughter ran into a wall and knocked her front tooth out. And fractured cheekbone. We took her to an orthodontist to discuss what they could achieve very quickly after accident so they were involved from the beginning and for the long run once it had all healed. It has cost us £3000 but they have moved her other top teeth around to fill the gap so unless you look carefully you don’t realised that her top teeth are not lined up in the same way as her bottom teeth. It has taken 2 years but she is almost finished with the braces. It’s important if possible that you get her to an orthodontist before your dentist does anything else. Not because they would do something ‘wrong’ but because they may not understand what is possible or latest techniques. We got the dentist and orthodontist to talk to each other on the phone to ensure the dentist didn’t do anything that would take away any options for the orthodontist later. They didn’t mind talking about it. They have different strengths and complement each other. Also we shopped around and found an orthodontist who would agree a fixed price. If it was straightforward he would gain financially but if it took a long time we knew we had a cap on the costs and that the orthodontist would finish the treatment as I was worried we could run out of money. My DD teeth are looking really good now and they were a bag of chips before.