Child badly broken both front adult teeth - help!

[SparkleHorse82]

My eldest DD is 8 and she’s damaged her two front teeth very badly - was running, tripped and kissed the concrete 🥴

We’ve been to the emergency dentist and had an x ray and they say the nerve is fine and it can just be rebuilt.

my DD is hypersensitive - awaiting ASD assessment - and has always struggled with the dentist.

Can anyone tell me what the rebuilding process will be like? I’ve chosen to do it one by one to help make it less stressful for her, rather than all in a long hour appt.

Has anyone got any experience to share?

It's fine I did the same as a kid. Doesn't remotely hurt just a big filling without the drilling. If she doesn't eat on it lasts 10y often

I chipped a chunk off my front tooth aged about 10. Had to wait until I was 16 for a crown but luckily by then the methods had changed I simply had the tooth rebuilt with a ‘filling’ material. I’ve had it done 3 times in total (mid 50’s now) and it’s very straightforward. No pain, still have the original tooth just built up. I think it took less than an hour the last time I had it done.

Hopefully your dentist will understand your DD’s fears and keep things calm and relaxed.

Happened to my son's friend. Over the handlebars on his bike.
His teeth were also built up with filling like stuff. No drilling. He was advised not to bite into apples with his front teeth or eat sticky toffee but otherwise told not to worry too much about them.
He wasn't able to have braces because they said the rebuilt teeth wouldn't have been strong enough. I don't know what might have happened if he'd badly needed braces, if there might have been a more expensive fix.
I think in 4 years he's had to have one fixed up a bit but the other has been fine.
He was told he could have crowns or even implants once he's fully grown but not before.

I know this much detail about my son's friend's teeth because my younger ds smashed up his front baby teeth and so they swapped many war stories. Not because I'm overly invested in strangers teeth.

My son snapped one of his front tooth in half. I think its called composite bonding (basically the same stuff they make fillings) and they basically rebuild it and harden it with a light, It took less than ten minutes.

Brilliant, thank you everyone - this is making me feel much calmer.

The whole thing shook me up quite a lot!

I’m a wimp with needles and dental work but my bonding was fine. They file the teeth just to rough up the surface, add papers between teeth to keep them separate then they add a gluey composite stuff, shape it then place a blue light on it a few times to harden it. The light can make the teeth feel hot for a minute but it’s not painful.

They’ll then shape some more with the electric file (sounds and looks like a drill but isn’t) and then they polish with the drill. Then you’re done, wash out mouth and go.

Ok thank you! It’s a couple of weeks until the first appt so there’s time to prepare her about what it might be like too.

I broke a front adult tooth age 9 falling over in the school playground. It was rebuilt as other describe - only a dentist could tell it was ever broken or repaired. I was told it would be temporary and probably need replacing after 5-10 years - but it's still going strong over 40 years later.

I was so shaken up when my ds broke his baby teeth. So I can only imagine how much worse it feels when it's their permanent adult teeth. You both must have got such a fright.

Now you've read what we've all said would you consider getting both her teeth fixed at once? To save her having to go in twice? Or do you still think 2 shorter appointments would be less stressful?

I’m not sure - if it’s going well I might ask them to do both if they can. I want to reduce the possibility of a massive meltdown that means it doesn’t get properly completed.

the appt is on 11th so it’s a bit of time to gear her up for it

My ds did this on his bottom front teeth. They built them up again but they kept falling off so when he had braces fitted they pulled them up from the gum and filed off the top. Magic!

DD chipped a tringle shape bit of both front teeth when she was about 9 or 10. She tripped in the playground and was inconsolable. She said she thought she'd broken her tooth and I breezily said im sure you haven't and was actually quite shocked at how bad they looked.
However I got a dentist apt for a few weeks and then asked how much to do privately and it was a lot cheaper than I expected, so she had it done in a few days. Shes had orthodontic treatment since then, and had them redone twice (she's 19) but it was fairly painless and straightforward.

Good luck x

I remember her diet featured a lot of mashed potato!

Yep DS had this. First composite fell off in a couple of weeks, second attempt has lasted a few years now. Daft kids.

if DC is nervous I recommend rescue remedy, a fidget toy and a reward

I had my broken tooth capped 30 years ago and it's absolutely fine. It's not noticeable and I've had no issues.

I did this with one tooth when I was 8. The built up tooth lasted 42 years!