Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

Original poster

URGENT_anyone know about chipped front teeth?

19 replies

miggy · 27/06/2007 15:46

Help-have just picked dd (8) up from school after a fall, she has chipped about 2-3mm depth, 2/3 of the length of her front tooth. The tooth seems fine, not wobbly and doesnt hurt. I cant get hold of our dentist, they just have an answer phone on to leave a message. Do I need to panic about this?

OP posts:

ComeOVeneer · 27/06/2007 15:48

She has chipped 2-3mm off the edge of her tooth or 2 thirds of the length? a Big difference.

morningpaper · 27/06/2007 15:50

I've done this (I was drunk)

They basically drilled it down a bit and filled it with enamel

it was AMAZING

It only cost me 40 quid and it is still holding, 10 years on

I couldn't believe it

So don't worry - the treatment was uncomfy (i.e. grim, what isn't grim in a dentist's chair?) but the result was CHEAP and EFFECTIVE

The onyl thing to worry about is it the knock damaged the root, in which case the tooth might fall out in a few weeks. Or it might be absolutely fine!

Original poster

miggy · 27/06/2007 15:53

there is a chunk missing off the bottom of the tooth, that is 2-3mm deep and runs the whole length of 2/3 of the length of the tooth, so that there is a little spikey 1/3 left-like a fang-wish I could draw a picture

OP posts:

ComeOVeneer · 27/06/2007 15:56

Damage to the root would result in the nerve dying if the tooth were to fall out it would have done so at the time of the impact. It basically depends on how much tooth is lost. If not too much a white filling material can be bonded onto the tooth (with a bit of tooth modification first), if more then it may need a veneer or even a crown (although this tends notto be done until teenage years so she may need to have it patched up or live with some degree of chip for a while). If it is slightly loose a soft diet is advised for a couple of weeks until it firms up. Keep an eye out for any discolouration, extreme sensitivity (not initially as it is likely to be tender for a few days aftera knock) or pain or swelling on the gum above. These are all indications that the nerve is dying and root canal treatment will be required. If the tooth is broken it is unlikely there is any fracture of the root as the force of the blow has been taken by the tooth rather than the root. HTH

ComeOVeneer · 27/06/2007 15:58

So from the gum level going down into the mouth how much length of tooth is there? If you look into the "core" of the tooth, ie from the biting tip toward the roof of her mouth can you see any pink or any bleeding from inside the tooth?

Walnutshell · 27/06/2007 15:58

At about your dd's age, I chipped a front tooth and had to live with it until age 15 when it was crowned. Stayed in place for the best part of 15 years and then had to be replaced. Now very paranoid about ds chipping a tooth. Good luck, hope NHS improved since then - or go private?

Milliways · 27/06/2007 16:04

DS broke both his permanent front teeth at age 9, more than half of one of them went!

They left it a few days for the nerves to calm down then gave him local anaesthetic & rebuilt them both with temp filling material.

They look fine, have to be a tad shorter than original so they don't get bitten too much. They can also pop out if he bite's something very hard (raw apple) or sticky (toffee). This has only happened once, but we were warned. Just cut apples up before eating!! He HAS to wear a mouthguard for sports or they will knock out easily.

When older he can go for veneers or crowns, but as they are wonky anyway he has to wait until all orthodontic work is finished - and as he still has loads of baby teeth they haven't started yet!

He got used to them very quickly and no-one notices. One is a bit discoloured so they will re-do soon, but it has been nearly 3 years.

HTH

Original poster

miggy · 27/06/2007 16:23

Comeoveneer-cant see any pulp cavity, no gum swelling-thank you very much for your advice, thanks everyone else too.
Dentist phoned back and have appt for tomorrow.
DD is my dentist phobic child (of course!) and even taking an xray is a battle-joy! She has to have a GA in a few mths to have a back tooth extracted, thanks to a botched filling at a NHS sedation practice that we were told was our only option at the time. Have since found a lovely private practice with a childrens specialst.So if she does have to have something done, hopefully it can all be done at the same time.
Am so at the school, they had yrs 3 and 4 playing on the hard tennis courts at the same time year 7 and 8 boys were playing football, one of them kicked the ball and sent DD flying. my kids have had loads of accidents at school and I have never made a fuss, all usual rough and tumble but I think this is irresponsible!

OP posts:

summer111 · 27/06/2007 17:41

My friends dd did the very same thing a few months ago when I was 'on call' to collect her from school (my friend was in hospital). I took her to the dentist straight away and we were fortunate enough that she was seen there and then. They wanted to sort it out in the event that the nerve was exposed. They x-rayed the tooth and then rebuilt the missing piece using something I think is called dental bonding..essentially they painted on a substance, worked it into shape and then set it by holding a light to it for a few seconds...absolutely painless! It only took twenty minutes or so to restore and no-one could tell the difference afterwards. The dentist said that she may need additional restorative work later in life if she knocks it off again but otherwise it was as good as new.

Bets of luck tomorrow!

Original poster

miggy · 27/06/2007 17:55

Ah summer thank you, have been feeling sick all afternoon-it might not be as bad as I thought then, though persuading dd of the painless bit may be a challenge!

OP posts:

hippipotami · 27/06/2007 18:40

I knocked my newly grown front tooth out when I fell off my bike aged 8. The dentist filed it down and did a repair like the posters below. I have only once needed it replacing - at the age of 25 - the material they used had yellowed with age. I am now 35 and it is still going strong. Even toffe apples and the like are no problem!
(I sound like the woman from the fixadent ad don't I )

Nightynight · 27/06/2007 18:51

I also chipped my front tooth aged 10, and got it made up with dentists enamel stuff.
However, my tooth died, and went gradually yellower.

Last year, the whole tooth snapped off at the root as I was eating a pizza. It doesnt hurt, cos its all dead, but I now need a completely false tooth.

morningpaper · 27/06/2007 21:56

YIKES nightynight

that's SCARY!

morningpaper · 27/06/2007 21:57

hippipotami how was it getting it replaced?

I need to get mine replaced for the same reason but the dentist said "First we drill it out" and then I didn't hear the rest

Nightynight · 28/06/2007 19:48

lol yeah I look pretty scary at the moment, with a missing tooth. Lost the temporary false one they gave me, bathing in the river!

summer111 · 28/06/2007 22:23

miggy,
How did dd get on with her appoinment today? I hope it was straightforward enough and painless too!

hippipotami · 29/06/2007 08:05

Morningpaper, sorry, just seen this. Well it was fine. If I remember correctly, he took some pliers and just pulled the old bit off. Was odd sensation but did not hurt, then he sanded a bit,presumably to get clean edge to stick new bit onto, and then glued the new bit on. It was all very quick and painless. (but my broken bit did not involve nerves at all, so hence no pain)

The only thing that has ever bugged me is that the back and bottom of my own front tooth has ridges in it, and the plastic bit is all smooth. But that is a minor oddity and most of the time I don't even notice it. (but sitting here typing about my teeth I am running my tongue over them and noticing this again..., must get out more!

Original poster

miggy · 29/06/2007 21:09

Well, it would have been straightforward and painless as Dentist said it looked fine and the bonding thing would be all it needed BUT dd wasnt having any of it, hand clamped over mouth the instant he tried to dry it with the Air. Honestly she is the most polite well behaved child but they must think she is a horrible brat at the dentist, she just resolutely refuses to cooperate by clamping her hand over her mouth, refusing to speak and unresponsive to any kind of telling off or bribery. They look at me as if I am some incompetant mother (which I am but thats not for them to decide )The dentist got really cross with her which didnt help and ended up throwing his gloves off and saying "thats it". I understand it must be frustrating for him but his attitude didnt help and he ought to be able to keep his temper in check really.
So, we still have the chipped tooth

OP posts:

saffy202 · 29/06/2007 22:26

Think you need to find a new dentist miggy
Surely he has come across this before.

I had to get a tooth out when I was 8 and the dentist tried to put the gas mask over my face, I was terrified and was fighting it away, next thing he yanked my hair hard and whilst I was shocked by his actions put the gas mask over my face. I came out of the dentist with one missing tooth and handfuls of hair

Left me terrified of dentists.

Flip