Recent trauma - lost front tooth - now what?

[Peaches626]

Ok so first of all I’ll start with the fact I am literally petrified of the dentist. I had an actual panic attack just walking into the emergency dentist after my accident even though I knew they wouldn’t be actually touching me. It’s severe. It’s debilitating.

I had a trip /fall on Friday and fully knocked out my top right front tooth, chipped the left one and also the one to the right of the one now lost.

Saw emergency dentist who gave antibiotics and said the trauma needs to heal for 2-3 weeks.

Inside my mouth the top of my palate is already feeling like it’s healing which is good. The two chipped teeth feel quite tender and not wobbly as such but pressure from the front or back is a little painful.

I have an initial consultation with a private clinic on 13th June to discuss options and treatment plan. And bearing in mind I’ll be a gibbering, sobbing, hyperventilating mess when I get there I’d like to get some advice through my head first…. Dr Google is scaring the bejesus out of me.

1) is the tenderness in my chipped teeth likely due to the trauma and stretched ligaments? Is there any chance these will stabilise and I can have them built up with composite bonding (as opposed to losing them).

2) are there any likely temporary options to replace the tooth, even if only for cosmetic reasons? I work in a front facing manager role and am currently unable to attend work.

3) I know implants are probably the ultimate fix but I’m genuinely not sure how I’d even get to that point…. Maybe a single denture would be better? A verplast perhaps?

4) the surgery offer iv sedation, is this really going to mean I wouldn’t feel anything? Or is it just a case of you forget quickly and are aware at the time?

Thanks for any advice and responses. I’m currently crying pretty much all day every day and can’t see a way out where I will ever recover.

Thanks

 

[Jackieallen]

@Peaches626

I relate to all your fears totally.

Iv is the way forward . I had it for a tooth extraction in feb and didnt feel or recall anything at all . It was amazing .

The fear is always worst than the actual remedies . Sadly we cant control our fears.

Hope this helps

I also had a tooth snap a few years ago too and the dentist made a denture for the gap . I also have 2 maryland bridges where teeth have been lost . The bridges look and feel like real teeth although the denture looks great too.

 

[Peaches626]

@Jackieallen did you feel it at the time do you think?

 

[Jackieallen]

@Peaches626

Nothing at all

 

[Peaches626]

@Jackieallen I’m so so scared. How is the denture? Is it comfortable? Can you talk and eat properly?

 

[Jackieallen]

Eating is fine . The denture is held by other teeth and very secure. I now have two teeth on the denture and if going out i wear it .when indoors i rarely wear it . Occasionally it makes me heave but only if i think about it too much .

 

[Jackieallen]

Also when my tooth snapped i was so scared they would want to remove . When they didnt i like ....like ...the denture is amazing

 

[Peaches626]

@Jackieallen I just really don’t think I can be brave enough for the implant process. But then I’m not even 40 yet and don’t want to be unable to eat or smile…. Do you think there’ll be something temporary they can do to help me while things are settling down?

 

[Jackieallen]

Did you lose the whole tooth ? My guess is they can do a denture pretty quick my dentist had it made in 48 hrs ..
You had a accident which you cant change nomatter your age but i understand how your feeling . When mine snapped i was devestated but then realised quickly when my dad had to have a leg amputed. It put it into perpective you may be offered a crown instead.

 

[Peaches626]

@Jackieallen yes the whole tooth, as far as I’m aware anyway. Not sure what the different between a crown and denture is?

I am literally praying my two chipped ones settle and recover…. I can bear the idea of losing them too. Not least cos they’d have to be extracted

Does it make you heave because of the plate on your palate? I guess it’s something you get used to?

 

[Jackieallen]

Yes the plate makes me heave . But to be honest i can manage a whole day at work then driving home i may gag . So as i said i think its because i think about it . When i dont its fine . A crown can be fitted onto the remainding tooth if there is enough left .

 

[MountainMama]

I lost my front tooth due to an injury. The accident happened when I was a kid, but I lost the tooth much later. I had a temporary flipper to replace the front tooth while I went through the implant process.

I have had extractions and implants and I can tell you that the implant process is much easier than an extraction. I was so scared the first time I had it done (with nitrous oxide), but it was quick and healed very fast. I didn’t have the option of the IV sedation but the nitrous made me not really care what was happening, if that makes sense.

The flipper is a temporary denture that replaces your front tooth. It can be a permanent solution as well.

 

[Peaches626]

My guess is they can do a denture pretty quick my dentist had it made in 48 hrs ..

Will they just need to do impressions? How do single tooth flippers / partials attach?

 

[Peaches626]

I also have 2 maryland bridges where teeth have been lost . The bridges look and feel like real teeth although the denture looks great too.

How painful was it to have the Maryland bridges? I’ve been looking at these but not sure they’ll be an option as the teeth either side are chipped and will need building up at the very least.

 

[Peaches626]

The flipper is a temporary denture that replaces your front tooth. It can be a permanent solution as well.

Will they just need to do impressions? How do single tooth flippers / partials attach?

 

[MountainMama]

Will they just need to do impressions? How do single tooth flippers / partials attach?

I had impressions done before they even extracted my tooth, but it is a simple deal.

The flipper has a plastic piece that fits over the front part of your upper palate. It has a single tooth attached to fit into the gap. There are two little “hooks” that fit between or behind your back molars to anchor it in place. It is very secure and you can also add a touch of denture adhesive if you want.

 

[Jackieallen]

@Peaches626

No pain at all. The tooth has a wing and they glue to the ajacent tooth or a full bridge is another option this would comprise of 3 teeth . They have to prep the teeth either side to a v shape to take the bridge . so your chipped teeth not a issue .

 

[Kate2022]

@Peaches626 I also had accident with my two upper front teeth not too long ago with one chipped (with filling now) and the other that needed to extract and on my one month post implant. I’ve been so worried before the extraction and implant, but after all it didn’t hurt at all. The oral surgeon had me taking a sleeping pill an hour before surgery and then put me in iv sedation. Seriously, I just said hi to the surgeon and then next thing they said it’s done. I didn’t even remember a thing and it didn’t really hurt afterwards. However, it took one month to schedule for the extraction and implant appointment. So my dentist had me put on a temporary flipper in case I need to wear it to go out. To be honest, it looks nice and comfortable once put on, but I have the one with two hooks hooking my back teeth. It has been extremely challenging putting it on. I spent hours each day putting it in and feeling extremely stressed that I wanted to cry badly. And for the bridge, my dentist wouldn’t recommend because it might impact the two teeth next to it that are holding the crown for the missing tooth. He suggested implant for long term solution and he said you can eat normal, much stronger. I cannot tell you 100% that implant is better because I am in the waiting period to place permanent crown. I wouldn’t know until then. But for denture and flipper, you constantly need to take it out. In our age, I find it hard to deal with for long term. I am sure your dentist can also provide you some suggestions. The downside for implant is that it’s a long process and most insurance won’t cover it and it’s expensive. Anyway, wish you all the best.

 

[Whatififly]

Hey, I’ve had IV sedation and wondered if it would help to know that it literally the best thing I could have done for myself. They still Numb your mouth up. For me, they put the IV in, then he used the gel stuff on my gums to freeze it before injections. The IV kicked in FAST! I felt literally the tiniest bit of my injections - but it was like a second and then it was all fast forward and done. I was very scared of pain with the drill - my childhood dentist did a filling I didn’t need without numbing it and the pain was indescribable - so he had reassured me he would numb me up a lot. I was numb for ages after which was fine with me, I was very sleepy and slept for pretty much whole day and night - but I’m very sensitive to sleepy stuff and they topped up sedation I think at some point.

Sedation was a fine but odd experience. Like everything was speeded up, I wasn’t scared, and I was able to ask the dentist to let me have a break at one point - I have a flash of remembering a bumpy squeeze feeling on my tooth but then was fine again.

Sedation itself won’t numb it, but the combination of local and IV worked brilliantly for me.

Thinking of you and hope it works out well x