I broke a tooth!

OMG! I hate my teeth! I was chewing on some chewy and my tooth broke!!!!! Back bottom right. You have the wisdom tooth then another tooth and then the one I just broke!!!! Literally 1/4 of the tooth came out! At first I thought it broke to the nerves because there was blood but rushed back to the motel and used the magnification mirror (meant for putting on make up ;)) and looked and it seems it was a quater but the bottom half of the tooth is still there. The blood was from the gum. No pain as yet but have some aching right now (I did just brush my teeth as well because Dentist said keep it clean). I am VERY dentist phobic (they know me well!) but I know i'm going to need major work on other teeth as well... someone talk me through what my options for the broken tooth are. PLEASE! I'm petrified and I will be taking DD with me so have to be "brave". :crying: What a way to ruin a holiday!

Oh hunny, ouch! Sending you all my leftover courage (sorry, there's not heaps left, but you can have the lot) and I am holding your hand in spirit... :hug:

this happened to DH (who incidentally also is rather phobic of dentists!). he had to have the tooth removed and we opted to have a new tooth made (implant i think it was called). he found the removal quite confronting and had to be driven home by me as he was quite groggy with the anaesthetic.

the process of getting the new tooth made up was long. 5-6 weeks (i think), as they need to do a mould and ensure that it will fit right. the rest of the process wasnt too bad according to him. the final fitting of the tooth was nothing he reckons.

it looks good, you wouldnt notice that it isnt his ITMS (his was also one of the ones towards the back...choc chip cookie...

:hug: I hope it doesn't become painful.

DH once broke a tooth when we were on holiday and interstate. Fortunately he was still in the ADF but we had some convincing to do before dental would see him rather than make him wait until we were home.

It sounds like you are waiting to get home, so that's good. Hopefully it's not a rough edge to hurt your tongue.

How to be brave?? Ask for happy gas? Could you make an appointment at the beginning or end of the day so DH can mind DD, or do it when she is in care?

totally hate that! Just been to the dentist today cos filling broke and had that replaced.

But the best option for a broken tooth are considering it is a back tooth just get it pulled out- cheapest option! I have had two of my top back molars taken out due to it being too expensive to get a root canal done- and you can't see that they are missing and I don't miss them. just depends on what you prefer and how bad the break is. like they might just be able to put a filling in it- or may need root canal or maybe a cap- i don't really know cos i'm not a dentist.

Hope you get it sorted soon!

its VERY unlikley they will fix it. They will just pull it out. yep, it hurts.. more uncomfortable than pain tho.. but hay... u gave birth.. so having a tooth pulled is nothing.

Most situations u would have the tooth capped. so they would make another bit of tooth to put on ur broken one to look like a whole tooth.

i've broken one before and they rebuilt it. hoping they do that this time. I have had 2 teeth removed in the last 6 years and the first one I had to be heavily sedated. The second they wanted to knock me out because I was PG and couldn't be sedated. But my surgeon knows me well and distracted me... and his assistant held my hand and wiped away my tears.

Ce - DH offered to watch miss but the dentist and assistant are desperate to meet DD :rolleyes:. Problem is, I have Osteo at 1000 near home and dental at 1130 (which is in the city). I'm not sure she will behave that long! I guess that is where the pressies I bought her will come in handy? WAH I feel like having all my teeth out and getting dentures!

Cass - can I ask how much the implant cost?

:hug: I broke 1/4 off my very back tooth on my right side soon after I arrived in Melbourne back in 92. I didn't have a dentist down here and then soon after I broke my knee (patella) badly and the tooth was forgotten about for 2 years!!!! :redface: Then after my DD was born I had it rebuilt by a lovely female dentist. She was very gentle and she even encouraged dentist-phobic DH to visit her even though he hadn't been to a dentist for 8 years! Now he goes every 6 months.

Anyhow I would go the rebuilding option if you can. Mine has lasted since 95 and so far so good.

thanks Bath. I will get it rebuilt if they can. My dentist is lovely... but that only makes it slightly easier to go there!!! Her assistant is lovely too. They know me well. Thankfully it isn't hurting but I've had another look and am not convinced they will be able to rebuild it - it looks like a part of the base is gone. But I will stop self diagnosing and wait to see what she says Fri...

WAH! I broke a tooth too - just now...cornflake cookie...musta rotted from the inside - I put off having my teeth checked because of chemo (probably aided in my dental downfall)...I can see the section that's broken, it's a segment on top of where a filling is so I'm hoping that means it can be rebuilt.

Lucky for me Medicare will be paying for it this time (...I hope).

MG - what happened in the end - were you able to get it rebuilt???

MD - short answer is yes. I went to the clinic and saw a different dentist to normal who did a crap job cleaning it and didn't seal it properly. She wanted me to have it out but I refused hence the crap job. About 5 weeks later I was in major pain so rang for a referral to my surgeon but MY dentist said to come in and have a look in case of infection. She looked at it, got cross at other dentist, took cap off, recleaned (other idiot had left decay in it so there was no way I would have been able to keep the tooth!) and then resealed it! She put a temporary cover on it incase the tooth died and I needed it out but so far so good! I lost a section of the temp cover about a month ago (3 months into my 6 months) which was simply replaced. She wants to give the tooth a good 6 months with temp cover before we make final decision on keeping or pulling the tooth. So far so good!!!!! Oh, and it was a bad break too... right down to past the gum when I initially broke it - they had to pull gum away to get the seal on - but they got it on!!!

Good luck with yours hon! I hope it works out ok!

Thanks MG - I was *horrified* when it happened...have since read of one lady who's got all sorts of bits of teeth falling off after chemo...but your story gives me hope that it's something that can be managed. It will be a good thing if it means I start going to the dentist regularly like I should.

Ewwww and ouch! :hug: