Tag Archives: Broken Teeth

Emergency Dentist

My husband Just Broke Off Two of His Teeth

My husband took quite a fall and broke his two front teeth. It appears the roots are still intact. We went to see an emergency dentist and he told us just to have the teeth extracted. Is there any way to save his teeth?

Brenda

Dear Brenda,

A hockey player smiling with a knocked out tooth

I am sorry about your husband’s accident. While it is possible to save these teeth with root canal treatments and dental crowns, there is not a guarantee. It is a bit tricky. A lot will depend on how much of the tooth is broken off, what condition the roots are in, and the comfort level of the dentist.

You may have some difficulty finding a dentist willing to do the procedure. Now that dental implants have grown in popularity and reliability, even fewer dentist will be willing than might have been twenty years ago. It’s easier just to replace them.

Here are some things to be aware of if you do find a dentist willing to try that will increase the chances of a succesful outcome. Whatever dentist you end up going to for this will need to bear in mind that the rotational forces are working against him or her.

Front teeth are rounded and the posts are as well. This does not bring much resistance to the rotational forces. You can increase your chances of the post working loose by putting two posts into the root, which minimizes the complication.

A second issue is that the post can crack at the root. Some dentists think using a rigid post will help this. However, with a front tooth, there are tipping forces to consider. Because of that, they would need to use a flexible post on the front teeth. Two I’d recommend are carbon fiber or fiberglass.

If it turns out that these teeth cannot be saved, don’t despair. He doesn’t have to look like the hockey player pictured above. Dental implants really are the closest thing to having healthy, natural teeth in his mouth again. I highly recommend them. Just make sure he goes to a dentist with post-doctoral training in dental implants.

Try to save these teeth first and then go from there.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Pediatric Dentist

Daughter has a Broken Tooth

I have a ten-year-old daughter. Today she fell and broke a front tooth. I am a bit frustrated with my dentist who said that he can fix it but he cannot see her for six weeks. When I told him I did not want to wait that long, he said it was necessary for the tooth to desensitize anyway. If that is the case, I’ll wait. However, I got the impression he was just saying that. If that is the case, I’d rather go somewhere else. What is the right thing for me to do?

Cassie

Dear Cassie,

No, there is not a medical reason to wait. I suggest you take her to another pediatric dentist to be evaluated and treated. If you tell them what happened, they may be able to schedule an emergency appointment for you. It would be ideal if it is a dental practice that also has a highly-trained cosmetic dentist on staff. It’s okay if they don’t, but you’ll want a skilled cosmetic dentist to do the repair.

If you have the piece that broke off they may be able to re-attach it. If that peice is missing, then dental bonding will be the right solution. Both require expert cosmetic dentists as I mentioned above.

As she gets older, the pulp of her teeth will shrink. At that point, she’ll need a single dental crown. Be aware that dental insurance only pays for the cheapest option. For children, that is usually a silver crown. I doubt you’ll want that on her front tooth, so call the office and find out what the price difference will be from what the insurance will cover and what you want for her. If you start saving now when the time comes it won’t be as much of a financial burden.

I hope this helps. This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Uncategorized

Am I Grinding My Teeth?

For the past of couple nights when I’m a sleep I feel like my jaw keeps going to the side and I can’t move it…like it locks up on me and I don’t know if it’s actually doing it or if it’s just me dreaming. Technically it feels like it goes to the right side and no matter how bad I try to move it I can’t and then I wake up. So I don’t know if it’s a dream or if it’s really happening while I’m asleep. It’s not painful just real annoying. Happened about 5 times already. Any information on this?

Thanks Derek

Dear Derek,

It sounds like your grinding your teeth at night while you’re sleeping. It is common for this to happen especially if you have some stress or anxiety, an improper alignment of the teeth, or even some missing teeth. Grinding over time can chip and break your teeth, cause them to become worn down, and even cause bone loss around your teeth. If you notice that you are continually doing this in your sleep we recommend you let your dentist know about your grinding and have them do an exam to see if there are signs of grinding. If so, a custom made mouth appliance will probably be recommended for you to wear at night while you are sleeping to prevent you from causing damage to your teeth and help in the prevention of future grinding. Try to avoid caffeine and alcohol and relax your jaw muscles at night by putting a warm washcloth on your jaw by your earlobe.

Post courtesy of Dr. Malone, Lafayette Louisiana Cosmetic Dentist