Advice on Toddler Tooth Injury

My son did this over Labor Day weekend. He was 18 months old at the time. It was his front tooth and his incisor next to it. Both got intruded. The front one got pushed up and back and the incisor just got pushed up. The front one decended and came back to realign with the other. The incisor is still intruded, although not as much as initally. My dentist didn't say anything regarding a false tooth/teeth, but did say if they change colors, then they would have to extracted due to nerve damage. He did say that with them being intruded, then it could quite possibly change the appearance of his adult teeth.

Before extracting or having false teeth done, I'd get a second opinion.

OMG!! ARRGGH! None of those options sound nice! I so did not want to hear this! I am about to take my toddler (18 months) to the dentist for exactly the same problem. I noticed yesterday that one of his top front teeth has nearly disappeared/been pushed back up into his gum. He looks really weird! I have no idea how he did it - the only thing I can think of is maybe he banged it on the supermarket trolley - as he started crying alot when we were shopping but, I just thought he was tired and fed up as it was the end of the day. There is no blood or anything but, he did complain a little when eating dinner last night.
When I called the dentist to ask they didn't act like it was an emergency or anything and the lady on the phone even patronised me a bit by saying "you do realise that when they are teething their teeth can disappear/reappear" - to which of course I replied (polietly) that he is 18mo and got his front teeth over a year ago!
Anyway I will let you know how I go. I really hope it can re-emerge and that he hasn't done any serious damage. A fake tooth sounds so bizarre for such a young child and anesthesia is something you never want! but, on the other hand, on my little boy it looks really yuk pushed up the way it is!

Okay so I just got back from the dentist. He said that there is not much that he can do - it has definately been pushed up due to some trauma. He said that he is hesitant to take xrays on someone so young, even though they only have low emissions he still doesn't like too. He said it may have bumped the permanant tooth but, that there is no way to tell until it comes through and that if there are any marks on the permanant tooth then they can be fixed later. He told me to keep an eye on the tooth for any change in colour and particulaly blackening, or blistering/pimple like appearance on the gum which may indicate nerve damage; in which case it will probably have to be removed. He said it may re-emerge a little but, probably not back down to the same length as the other one. *sigh*/*fingers crossed* He took note of where it is in relation to the other front tooth (about 1/3 of the length) and told me to come back in two months and he will check it again. I asked him if he would do an xray in two months and he said maybe, probably not?!
I asked him about it affecting speech and he said that as long as there is a little bit of tooth there then it shouldn't affect speech. Hmm. I am a bit concerned about this as I am a teacher and I have seen first hand the ways impared speech can affect the literacy of children.

I really don't see how a missing tooth can cause a speech problem. I did not have this problem, but I did work at a dental office and saw almost everything. If the tooth doesn't come down (rinsing with salt water might do some good) and if the tooth has turned brown or grayish then I would get it extracted. Also there is a peroxide rinse that helps with infections if that has developed. I hope you get a lot of Dentist's opinions. She will have that tooth missing until the age of 8-9, but you can also get a comfortable retainer with a tooth on it when she gets all of her baby teeth in.

Just my opinion, but I think she will need the artificial tooth. I think it is very important for all her other teeth to align up correctly in the gums and will definitely effect her permanent teeth placement. Without the support of our teeth, they do shift around during her childhood, and until her permanent teeth are in place. Even when people lose their permanent teeth, if they do not have "false teeth" they will also shift, causing other problems with the positioning of the entire formation. Sorry to keep on and on, but the bite will also be involved, and I think it just goes on and on. Me?...I'd have the artificial.

At least have another "good opinion" from another dentist.

Good luck, K.

It hasn't happened to mine, but a very good friend's daughter fell and broke one of her front teeth. Their peds dentist took out the tooth (not much left of it, poor thing) and put in a faux one for developmental and aesthetic reasons. She did great with the anesthesia and the pain was minimal. I know they are very glad they did it. It was over a year ago, and they have had no problems. And now that the little girl is almost 4, she is quite glad that she doesn't look "funny" or "different" from the other kids. So that's my 2 cents - good luck & God bless!

due to a playground injury, my son had to have his two front teeth removed, no one suggested "fake" teeth to fill the gap. This happened when he was barely three, and just this past year, (he is 9 now) got his permanant ones in. There was no speech problem, just an awkward time frame of having his teeth take longer than normal to grow in, because the bone had grown closed again. This is from what I have heard from every dentist I have ever worked for normal. So, long story short, she will be fine without the replacement tooth, it will just take longer for that adult tooth to emerge. And it wasn't supposed to happen for another 4-5 years anyway, so get used to her beautiful toothless grin!

My son was 2 years old he fell and broke a front tooth. Took him to the dentist and the pulled what wass left. Said they didn't see how he could stand the pain cause the nerve was exposed. I would diffently take him to a childrens dentist. Good luck!!

When my husband was 2, he fell on the coffee table and knocked both front teeth into the gums but they came back out eventually I dont know how long it took though...

sorry that happened...

A. J

I've never had a tooth pulled for intrusion - but you absolutely MUST have something to hold the space, both for speech and to prevent orthodontic problems until the adult tooth comes in.
S.

My daughter had a tooth do the same thing and it is almost fully back down again. I don't know if I would worry just yet. The pedi dentist told us that there was a good chance that it would be okay. I am surprised they said it wouldn't re-emerge because we saw an emergency pedi dentist (after hours when it happened) and her dentist and they both said that it should come back. Good luck!

Dear E.,
Your Dentist gave you very good advice about the tooth.
If you leave a vacant place there . Her other teeth could come in crooked. You do not want that.
Good luck wih your sweet little daughter.
MK

Sometimes an intruded tooth will re-errupt and sometimes not, depending upon the amount of damage. An x-ray will give the doctor a better idea, which I'm sure your pedodontist did for you. The primary teeth are there for important reasons - they help with nutrition, learning speech, and they help the jaw grow to make space for the permanent teeth. If they are lost too early speech and jaw development as well as spacing issues for permanent teeth become issues. If you do have to have the tooth extracted, definitely pay the extra money to replace it. It will save you money in the long run. In really young patients, sedatives are usually given to make them sleepy so they don't move around a lot and injure themselves, not a general anesthesia. It wears off in a couple of hours and is nothing to worry about at all.

My brother lost both front teeth as a toddler and never had any problems. In the 50s, nobody would have thought of replacing baby teeth! He never had any speech problems, either. I believe some of this is just for money.

We had a similar problem with our son. He kept falling and didnt' put his hands out to catch himself...thus falling on his front teeth. Long story short- we had to extract the front two teeth and the dentist put in fake teeth in place. It was similar to a retainer. Finally, the wire broke and the two teeth came out. The dentist told us not to worry because his permanent teeth would be coming in soon. He's 8 1/2 now and his teeth are fine. I would recommend doing it if your dentist thinks you should. Whatever you do, don't let that tooth die and stay in the mouth or it could possibly do damage to the permanent teeth underneath. Good luck!