Back of Bottom Front Tooth Broke/Decayed Off

chops018 · 25-12-2013 02:13PM #1

I broke the back of one of my front bottom teeth, I was biting my nails last night and some of the back part of it came off, so I'm not sure if it broke or it was rotting/decaying away.

To be honest most of my teeth are fine and look in good shape, but I have noticed the front bottom two seeming to look like they are filing down slowly - although to another person they would look ok I've been told and they are white etc - I'm very conscious about my teeth. Anyway I'd be a regular at the dentist due to having weak gums and she never really has anything bad to say about the actual teeth. I was there a couple of months ago so surely she would have seen if they were going bad.

You cant really notice it visually but my tongue keeps touching off it because it feels sharper.. any idea how much it costs to get built back up?

I assume it's not a filling because it's the front teeth and they aren't as big as the side one's.

mikehn · 25-12-2013 02:43PM

I wouldnt get overly worried just yet, what may have come away could be a build up of plaque. This can build up over a period of time and actually give s a very smooth feeling when you rub your tongue over it. If a bit comes away either dislodged by you or dug off by the dentist then you will get the impression of roughness. If you are not sensitive to say a cold drink then this is probably the case, also the fact that your teeth are not discoloured is good.

chops018 · 25-12-2013 02:50PM

mikehn wrote: »

I wouldnt get overly worried just yet, what may have come away could be a build up of plaque. This can build up over a period of time and actually give s a very smooth feeling when you rub your tongue over it. If a bit comes away either dislodged by you or dug off by the dentist then you will get the impression of roughness. If you are not sensitive to say a cold drink then this is probably the case, also the fact that your teeth are not discoloured is good.

Well when I bend forward and look in the mirror it does look like there is a cavity when viewing from that angle, in both of the front two.

Plus, it is more a sharp feeling than anything, but not sharp enough to cut my tongue.

Yeah overall my teeth are in fairly good shape.. a few fillings here and there is all I have had. The shape to my top front teeth seems fairly good. But I do admit 2 or 3 at the bottom are loosing shape, but this was never noticeable as the bottom rarely would show.

I've had terrible problems with my gums, they are always bleeding and I am at the dentist usually twice a year over them. She just fobs it off as gingivitis and a build up of plaque.

I'm very conscious about my teeth so I do think I will try get in over the next week and have them bottom one's sorted.. Is it expensive to get them filed a small bit back to shape then filled?

I don't mind a couple of hundred, but hopefully it's not more than that.

chops018 · 26-12-2013 01:01PM

Just an update.. The back of the tooth has been breaking off more and more, especially after I eat.

mikehn · 26-12-2013 02:47PM

This must be really upsetting for you especially at Xmas when you have no dentist to turn to.
I really do feel that if it is part of the tooth that has come away then you should have increased sensitivity to hot/cold drinks, if it is tartar that is breaking away then I would expect it to have a brownish tinge to it.
If your existing dentist was as you say dismissive of your symptoms ie bleeding gums then I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere in future for your dental needs. Gums dont bleed without a reason and in all cases require attention even if its only a change in dental hygene.

chops018 · 26-12-2013 02:52PM

mikehn wrote: »

This must be really upsetting for you especially at Xmas when you have no dentist to turn to.
I really do feel that if it is part of the tooth that has come away then you should have increased sensitivity to hot/cold drinks, if it is tartar that is breaking away then I would expect it to have a brownish tinge to it.
If your existing dentist was as you say dismissive of your symptoms ie bleeding gums then I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere in future for your dental needs. Gums dont bleed without a reason and in all cases require attention even if its only a change in dental hygene.

I know, I will go again this time to them but if it persists after then I''ll look elsewhere.

Yeah tbh the only reason it's frustrating me is because it's around Xmas. Thankfully it's on the bottom and not that noticeable.

Surely the dentist will be able to sort it next week? Hardly a major thing to sort it is it?

mikehn · 26-12-2013 03:40PM

How bid a deal it is will only be apparent when the dentist looks at your teeth. If its part of the tooth that has come away then its not good news as it could be difficult to look at filling as a solution. Worst case scenario the dentist will be talking extraction, however you may get away with having them capped if there is sufficient material around the gum line, if they cant be capped and they have to be extracted then you are looking at implants or dentures. With dentures a lower plate would be around the 180/200 mark as covering only two teeth would prob involve clasps to hold the denture in place. If you have any of the material that came off then place a bit of it on a hard surface then press down hard on it with the back of a spoon, if you end up with a powdery substance then its almost certainly plaque / tartar.
Going by your earlier posts then you have to ask yourself if you have followed your existing dentists recommendations re dental hygene, if you have not then you must realise that you are showing the first signs of gum disease that if left untreated can lead to tooth loss. If you have followed the dentists recommendations then I personally would not go back to them as it would seem to me that you are not getting the care and advice that you should be.

chops018 · 26-12-2013 06:22PM

mikehn wrote: »

How bid a deal it is will only be apparent when the dentist looks at your teeth. If its part of the tooth that has come away then its not good news as it could be difficult to look at filling as a solution. Worst case scenario the dentist will be talking extraction, however you may get away with having them capped if there is sufficient material around the gum line, if they cant be capped and they have to be extracted then you are looking at implants or dentures. With dentures a lower plate would be around the 180/200 mark as covering only two teeth would prob involve clasps to hold the denture in place. If you have any of the material that came off then place a bit of it on a hard surface then press down hard on it with the back of a spoon, if you end up with a powdery substance then its almost certainly plaque / tartar.
Going by your earlier posts then you have to ask yourself if you have followed your existing dentists recommendations re dental hygene, if you have not then you must realise that you are showing the first signs of gum disease that if left untreated can lead to tooth loss. If you have followed the dentists recommendations then I personally would not go back to them as it would seem to me that you are not getting the care and advice that you should be.

So it could be the bleeding gums that has caused this?

Yeah I have been following their recommendations, or have been most of the time i.e. I would brush twice a day, and brush the gums.... I would floss a couple of times a week, use mouthwash sometimes. But, it still bleeds.

As for the tooth, it seems to have stopped now, plus it's almost all still there apart from a tiny bit at the top, and then the back has about a third gone (that's just a guess from feeling it, could be only a quarter - it's definitively not half though).

Hmm, I don't know if it is plaque as I can feel the part that is gone with my tongue. It's only the one tooth.

Back of Bottom Front Tooth Broke/Decayed Off

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