What to Do if Your Child has Chipped Their Tooth

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Children love to play, so a chipped or broken tooth is not an uncommon occurrence.

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Outstanding customer car for our 15 yrs old Autistic Granddaughter. Rebekah really helped put our minds and ease and helped us plan the next visit when it came to reservations we had on the cost of this treatment, and future ones. This is expensive, but worth it knowing they help special needs kids, teens and adults. Sedation dentistry team handle everything great!
Thank you Dr. Thoms and the team!!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your thoughtful review. We’re so glad our team could provide a supportive and reassuring experience while helping you plan for future care. It means a great deal to know you felt informed and cared for every step of the way. We truly appreciate your kind words and the trust you’ve placed in us.
Dr Thoms specializes in dental anesthesia for patients with Special Needs. My daughter has been a patient of his for many years.
His experience, depth of knowledge and understanding the needs of Special Needs patients is excellent.
He presents clear and detailed information for his procedures and treatment options along with expectations during aftercare.
Follow up instructions include a personal phone call from him as well as additional calls from his office staff. I highly recommend Dr Thoms and definitely give him 5 stars.
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My hygienist, DeLaina Joost, takes excellent care of my teeth with her advanced skills, gentle touch and great “chair side” manner. She is a consummate professional, and such a compassionate person. I look forward to my visits at DAC!
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I want to thank everyone at the Dental Anesthesia Center for taking care of me yesterday—Meaghan helped me get the forms filled out correctly and in on time, Daisy for guiding me in and getting me out safely, Dr. Hoffman for taking care of my teeth and dealing with my really terrible gag reflex, and EVERYONE who helps make this happen. I don't know all of your names, but I do know that it takes all of you working together to make my dental care possible and have good results.

I'm always nervous when I first arrive, even though every procedure has had a good outcome. I've never had any pain or excessive bleeding as a result. The one thing I realized yesterday is that all of you are warm, friendly, positive, you have what is called a good vibe, which helps me a great deal.
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Dr. Thoms and his entire staff at The Dental Anesthesia Center have been absolutely wonderful!! They're all so kind and knowledgeable. I would give them 10 stars if I could!!!
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Children love to play, and when they play hard, it is not uncommon for them to find themselves with a chipped tooth. But as a parent, your child damaging their tooth can bring great anxiety. Depending on the severity of the chip, you may or may not have to address it. The best thing to do is contact your St. Louis pediatric dentist to make an appointment before you think the worst or overreact. If you see a chipped tooth, these are the first three steps to take to put everyone’s mind at rest – including your child’s, since they might also be anxious.

Call Your Dentist

Whether it is the result of an accident or you just happen to notice that your child has a chipped tooth, it is important to contact your dentist. If the chip is severe enough, then making an emergency appointment is necessary. If you can, try to find the chip remnants to bring with you to the appointment. If you are given specific instructions about dietary restrictions or any follow-up plan treatment recommendations, make sure to follow them specifically. Even if it is a baby tooth, the health of that baby tooth can sometimes affect the permanent teeth growing underneath.

Apply Cold Compresses

When you notice that a tooth has been damaged, make sure to rinse out your youngster’s mouth. If there is swelling, you will also want to apply a cold compress to limit the amount of swelling. Rinsing with cold water is also a good idea to reduce any swelling in the gums. Examine the tooth to see if it is chipped or completely knocked out. The plan of action will be different depending on whether the tooth needs to be repaired or if it is completely gone. If the tooth is gone, then you will have to take precautions to limit damage to the surrounding areas.

Find the Missing Pieces

When possible, find any missing pieces from where the tooth was chipped or damaged. You will need them if the tooth needs to be reconstructed or repaired so that the replacement tooth can be properly fitted and shaped. There are a lot of ways in which a pediatric dentist can use the chipped fragment to repair or replace the tooth.

When your child either loses a tooth early due to an accident or has a chipped tooth, it can cause some anxiety. The best thing to do is to contact your pediatric dentist, find the missing pieces, and try not to overreact. In most instances, a chipped tooth is nothing but a bump in your child’s development.

Pediatric Dentist in St. Louis

Children have dental anxiety just like many adults do. It is normal for children to be leery at the dental office since it is a new environment for them. When accidents happen, such as with a chipped or broken tooth, this can only increase a child’s anxiety about going to the dentist.

At The Dental Anesthesia Center, we work hard to make your child feel at ease by providing exceptional patient care in a relaxed, convenient atmosphere. Depending on your child’s circumstances, we will discuss if sedation or anesthesia is right for your child.

Call us today to schedule your appointment at (314) 862-7844. We look forward to meeting you!

Updated: August 15, 2024

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