My one year old fell and chipped his tooth, what should I do?
Q.
Hi! My son is 20 months old. He fell and chipped his 2 front teeth on Friday night. I consulted a pediatric dentist the next day. He didn’t file it as he thought it may traumatize my kid & recommended to return on Monday for the filing. He also prescribed an anti-biotic so that the teeth does not discolor, for which he says he’d have to do a root canal(!). I was wondering if the anti-biotic is actually necessary and whether my son would really need a root canal if the teeth discolors after some time.
Hi! My son is 20 months old. He fell and chipped his 2 front teeth on Friday night. I consulted a pediatric dentist the next day. He didn’t file it as he thought it may traumatize my kid & recommended to return on Monday for the filing. He also prescribed an anti-biotic so that the teeth does not discolor, for which he says he’d have to do a root canal(!). I was wondering if the anti-biotic is actually necessary and whether my son would really need a root canal if the teeth discolors after some time.
Would appreciate a quick response.
A.
Hi
Sorry to hear about your son’s fall on Friday. If you haven’t started the antibiotics and there was no bleeding of the area or signs of infection, I would suggest you don’t start the antibiotics now and review with the dentist on Monday. If he has started the course then it is important he completes this. Teeth have a fine nerve canal thought the middle of them and following trauma to them they can discolour immediately or any time after as the nerve undergoes some changes and ‘dies off’. In this case we advise root canal or in the case of small deciduous (milk / baby) front teeth often advise for their removal.
Good luck
Mark
Hi
Sorry to hear about your son’s fall on Friday. If you haven’t started the antibiotics and there was no bleeding of the area or signs of infection, I would suggest you don’t start the antibiotics now and review with the dentist on Monday. If he has started the course then it is important he completes this. Teeth have a fine nerve canal thought the middle of them and following trauma to them they can discolour immediately or any time after as the nerve undergoes some changes and ‘dies off’. In this case we advise root canal or in the case of small deciduous (milk / baby) front teeth often advise for their removal.
Good luck
Mark
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