Hit to my front teeth

So, my partner was being totally careless, just leaving his elbow hanging out in mid-air while we were getting into bed in the dark, and I ended up smashing my face right into it. He’s claiming he barely felt anything—that I didn't even move him much. He says it felt more like my lips hitting his elbow rather than my teeth. Honestly, I went into instant panic mode. That impact felt terrible; I had this immediate, terrifying sensation like my upper front teeth were just... gone, and I think I might have even nicked my upper lip with them. Thankfully, I haven't lost any teeth. For now, everything seems to be where it should be. They aren't loose, they feel alive, and nothing seems broken, but my upper jaw and lip are incredibly uncomfortable because the skin is a bit torn up. I can't tell if this is just pure shock or nerves, but I've always been a bit of a worrier. Losing my teeth is one of my absolute biggest nightmares, so now I'm spiraling. What can actually happen after a single "hit" like this? I don't want to get into all the nonsense I've read online about teeth falling out weeks later because of some invisible fracture, but the anxiety is real. I'm basically in a state of total shock right now. 😛 thanks!

If your teeth haven't shifted from where they were and aren't actually loose, you probably don't have much to worry about. It’ll likely settle down in a few days. Getting hit in the mouth with an elbow probably just put some minor stress on your periodontal tissue—you know, the stuff holding the teeth in place—which can definitely cause some discomfort. For the next couple of days, I guess you should just be careful about how you chew; maybe avoid anything too hard until that sensitivity dies down. As for your lips, they should get back to normal in a few days too. If there's a significant cut, it might be a good idea to clean the wound out properly.

analogdriver21 said:As long as your teeth haven't shifted and aren't loose, there's really nothing to worry about. Things will likely settle down in a day or two. Taking an elbow to the mouth probably just put some minor stress on the periodontal tissue—you know, the stuff holding the teeth in place—which explains why it feels weird right now. For the next few days, just be careful when you're chewing. Avoid anything too hard until that sensitivity fades. As for your lips, they should bounce back in a couple of days too. If there's a significant cut, it wouldn't hurt to clean it up properly.

Thanks so much for the reply, I feel a lot better now. It definitely feels like periodontal stress... that's exactly the kind of discomfort I'm still feeling, though it seems like things are returning to normal. I'm being mindful of how I chew now; it's stuck in my subconscious for a bit. My lips are healing fast, too. The cut isn't huge, just a tiny little nick a few millimeters wide. It’s just strange because I almost never cut my upper lip, so it felt pretty out of the ordinary. I guess everything will be fine 🙂 thanks again for the help!

slyrider5 said:Thanks so much for the reply, I feel a lot better now. It was definitely gum irritation causing it... I still feel a little bit of that discomfort, but I think things are getting back to normal. I'm being careful about how I bite down now; it's kind of stuck in my subconscious for a while. My lip is healing pretty fast too, and since the cut is only a few millimeters, it's not a big deal. It's just weird because I rarely, if ever, cut my upper lip, so it felt strange. I guess everything will be fine 🙂 thanks again for the help!

No problem at all, we're all just here to help each other out.

My front tooth just snapped in half. On the bright side, there’s zero pain. Does anyone have a recommendation for a solid dentist in New York City? I need to know what this is going to cost me. From what I can tell, I’ll probably need to have the rest of it pulled and get an implant installed.

How does one even get halfway there?