Son Having Oral Surgery

Hi J.,
Two of my kids ended up having dental surgery with anesthisia for decayed teeth. They were both under 3 years old. I understand your nervousness. I was more of a wreck than the kids were. They pulled through fine but as other moms have said it's always a risk.

We used some homeopathic remedies before and after (right before and right after in the recovery room) to help with pain and to promote healing and de-toxifying.

Also my dental insurance didn't cover the surgery but my normal medical insurance did becasue it was done in the local hospital operating room not at the dentist's office. You should check to see if yours does too.

Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful

I'm having the same issue with my daughter who is 5. It's either surgery or come back at least four different times for them to fill all the cavities and take out the tooth that needs to be extracted. I HATED (still do) going to the dentist and I really think that if I take her back four times for fillings that she will start to hate it, too. I don't want that which is why we decided to go for the surgery.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi J.---I think a lot depends on your son. But I personally would avoid general anethesia if at all possible. It is very serious and has risks involved. I think the trauma that dentist is trying to avoid is for his own purposes. It will be much easier for him to work on your son that way. Ask your dentist if he would reduce the costs for you as you are paying out of pocket.

Have you gotten a second opinion? Be sure you are confident in know how the two different types of 'anesthesia' work before making a decision. Good luck. D.

Get a second opinion.
YMMV
LBC

With him only being 3 years old it might ruin his experience with the dentist. My mom has horror stories of her dentist experiences-granted that was years ago and she was even older than your son but it scarred her and luckily she always made sure her kids were well treated. When our wisdom teeth came in she insisted that an oral surgeon do it instead of inside the dentist office because her experience was so bad. Your son however might be completely different and might do okay....how about putting him on laughing gas to get the cavities filled and see how he does? If he can't handle that then I would say for your own sons comfort maybe putting him under is the best even though its more expensive to do.
Also since it is not being paid by insurance ask them since you are a self pay if they will offer you a discount. If they are a good dentist office they will offer some sort of discount or payment plan for you. Good luck!

I would go to another dentist. My kids go to a pediatric dentis and she has never suggested total aneshesia. My little one who was 5 at the time, had a few cavities for which we had to go 3-4 times and each time she had local anesthesia. When one molar got infected, we tried fixing it and even then, only local anesthesia was done. The molar got infected again so they had to pull it out. Local anesthesia was used and there was no problem.
I would not go for general anesthesia. It is risky. Even for adults, total anesthesia is risky. Imagine for the little ones. Try to get another dentist and see if you can do it with local anesthesia and maybe laughing gas.

Hi, J.:

Get a second opinion. Good luck. D.

I would let them put him to sleep. Yes everytime you go under anesthesia it is a risk but I think it would be worth it. Otherwise it will be a painful, traumatic experience.
Although most dental plans wouldn't cover anesthesia for this procedure with your son's age and the amount of work needed to be done they may make an exception. Call your Benefits Manager and see what the procedures are. Good Luck!

When I was four I had to have four cavities filled in my molars. One of them was extensive. They didn't allow my parents to be there, and only used laughing gas. They didn't have a pediatric dam, and used an adult dam. I remember every minute of it. It was a truly, truly horrible experience. I'm all for a second opinion, but if it is necessary, let your son sleep through it. You'll be saving him a lifetime of trauma.

First get a second opinion. Second if you do decide to do this,try going to a dental school (Pitt dental for example) or something like it. It'll most likely be cheaper plus the students get an education. they make it fun too but, you'll have to be one of the first ppl there for walk ins. Idk if you would have to make an appointment or not in this case. Just a thought. Good luck to you and your son.

My daughter had two teeth pulled and a cavity filled without any anesthesia. They just numbed her mouth. She was a little older at the time, around 7, but she did so well, and the cavities she had were not deep enough to have to be drilled.
The biggest question is, how much pain are you willing to subject him to? if the tooth is infected, it is probably causing him pain already, so extracting it might end up feeling better to him. Did your dentist say how deep the cavities were? And did he try and suggest dental sleep? Here is a really great page that talks about it...

http://www.dentalfearcentral.org/iv_sedation.html

Anesthesia is dangerous no matter how healthy you are... and each time you "go under" you are subjecting your throat and lungs to damage. I would get a second opinion if I were you...most doctors will agree that a second opinion is always in order when you are talking about something surgical

Good Luck

Oh my goodness, let them put the child to sleep. It is worth every penny.

My 2.5 year old was put under for extensive dental work. At first insurance denied the claim, but the dental office wrote a letter explaining the situation (young child, extensive amount of work, "terrified of the dentist", etc.) and the claim was approved.
We too were really nervous, but my daughter remembers nothing about the actual procedure. She remembers the "special dental office" - hospital - and the fountain there, the tv and games, the popsicles afterwards, but nothing traumatic. Definitely worth it in my opinion. We use a pediatric dentist, and she didn't want to do local anesthesia for the amount of work that needed to be done. She also feared my daughter wouldn't want to come back for rounds 2 & 3 after the first round was complete. In my opinion, she's not an anesthesiologist. Her specialty is dentistry. Leave the anesthesia to the professionals.

It sounds like he needs quite a bit of work done and he is only three. I can tell you that if the molar that needs to be extracted is infected it will be imposable to numb and will be painful to be extracted. If the cavity's are sizable your son would be required to stay still very hard for a three year old to do. I have in the past worked for a pediatric dentist and can tell you I have see some procedures done in office with some medication to make the child sleepy and laughing gas and it was very traumatic for the child and parent. A much better option is to go and have it done under general anesthesia. It is a very light anesthesia and the work can be done much quicker the child feels no pain. I am now an RN and yes general anesthesia does pose risk but not having dental work done will cause even more risk. Especially with an infected tooth.
I agree a several small cavity's and routine work can safely be done in the office with out stress to the child. I would recommend going to a Pediatric Dentist. I also might add I needed a tooth pulled when I was four or five it was a fount baby tooth so about the time I would have lost it . But I had fell and the tooth had been damaged and became infected. The dentist said no problem told my parents he could not numb effectively due to the infection (which is true) and that he would just pull it, I can still remember the pain and it was not a quick procedure.