3 Cavities in My 2 Yr Old Nephew! Diagnosis Without Xrays?

My son had a bad experience with a dentist due to a fall at 9 months that cost him 4 teeth! We saw a bad dentist at first (very unfriendly) but later found a good one. His name is Dr. Jacobson and he's in Ft. Lee/Teaneck, NJ. He uses laser dentistry to fill cavaties which is painless (my son had one filled in the past year - he's 6 1/2).

Dentists can diagnose cavities without x-rays - I think I've even had my own adult dentist see things and then take an x-ray to confirm - and my son has a cavity (not deep) on on one of his front teeth - that I can see - the dentist left it as the tooth will fall out soon.

my daughter had 2 cavities when she was 2. at 3 he said there were 3 more developing. I know my dentist can tell on me sometimes if he thinks i have a cavity.

we use dr mark hochberg in nyc. i just found someone else who I am going to see since they take insurance.

it can happen. not a great scene with the cavity filling. she got gas and cried for the entire time. took dentist and 3 assistants to keep her down but she is now ok with the dentist so that is good.

oh my God! Not only does she need to find a new dentist, I would consider reporting this jerk to someone! At the very least, she should find a website that rates dentists and give this guy a horrendous write up. Do they even drill cavities on baby teeth?? I don't know about diagnosing without xrays. I have not brought my son to a dentist yet, and none of my neices or nephews have gone before the age of 3. Poor baby. I have a 2 year old son, and reading your story just made me feel sick to my stomach. It is NOT a dentist's place to tell anyone when it's time to stop nursing. That's a mother's personal decision she makes with guidence from a family pediatrician.

YOur concerns are valid.... Being a dental professional for almost 15 yrs I can tell you that cavities on the chewing surface or the facial (side on the outside towards the lips or cheek) can be diagnosed with a clinical visual examaination. X-rays are used to diagnose if the cavity has spread between the teeth but are very difficult to attempt to take on a 2 yr old. I do work for a pediatric dentist if you are interested in some information on her please visit her website
www.drpennydentistforkids.com
Hope this was helpful and eased your fears, as a parent I know these are not easy things to go through with children, wether they are yours or a niece or nephew.

L.

NURSING DOES NOT MAKE CAVITIES!!! Children are breastfed all over the world and dont develop cavities. She needs to take him to another dentist. My friend is a breastfeeding consultant and life coach who can help your sister get some contacts alternate dentists and professional opinions. inarmsparenting.com, her name is britt. Good luck.

Dr, Deborah Troy in Rye NY is terrific. My daughter had been traumatized by a dentist that was not a pediatric dentist and a friend recommended Dr. Troy. My daughter had 4 cavaties filled (she has terrible teeth) and they were terrific at keeping her calm. We saw a few different doctors because my schedule wasn't very flexible, but each was terrific. The two male dentists were great with kids, which I hadn't seen at other practices.

I was also impressed that they dentists were not just looking to earn a fee because they asked for the prior dentists x-rays rather than taking additional unnecessay picturs. My prior dentist insisted on new x-rays every time he saw my kids.

The only negative is that they don't take any insurances and you have to sumbit to your insurance company for reimbursement. They did make it easier to sumbit though, as their receipt had all the relevant information.

(by the way, may daughter was 4 1/2 when she had the first dentist give her a baby root canal that went bad and is currently 6 1/2)

The dentist is a very scary experience for a child. Think about it. This big hulking creature, with a mask pokin around in your mouth. It has to be terrifying. When my childre were very young I was always close by, holding a hand or telling them to relax.
My children have had cavities diagnosed without x-rays. The dentist just uses that probing tool and if there is softness in the tooth, you have a cavity. The x-ray would diagnose the smaller cavities that haven't develop enough or the ones in between the teeth. I don't like having my children x-rayed due to the radiation.

Dr. Troy's office is great. We see Dr. Jeremy and both of my kids absolutely love going to the dentist. (they have not had any fillings - but I know the office does fill baby teeth) I think this is the place to go if you have a child with fears - they really go above and beyond to make your child comfortable. Unfortunately, you have to fill out your own dental insurance papers (they give you all the forms you need), but it is worth having a good experience. The number is ###-###-####. Good luck.

Get another opinion from a Pediatric dental office (where they specialize in only kids). I had a similar story: one cavity diagnosed w/o x rays, but he was very scared and would not cooperate for treatment--no thanks to the hygenist's forceful behavior and the dentist's lack of patience. The new pediatric dentist was extremely gentle and said it was not a full blown cavity yet, and gave recommendations to stop its progress. Their goal is to ensure a positive dentist experience, so if drilling becomes necessary (which they wld do only after a low dose xray, they might recommend general anesthesia during the procedure, depending on the circumstances. Could be the path your nephew shld be considered for. I use Dental Care Kids in Stamford. Good luck!

P.S. A dentist has no business telling a paient to stop nursing, although they may/should have suggestions about rinsing teeth with water or brushing after a final feeding before bed (similar to snacking before bed with an older child). It is true that residuals from almost anything left in the mouth overnight will contribute to decay in any person with teeth.

Dr Stacy in Greenwich, CT is fabulous! Her website is http://www.greenwichkidsdentist.com/

So sorry for the little guy. Nursing does not cause cavities. Falling asleep with milk in your mouth is not great. Unfortunately they can see and diagnose cavities without x-rays but it is always worth a second opinion, especially if he was terrified of just the visit and exam. Good luck to your sister and the little one!

We go to Dr. Andrea Mattia in Old Tappan, NJ (about 10-15 minutes from the Tappan Zee bridge. ###-###-####. Cavities should not be treated without x-rays. She is a pediatric dentist and she is amazing. No fear, even with fillings and teeth PULLING! She is very close to Westchester, where I live. Good luck!

I highly recommend Scarsdale Pediatric Dentists on Route 22. All of the dentists are fabulous with kids, as are the hygenists and both of my sons LOVE going there. The office number is ###-###-####.

Hi E., I would like to recommend Gentle Family Dentistry in Briarcliff Manor, NY (northwestern Westchester, ###-###-####) based on my personal experience with my son who is turning 5 tomorrow. My son LOVES sweets. He developed 4 cavities before his 4th birthday. Because we had been taking him WITH us when we went to the dentist, and because Dr. Roseann Maimone encouraged him to watch our cleanings, Daniel was very comfortable with the process. Dr. Maimone let Daniel lay ON my husband. It was explained to us that because the roots of baby teeth are very near the surface (simply because the nerve to tooth ratio is so much smaller in baby teeth), Dr. Maimone recommended scraping the cavities rather than drilling them. Then she filled them. So far so good.

Also, I nursed both my kids for over 3 years each. Nursing does NOT cause cavities. Your nephew's dentist is ill-informed on breastfeeding.

One other thing, I think Dr. Maimone will accept your insurance.