Advice on Dental Procedure for Crowns for 2-Year-old

My daughter was put under, but she wouldn't even sit still for an exam. She was so afraid and at 6 still is. If you don't do, infection can ruin the permanent teeth. So I would have them do something. My 6 year old just had her first tooth fall out yesterday, but it was a bottom one. So, it will be a bit of time till they fall out.

My son damaged a front tooth and did have it pulled while awake, but he has a totally different temperment. So I knew he could handle it.

If you are still concerned, get a second opinion.

Good luck
K.

My daughter had this done around 2. (I felt like such a bad Mom that my DD had cavities!) She did fine with the anesthesia and I believed it was much less traumatic to have her out while the fillings & crowns were done. The crown was on one of her molars, which don't come out until much later.

I don't think you said which teeth the dentist said needs to be capped....and why can't they just fill them instead of cap them.

Just a question for you to ask.

BUT

GET A SECOND OPINION, AND DON'T LET THEM TAKE HIM BACK WITHOUT YOU THERE.

absolutely ABSURD! Excuse my extreme response... TOO much for a little one to go through INDEED! General anesthesia to me means that a situation needs to be dire in order to put my kid through, especially at TWO! NOT WORTH THE RISK!those front teeth can come out as early as age FOUR (I know this from EXPERIENCE, NOT OPINION), and there is NO NEED to cap them! Just ANOTHER reason for your dentist to get money. I say ABSOLUTELY NO!

risk outweighs benefit. period. end of story!

I'm not directing this "loud" response to you, Nessa, just to the dentist...

Good luck!

I am a dental hygienist & a mother. If you are not sure, get a second opinion & see a pedodontist. These teeth will not come out until about 8yrs.You should not let that go for that long,it may affect adult teeth underneath.General Anesthesia is tough, so if he has anything else to be done, do it. A 2 yr old can not sit long enough to have this procedure done. Good luck.

I would find another dentist and not go back to this one. If you didn't see any sign of a cavity on either x-ray, but the dentist says this procedure is necessary, I would wonder about it, too.
Look for a good pediatric dentist in your area - ask friends, neighbors, even your pediatrician's office for a rocommendation, but don't return to this one.
Caps on baby teeth with no obvious cavities or discoloration sounds like a scam to make more money to me. Especially since he tried to influence you with the "a lot of other children have this procedure" idea.
Trust your own instincts in this - you didn't see any cavity on the x-ray and he obviously couldn't point one out to you so you could see it.

My gut on this is to say - no. However, if the baby tooth isn't taken care of, it can decay the permanent tooth that is behind it.

Seek a second opinion and see if there's another way around the surgery.

Take care!

I think your dentist wants to make money!!!Crowning a baby tooth is not necessary. If the cavity is small the tooth can be filled. If the cavity is large the tooth can be pulled. Why spend so much money and trauma on a tooth that will be replaced in the near future? When my brother was 3 or 4 years old he had an accident and knocked out his front teeth. He did fine and his adult teeth grew in sooner. AF

I strongly advise getting a second opinion on this. I agree, this seems to be a lot of risks for teeth that are going to come out in a few years.

my daughter was 4 when she had to go for her first cleaning and xrays.everything was fine they found cavitites and I was told I had to bring her to a dentist that specializes in small children( I am also on mediciad)so we took her to this special dentist that was just there for little kids.I ws told what was going to happen she was FORCED to drink this stuff that was a calming agent(it didn't do anything but make her so upset the dentist put a metal object in her mouth and layed her down and poured the stuff down her throat)after 40 mins.they told me to take in the back to a room where they srapped her in a pappose( her screaming the hole time Mommy don't let them hurt me.Her cavities were taken care of but now you can't even say the word dentist to her.I took her to a different dentist for kids and she wouldn't even let them look in her mouth.I know they need to get taken care of and being knocked out sounds real bad but if I had my choice I would of had her done that way so she wouln't be so scared.if you saw 20/20 a few weeks ago about the welfare kids and what they did to them please for your and your childs wellbeing see a different dentist and giving them gas and a local does not make them pain free or less scared of the dentist.
B. LoCicero

Sorry for the late post. But when I was told of "checking" in my 2 yr olds molars (the early signs of possible decay) they told me the most extreme solution (hospitalize to fill them) I said - "No - what else can I do to slow down decay?" The Dentist then said to do a fluoride treatment today and every 3 months. We've done 3 total fluoride treatments and I see no new checking. On the next fluoride visit I asked about how bad decay needed to be before it did damage to the permanent teeth. She said that the decay has to be pretty extensive to hurt the teeth growing in. So just do really good brushing, limit the sugar and juices and the fluoride treatment at the dentist can go a long way. So if by quizzing your Dentist you can't get a solution that seems more reasonable to you, that you can live with for your little one - find another Dentist and get a 2nd opinion!

FYI Moms - it isn't just getting sugar off the teeth that helps keep the teeth healthy. Excessive sugar in the diet robs the body of bone and teeth building calcium from the inside. So a high sugar diet not only helps teeth decay from the inside by affecting proper growth of healthy teeth - it robs bones of calcium and affects growth too. My husband just read that as he studies nutrition as a personal trainer. We didn't know that - we'll sure be more careful of THAT now!!

I would get a second opinion before going to the lengths this dentist is recommending! Holy Moses!

Hi, Nessa - Is there a middle of the road option, i.e. Nitrous Oxide, conscious sedation, or a pill to relax him? I agree w/ the dentist that it needs to be done, but I also understand your concerns about the general anesthesia. Good luck! N.

Hi Nessa!

My five year old had a couple of cavities on his molars that needed to be filled. We tried to do it in the office with novacaine and laughing gas and it was a total disaster. He was so stressed out and crying that they were unable to complete the procedure for more than one tooth. We decided to try the hospitalization route and it was much less stressful for him. Try to get your appointment as early in morning as possible since they have to fast. Also, bring a lovey of some kind. My husband was also able to go back into the operating room with him and stay until he was out. The worst part, other than me just worrying about everything, was him coming out of the anesthesia - he would have some mini panic attacks that lasted about 15 seconds each and then he would fall asleep again. Once that was over and we got him home, he was fine. He went to school the next day as if nothing had ever happened. Until he is a little older and can handle the stress of an in-office visit, this is the route we have decided to take. Now, of course, we are hoping to avoid any more dental work, other than cleanings for a long, long time! Good luck to you and know that as scary as hospitalization sounds, we had a very good experience!

Hi Nessa,

Sorry to answer your question with a question. Why SURGERY necessary if the child will loose the teeth and the crowns in a few years?? I am curious I have a 2 year old has their first appointment scheduled in April.

wow how on earth do you get cavities on your front teeth and as young as 2. ive never heard of that.
but anyway, arent they baby teeth that will fall out? why put that much expense and trouble into teeth that will fall out. i opted not to have my daughters molars filled when i heard the cavity was so small and i knew w/ in 2yrs they would fall out anyway. a year later they were out and her perm. teeth were in.
ask the dr what could happen if you chose to do nothing about it and wait for them to fall out.

I spent 10 yrs working with dentist and never heard one say put a crown on a baby tooth, muchless have surgery. Get another opinion. If the cavities don't involve the root of the tooth he could just drill the cavity out and replace it with a composite resin which is a materiel that will look like the tooth. I think your dentist is looking for an expensive fix..even if he's talking about temporary crowns. But at least get a second opinion.

Hi Nessa,
There is no way I personally would do this, although, I would definitely repair the teeth in another way, so they don't become infected, and get second and third opinions! Those teeth are going to fall out in a few years! Getting crowns is intense, are supposed to last many years, and I, as an adult hate getting them! The last I checked it was $1200.00 a tooth. This would not include anesthesia, and hospitalization?! Anesthesia is very risky and at your son's young age, there is no way I would do it, unless it were an emergency! There are ways anesthesia affects people that are not obvious. You asked for opinions and these are mine.

I'd get a second opinion, as well. This wasn't Kool Smiles, was it? They were featured on 10 On Your Side b/c they were unnecessarily putting crowns on little kids' teeth.

I would definitely get a second opinion. I have been told that cavities in baby teeth can spread to the permanent teeth and cause problems, but for a two-year old to have to endure that seems like quite a lot. Do you trust your dentist completely? I presume he/she specializes in pediatrics?

Klynn

Get a second opinion!!!!!!!!

I would perhaps seek a second opinion. My two-and-a-half year-old daughter has a cavity on one of her front teeth. It is TINY, and the dentist indicated that it is very shallow. He will just buff it down a bit an add a sealant to protect the tooth. Even if her needs to add a filler, he said it will be white to keep her tooth looking good until she loses it in a few years. Perhaps your son's cavities are deeper or larger, but crowns seem a but much.

As for the general anesthesia part, that too seems excessive. My daughter will also have to undergo an extraction of a tooth next month, as there is one right beneath it causing her pain. (Strange to have such an early second tooth, but I did see it on the x-ray.) Anyway, she will take a sedative in the dentist office that will take about one hour to take effect. She will just then be "out of it" but not knocked out supposedly. This is ONLY because of the need for extraction. If it were just the aforementioned cavity repair, our dentist told me he would opt for novocaine and some nitrous oxide (laughing gas) only; he said that is how he would have treated his own children at that age.

As a side note, my daughter has been under general anesthesia four times, all before she turned two. As you stated, it is a big deal, and the little ones often experience about a week's worth of night terrors beginning about 5-7 days post-op as the anesthesia leaves their systems.

Best wishes in making your decision.
Jennifer

I had this proceedure done on my son at approximately the same age. I have no regrets. I did find a hospital that I was completely comfortable with and a staff that was very competent. Good luck!

I would definitely get a second opinion. Also keep in mind that how you approach the situation is going to largely determine how your son reacts. My mother had me take a tour of the dentist's office and I got to see all the tools, except the needles, and the dentist answered all of my questions. I was not scared at all, in fact I was very excited to go to the dentist. I have had several fillings, crowns and root canals in my life and had four teeth pulled with just novocain when I was six. I still have no problems going to the dentist. My dentist talked with me and never gave me any surprises. She played games with me, i.e. see how still and relaxed I could sit for how long (while she gave me a shot) and then I would get a sticker for each game. My introduction to dentists was great and I had no problems. I agree with the other mom who said you need to trust your instincts and speak up for your son, he is counting on you. Obviously, you want to make the right decision but it is your decision to make. There is always more than one solution, sometimes you just have to really hunt to find it. You know your son and what he can handle. Get all the information you need and trust yourself. You are a good mom, you wouldn't be so concerned if you weren't. Good luck and God bless.

P.

i suppose i'm an old curmudgeon, but crowns on baby teeth just screams to me of 'dentist who wants to go on a cruise.' yes, sometimes fillings are necessary to protect adult teeth. but most of the time baby-tooth cavities can be managed until the tooth falls out. if not, a filling might be in order.
but a crown?
why?
khairete
S.

One of my daughters had a couple of teeth come in without enamel on them. They of course were developing cavities. The pediatric dentist I took her to had a watch and wait approach. I wiped her teeth down with flouride regularly. We waited until she was 3 1/2yr and the benefit outweighed the risk and did in office sedation and pulled her two front teeth out. It was handled very well and she still likes the dentist. I would make sure you are working with a board certified pediatric dentist and if you are not comfortable with the treatment plan speak up your son is counting on you.

We went through the same thing with my daughter then 4 now 6. We went to our Dentist she tried to fill them with no sucess. She referred us to a GREAT pedadonist ( sorry about the spelling ) that is course deals with just children. I'm not sure where you live but its right off I-81 North. We went to a surgery center they put her under fix the teeth and within 25-30 min she was done. I can't say enough about this Doc and how well they are with children. Having her teeth ifxed was really no big deals, the worse part was having her put to sleep. They gave her a choice of who go go with her till she was a sleep and guess who she picked? yes me. That was the worsed part of the whole thing. If you would like more infor just email me at ____@____.com
Good Luck B.