Post by karen on May 29, 2005 9:31:59 GMT -4
I need help! My 5 year old son has some serious cavities in his rear molars. Obviously these are still primary teeth. He has had two pulpotomies performed on adjacent teeth (upper right, rear teeth). The dentist was unable to complete the procedure with the stainless steel crowns because my son became very combative and uncooperative during the procedure. The portion of the teeth removed included the biting surface and the surface between the teeth, but there is significant tooth structure remaining on the other three sides of both teeth. She placed a temporary filling in each tooth (IRM), which is already beginning to break up.
Apparently they are unable or unwilling to have him back until July 25. I am uncomfortable taking him elsewhere because he's already been drug around to several dentists until we got him into this one. Also this is a pedodontist's office and is highly referred by other dentists for complicated issues.
My questions are:
1. With significant tooth structure remaining on the three stated sides, does he REALLY need the crown, or could permanent fillings be put in place? These teeth will fall out eventually anyway.
2. He had serious issues with the nitrous mask. It is my opinion, as someone who knows him well, that any sedation benefit gained from the nitrous was negated by his freaking over the mask. It was him trying to get the mask off that brought the procedure to a halt the first time. Shouldn't the nitrous use be negotiable? (BTW, it was after I tried talking to the dentist about the nitrous that they suddenly couldn't see him until July 25.)
I'm really not an unreasonable person, I just want to make this as least traumatic as possible, with the absolute minimum in procedures necessary to keep him out of pain and healthy until these teeth fall out and his adult teeth come in. I really don't want him having nightmares over unecessarily applied procedures. I understand that the stainless steel crowns are the BEST procedure, but is it possible that something less invasive could be done that would be GOOD ENOUGH?
Apparently they are unable or unwilling to have him back until July 25. I am uncomfortable taking him elsewhere because he's already been drug around to several dentists until we got him into this one. Also this is a pedodontist's office and is highly referred by other dentists for complicated issues.
My questions are:
1. With significant tooth structure remaining on the three stated sides, does he REALLY need the crown, or could permanent fillings be put in place? These teeth will fall out eventually anyway.
2. He had serious issues with the nitrous mask. It is my opinion, as someone who knows him well, that any sedation benefit gained from the nitrous was negated by his freaking over the mask. It was him trying to get the mask off that brought the procedure to a halt the first time. Shouldn't the nitrous use be negotiable? (BTW, it was after I tried talking to the dentist about the nitrous that they suddenly couldn't see him until July 25.)
I'm really not an unreasonable person, I just want to make this as least traumatic as possible, with the absolute minimum in procedures necessary to keep him out of pain and healthy until these teeth fall out and his adult teeth come in. I really don't want him having nightmares over unecessarily applied procedures. I understand that the stainless steel crowns are the BEST procedure, but is it possible that something less invasive could be done that would be GOOD ENOUGH?
