space maintainers Archives - Dental Care at Flint's Crossing

Dental Flipper for a Toddler

Posted on January 23, 2020 by writeradmin.

I have a three-year-old who lost his two front teeth due to some trauma. I wanted to get him a dental flipper to replace them but his dentist just acted like I was a moron. I tried to find one online but they only sell them for adults. I am so worried that his teeth will shift. Is there a way to get one for a toddler? Should I try another dentist?

Mary

Dear Mary,

Your child’s dentist could have handled it better. A lot better. A good pediatric dentist knows that when you are dealing with someone’s child, parents both deserve and need real answers. They don’t need to be talked down to.

A dental flipper doesn’t really work for a young child like your son. First, his jaw is continually changing and developing. You will need to replace it often. That is even if he can cooperate with getting it prepared, which at that age is unlikely.

On top of that is the risk of losing it, which he will. Plus, it is a removable appliance which could end up a choking hazard for him.

Shifting Teeth in Pediatric Patients

The good news is the only time you have to worry about his teeth shifting is with his back molars. Those have to stay in until he is around twelve years old. If those teeth have to be removed, you will need to make sure the dentist places space maintainers.

His front teeth will be fine. There isn’t the same risk there.

I don’t think the current dentist you have is a good fit for you. It’s important you have the confidence and comfort to ask your dentist as many questions as you need to understand and feel right about any treatment plan for your son.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

What is a Pediatric Pulpotomy?

Posted on November 16, 2019 by writeradmin.

Our pediatric dentist said my son needs a pulpotomy because his tooth is infected. What is it and why can’t we just take out the tooth if it is a baby tooth anyway?

Mark

Dear Mark,

Essentially, a pulpotomy is the child’s version of a root canal treatment. When your son gets his treatment, your pediatric dentist will remove most of the pulp in his tooth. This should be done down to the roots. Then, the tissue inside is daubed with a disinfectant, sealed, then protected with a dental crown. Most children get a stainless steel crown.

You asked an important question as to why you’d need to preserve a baby tooth. In most cases, you don’t. The big exception is when it is a molar. These need to stay in your son’s mouth until he is around twelve years of age. If they come out prematurely, the remaining teeth will shift which leads to crowding as the adult teeth come in. This will cost you a fortune in orthodontics.

There is an alternative if you don’t want to save the tooth. You could have it extracted, but then you would need to place a space maintainer to keep the spot reserved.

Whatever you decide, it will likely make things more comfortable for your son if your dentist uses something like nitrous oxide to put him at ease during the procedure.

What you don’t want to do is put this off and allow this to turn into a dental emergency. Even in the 21st century, people still die from tooth infections. It is much better to get this taken care of as soon as possible.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Pediatric Dentist Missed Massive Cavity

Posted on April 28, 2018 by iowasmiles.

I’m not sure how this could have happened. My son was just into the dentist’s office a couple of months ago. They did x-rays, a cleaning, and a checkup then gave him the all clear. I thought everything was fine, but a few days ago he woke up crying about a tooth hurting. I called his pediatric office, but they only work four day weeks. I wasn’t sure what to do. He was in so much pain. I ended up calling my dentist and asking if they would be willing to have a look at him. They were, thankfully. I brought him in. When they did an x-ray, they noticed he had a massive infection. My dentist said there is no way that wasn’t there at his last appointment. It was so bad they had to take his tooth. It was a molar, which worries me. I think I heard they’re important for children to keep. I was grateful my dentist was good with my son, so the appointment wasn’t too horrible for him. They gave him some medicine to make him sleepy and relaxed before the removed the tooth. I don’t know what I’d have done without them. Is it normal for a dentist to miss something this big? Should I say something?

Patsy

Dear Patsy,

No, your pediatric dentist shouldn’t have missed that. While some infections can blow up quickly, it sounds like that one was there for a while. I’m glad you were proactive in calling your office. Something else which bothers me is the lack of emergency protocols at your pediatric dentist’s office. It’s fine if they want a four day work week, but they should have something in place in the case of patient emergencies. The fact that they don’t, makes me wonder how much they truly care about their patients.

I would certainly bring it up with them. Not only did their negligence cost your son a tooth, it could have been much worse if the infection spread to his brain or heart, both of which are quite close to his jaw.

Your intuition about his molar is right. While some baby teeth can fall out early with no consequences, the same is not true about molars. They need to stay until your son is about twelve years old. The simple solution is to have a space maintainer placed where his molar was. That will keep his teeth from shifting, causing crowding later. If your office hasn’t done so already, ask them to place one.

You Don’t Have to Go to a Pediatric Clinic

It doesn’t sound like you’re being well-served by your current pediatric. In your place, I’d look for another one. If you live in an area where there is only one pediatric clinic, it’s perfectly acceptable to go to a general dentist who enjoys treating children and do a fantastic job in relating to them. I suppose you’ve seen that with your dental clinic when they stepped in to help you.

You may even want to just let your son start visiting your clinic, if it’s okay with them. Your son seemed to respond well to them and they seem quite attentive. The important things are your son gets the care he needs and he has positive experiences with his dentist. This way he gets a lifetime of care without anxiety.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Teeth have moved

Posted on November 25, 2013 by iowasmiles.

My eight year old daughter had three back teeth removed. Now all her other teeth have shifted. I’m a little worried that her adult molars are not going to be able to come in correctly. Should I be worried?

MaryAnn T.- Rhode Island

Mary Ann,

Actually, I would be concerned. It sounds like your dentist neglected to place space maintainers in your daughter’s mouth. Any general dentist, especially dentists who work with children, should know the importance of holding the place for adult molars.

It is really a problem that your dentist didn’t do this. Those teeth need to be moved back into place. I would talk to your dentist about helping to offset these costs. After all, it was his negligence that led to the problem.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

What is a pulpotomy?

Posted on August 29, 2013 by iowasmiles.

Can you tell me what a pulpotomy is?

Alison J.- New Zealand

Alison,

A pulpotomy is essentially a root canal treatment for a baby tooth. It is not the complete procedure an adult gets, but more like a child sized short-cut. This is generally done on molars because they are the only teeth that have to last for about twelve years.

During this procedure the pulp of the baby tooth is removed, then a disinfectant like formocresol is used on the tissue, and the tooth is then sealed. Often it will be covered in a crown.

If you’re uncomfortable with the procedure and decide to have the molar removed, you need to have a space maintainer placed. It’s really important that you keep a molar open until your child’s twelve year molars come in. A pediatric dentist will understand all of this and be able to work with your child in a way that puts them at ease.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.