Would like some advice from dentists on what to do next: My daughter is 3.5 years old and went to her first appointment because she has some signs of tooth decay. I'm suspicious of dentists as I've been ripped off before for procedures that weren't necessarily required.So X-rays were taken however the dentists can't tell how deep the cavity is until they do the procedure which may result in a crown or root canal. Is that possible? I mean, why waste x-Rays if you can't tell you anything. Also, she's going to lose these teeth anyways, does she really need a root canal?My daughter's dental insurance doesn't kick in until January, I would say the decay is moderate for 4 tooths. You think waiting too January wouldn't make a huge difference? Been quoted up to $2700 depending on the treatment.Any advice appreciated

Not a dentist but you should google children's teeth & root canals. I would think that root canals are for adult teeth. Also, once you get your insurance have the dentist repair the cavities and then have the dentist place sealants on your child's teeth. My two children both had sealants on their baby teeth and never had a cavity during their youth. Lastly watch your child brush their teeth !

tommie317;842370845 said:

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Would like some advice from dentists on what to do next: My daughter is 3.5 years old and went to her first appointment because she has some signs of tooth decay. I'm suspicious of dentists as I've been ripped off before for procedures that weren't necessarily required.So X-rays were taken however the dentists can't tell how deep the cavity is until they do the procedure which may result in a crown or root canal. Is that possible? I mean, why waste x-Rays if you can't tell you anything. Also, she's going to lose these teeth anyways, does she really need a root canal?My daughter's dental insurance doesn't kick in until January, I would say the decay is moderate for 4 tooths. You think waiting too January wouldn't make a huge difference? Been quoted up to $2700 depending on the treatment.Any advice appreciated

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An anti-dentite I presume...

panoramicknob;842370858 said:

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An anti-dentite I presume...

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Well she's 3, she's gonna lose all her teeth anyways.

A root canal on baby teeth seems stupid.

Get a second opinion.

OK, I'll play.....
First, I applaud you for taking her to the dentist.....
Second, the plural of tooth is teeth.
However....you're about 3 years late, as kids should go to the dentist when their teeth begin to erupt.
If one can see signs of decay....there is more than you think.
X-rays are 2 dimensional pictures of 3 dimensional objects.....if decay is visible in an xray, it's larger than you think.
Decay into the dentin of a primary tooth generally requires a pulpotomy....perhaps this is your "root canal".
Yes, your child will loose her 20 primary teeth over 9 years.....doesn't mean you shouldn't get them fixed.

May I suggest you see a pediatric dentist.
May I also suggest that you have her teeth fixed sooner than later........3 months of further tooth rotting in a three year old is a long time.

Cheers!
Go Bears!!

Allow me to add. Retired dentist, but no psychologist am I . Reading your email I sense frustration rather than really wanting to know "why". I shall choose not to pick on your dissatisfactions with your felling about dentists, but rather than get a simple answer, as Bears2thDoc has helped, I would suggest you learn everything you can about deciduous teeth, when they erupt, what function they perform, when they exfoliate, and most of all why they are important at all.

Maybe this will help you decide as to whether the $$$$$ you resent spending are really worth it, or if you are truly being ripped off again. I have a hard time with a short winded written response even answering what I see as boiling down to your daughter's care vs. whether or not she has/hasn't insurance. Yes, for her to have what sounds appropriate care is going to cost you. Sorry for that, but disease sounds present. For you, in your frustration to blame X-rays not showing anything (wrong), deciduous teeth falling out anyway so why do anything (wrong), I've waited until the decay is into the pulp and it needs a pulpotomy/pulpectomy so why can't wait 4 months for insurance (wrong again) is as I have indicated just plain wrong. Sorry you feel gypped in the past, but that does not help your daughter now.

I don't think many sane dentists would give you "Dad of the year" the way you are approaching this, but me telling makes me but the next shyster. So do some study on your own. The answers are there, but not the ones you abide.

And of course, your final choice is don't go. It's your child, your choice, albeit one born out of reasons I do not understand. I truly hope the very best dentistry can afford to your little girl. Think that one of the impediments to that is you.

Let's say part of the frustration is with a certain someone that is not a dentist, nor was it my decision to not have dental insurance, and who makes me asks these questions to other dentists that seem somewhat straight forward to a keen scientific observer.I appreciate your inputs and will provide this to the appropriate dictator..

Buy her lots of apples. It's a famous German cure-all. Worked for me as an 8 year old.

tommie317;842370901 said:

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Let's say part of the frustration is with a certain someone that is not a dentist, nor was it my decision to not have dental insurance, and who makes me asks these questions to other dentists that seem somewhat straight forward to a keen scientific observer.I appreciate your inputs and will provide this to the appropriate dictator..

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I can however advise a divorce attorney. jk.

:p

my dentist homies...learning all about the trigeminal nerve in one of my MCB classes. mind was blown when they explained the gate control theory and why y'all pinch/wiggle the cheek when injecting anesthetics.

Not surprising that dentists would give an answer that dentists would give.

Not saying they are dishonest, but they are committed to a certain standard of care.

When I am asked my professional opinion on a topic I am an expert at I give it. However, this is not court testimony here. $3K on teeth that will fall out anyway sounds stupid. How about an explanation about what is likely to (not a 10000 to 1 shot) happen if you don't spend that $$$?

Dentists wonder why they are as hated as lawyers. They love to admonish.

if you decide to wait til january, take her off sugar because that's what decays teeth. bacteria + sugar --> acide waste product
i think fluoride is supposed to help also? i'm not a dentist btw.

I would advise you to get a second opinion if you don't trust the dentist that saw your daughter. Try to have the X-rays sent to the second dentist by email in high resolution if they were digital so she doesn't have to get more X-rays. I have to say, avoiding a traumatic experience for your daughter will be the best thing you can do for her future. Dental phobic patients usually end up having the worst teeth in the world. Waiting 3 months could change a condition that may only need a filling into one that needs more expensive procedures. If you don't have a good referral, look on yelp. Good luck!

dimitrig;842370925 said:

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Not surprising that dentists would give an answer that dentists would give.

Not saying they are dishonest, but they are committed to a certain standard of care.

When I am asked my professional opinion on a topic I am an expert at I give it. However, this is not court testimony here. $3K on teeth that will fall out anyway sounds stupid. How about an explanation about what is likely to (not a 10000 to 1 shot) happen if you don't spend that $$$?

Dentists wonder why they are as hated as lawyers. They love to admonish.

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I think you'll find a range of honest to dishonest people in all professions. Good thing about today is that most crooked businesses quickly find that consumers eventually find out which businesses they can and can't trust.

And crooked or not, any dentist will tell you that if you let primary teeth go rotten, it can lead to abscesses and/or loss of teeth which may cause the erupting adult teeth to shift and come out where they are not supposed to, meaning crooked teeth, bad bite and needing more expensive fix, i.e. orthodontics. Hope that helps.

dimitrig;842370925 said:

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Not surprising that dentists would give an answer that dentists would give.

Not saying they are dishonest, but they are committed to a certain standard of care.

When I am asked my professional opinion on a topic I am an expert at I give it. However, this is not court testimony here. $3K on teeth that will fall out anyway sounds stupid. How about an explanation about what is likely to (not a 10000 to 1 shot) happen if you don't spend that $$$?

Dentists wonder why they are as hated as lawyers. They love to admonish.

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That is a statement only a dumbass would make.
Is that a natural talent or do you work at it.
Was that considered your "professional opinion?"

Whether or not you want to spend money on your teeth or care about them, concerns me zero.
You don't fit my patient profile....educated and health conscious and desire to eat corn on the cob at 90.

Here's free unsolicited advice.......
Dental decay is a transmittable disease. If you don't care, you might want to tell your one night stand, significant other or child.......I'm sure they don't want your funk.
Take care of your teeth, and you won't have problems.....that's a fact.
Neglect them and you will always bitch about the dentist that is screwing you.

BTW, dentists use to be in the top 2 most trusted occupations. We have dropped to number 5. ......mainly because the treatment one may need is not covered by the cheap ass insurance your employer may give you or that you choose to buy, so one considers any out of pocket money a "ripoff".
As for lawyers.......they're in the bottom 5.

calSB;842370952 said:

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I think you'll find a range of honest to dishonest people in all professions. Good thing about today is that most crooked businesses quickly find that consumers eventually find out which businesses they can and can't trust.

And crooked or not, any dentist will tell you that if you let primary teeth go rotten, it can lead to abscesses and/or loss of teeth which may cause the erupting adult teeth to shift and come out where they are not supposed to, meaning crooked teeth, bad bite and needing more expensive fix, i.e. orthodontics. Hope that helps.

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How much would it cost to just pull those teeth versus thousands for a pulpotomy? How much will orthodontics costs versus the pulpotomy? Will his kid likely get orthodontics anyway?

This guy wanted friendly advice, not court testimony.

Bears2thDoc;842370954 said:

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That is a statement only a dumbass would make.
Is that a natural talent or do you work at it.
Was that considered your "professional opinion?"

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I love your bedside manner. Sounds about right for a dentist.

Bears2thDoc;842370888 said:

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OK, I'll play.....
First, I applaud you for taking her to the dentist.....
Second, the plural of tooth is teeth.
However....you're about 3 years late, as kids should go to the dentist when their teeth begin to erupt.
If one can see signs of decay....there is more than you think.
X-rays are 2 dimensional pictures of 3 dimensional objects.....if decay is visible in an xray, it's larger than you think.
Decay into the dentin of a primary tooth generally requires a pulpotomy....perhaps this is your "root canal".
Yes, your child will loose her 20 primary teeth over 9 years.....doesn't mean you shouldn't get them fixed.

May I suggest you see a pediatric dentist.
May I also suggest that you have her teeth fixed sooner than later........3 months of further tooth rotting in a three year old is a long time.

Cheers!
Go Bears!!

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I thought the plural was toofs.

Bears2thDoc;842370954 said:

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That is a statement only a dumbass would make.
Is that a natural talent or do you work at it.
Was that considered your "professional opinion?"

Whether or not you want to spend money on your teeth or care about them, concerns me zero.
You don't fit my patient profile....educated and health conscious and desire to eat corn on the cob at 90.

Here's free unsolicited advice.......
Dental decay is a transmittable disease. If you don't care, you might want to tell your one night stand, significant other or child.......I'm sure they don't want your funk.
Take care of your teeth, and you won't have problems.....that's a fact.
Neglect them and you will always bitch about the dentist that is screwing you.

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So, brush your teeth is your answer?

Got all mine. same with my 93 year old father and 71 year old mother.

Seems pretty simple. Brush your teeth.

Haven't been to a dentist in 12 years. Still chomping.

tommie317;842370845 said:

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Would like some advice from dentists on what to do next: My daughter is 3.5 years old and went to her first appointment because she has some signs of tooth decay. I'm suspicious of dentists as I've been ripped off before for procedures that weren't necessarily required.So X-rays were taken however the dentists can't tell how deep the cavity is until they do the procedure which may result in a crown or root canal. Is that possible? I mean, why waste x-Rays if you can't tell you anything. Also, she's going to lose these teeth anyways, does she really need a root canal?My daughter's dental insurance doesn't kick in until January, I would say the decay is moderate for 4 tooths. You think waiting too January wouldn't make a huge difference? Been quoted up to $2700 depending on the treatment.Any advice appreciated

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Seriously, though. I recommend getting a second opinion. If she really has such severe decay, I would get her teeth fixed which also teaches your child to take care of medical issues rather than putting them off with potentially larger consequences. If finances are that tight, perhaps she can go to UCSF or UOP Dentistry School clinic for treatment.

dimitrig;842370959 said:

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I love your bedside manner. Sounds about right for a dentist.

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I'm pretty sure you mean chairside.

dimitrig;842370958 said:

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How much would it cost to just pull those teeth versus thousands for a pulpotomy? How much will orthodontics costs versus the pulpotomy? Will his kid likely get orthodontics anyway?

This guy wanted friendly advice, not court testimony.

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At first I was just fucking with you, but low and behold.......you really are a dumbass.

Cheers!
Go Bears!!!

Bears2thDoc;842370970 said:

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At first I was just fucking with you, but low and behold.......you really are a dumbass.Cheers!Go Bears!!!

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Come on man. This is Bear Insider. The correct spelling here is dumb azz.

smh

Bears2thDoc;842370954 said:

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...
Whether or not you want to spend money on your teeth or care about them, concerns me zero.
You don't fit my patient profile.....

Here's free unsolicited advice.......
.

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I have insurance? Cut my gums.

juarezbear;842370967 said:

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Seriously, though. I recommend getting a second opinion. If she really has such severe decay, I would get her teeth fixed which also teaches your child to take care of medical issues rather than putting them off with potentially larger consequences. If finances are that tight, perhaps she can go to UCSF or UOP Dentistry School clinic for treatment.

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She's 3 and a half years old.

What do you intend to teach her? To be afraid of the doctor?

calSB;842370952 said:

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I think you'll find a range of honest to dishonest people in all professions. Good thing about today is that most crooked businesses quickly find that consumers eventually find out which businesses they can and can't trust.

And crooked or not, any dentist will tell you that if you let primary teeth go rotten, it can lead to abscesses and/or loss of teeth which may cause the erupting adult teeth to shift and come out where they are not supposed to, meaning crooked teeth, bad bite and needing more expensive fix, i.e. orthodontics. Hope that helps.

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That's BS.

If primary teeth go rotten they fall out or get pulled.

And the orthodontic industry will tell you whatever you like as long as you have insurance.

tommie317;842370845 said:

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Would like some advice from dentists on what to do next: My daughter is 3.5 years old and went to her first appointment because she has some signs of tooth decay. I'm suspicious of dentists as I've been ripped off before for procedures that weren't necessarily required.So X-rays were taken however the dentists can't tell how deep the cavity is until they do the procedure which may result in a crown or root canal. Is that possible? I mean, why waste x-Rays if you can't tell you anything. Also, she's going to lose these teeth anyways, does she really need a root canal?My daughter's dental insurance doesn't kick in until January, I would say the decay is moderate for 4 tooths. You think waiting too January wouldn't make a huge difference? Been quoted up to $2700 depending on the treatment.Any advice appreciated

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Orthodontist in Santa Barbara checking in. First of all I am sorry your 3 1/2 year old has this problem and has to go through a procedure to fix it. Their are 3 main factors (genetics, diet and oral hygiene)when tooth decay is rampant at such a young age. Genetics......not much you can do about this. Your daughter may just have soft enamel and be predisposed to tooth decay. If this is the case fluoride treatments, dietary restrictions and excellent oral hygiene can help to counteract the generic component. Juices, candy and any high sugar foods should be reduced or eliminated from the diet. Brushing twice a day for several minutes and flossing( you will need to assist on this one) a couple times a week can drastically reduce decay ( cavities) from occurring.
On the topic of x-rays, as mentioned before this is a two dimensional image of a three dimensional problem. What I can say is if the dentist thinks the decay may necessitate a baby tooth root canal then it has been there for a while and is pretty significant. Lots of time decay starts between teeth(flossing helps to reduce this problem) and therefore sealants( protects the top or visible surface of the tooth) can not help prevent this problem from occurring. Sealants are not a bad idea for any child especially on their 6 year molars that are adult teeth that do not have replacements.
What should you do about the decay? Baby teeth will fall out between the ages of 6-12 depending on their location in the mouth. The baby teeth in the back of the mouth serve a purpose allowing your child to chew and holding a space for future permanent teeth. If these teeth are not fixed with a baby tooth root canal/ crown they will become painful (probably on your next family trip...no fun) and have to be extracted. Now you are faced with a new problem of putting in a space maintainer with additional costs. If no space maintainer is placed back permanent teeth will drift forward and your child will definitely need orthodontics and possibly permanent teeth removed. If the decay is on a front tooth and it is severe the tooth could be extracted but then your child walks around without a front tooth for several years....purely a cosmetic issue.
I would not wait several months.....this problem needs to be addressed ASAP. Your daughter may benefit from being sedated if there is a lot of work to be done. This may add to the cost but allow all the work to be done in one visit and reduce the chance of her having a traumatic dental experience at a young age.
My advice is see a pediatric dentist, get this done sooner than later and work hard on oral hygiene and diet to reduce the chance of future decay. The good news is these are baby teeth( still important for the reasons stated above) and will fall out.....just don't want his to happen to adult teeth.

Good luck and sorry for the long winded response

juarezbear;842370963 said:

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I thought the plural was toofs.

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Troof...

dimitrig;842370958 said:

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How much would it cost to just pull those teeth versus thousands for a pulpotomy? How much will orthodontics costs versus the pulpotomy? Will his kid likely get orthodontics anyway?

This guy wanted friendly advice, not court testimony.

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No. This guy asked a circuitous question laced with anger and resentment. Thought with his OP it was toward dentists. Sounds like it may be toward dentists, his wife, and who knows what else. I have no skin in the game, being retired, but re-read the OP and I think you will readily see that any answer by a dentist would be suspect. This man is a self professed victim.

Aside all that I feel real bad for his 3 1/2 year old stuck in this mess. That is why I suggested easy routes of self education and the specific topics to study. Then maybe he will see some value and get to work helping his daughter. No he wants to be spoon fed by those he doesn't trust in the first place. With the tone of his OP he could get 10 dental opinions and have 10 more dentists he didn't trust.

Further, santabarbarabear has given all the rest of you a very good answer to this man's daughters problem. Hope he takes heed. Does this whole thing smell like "Who pays?" to anyone but me?

juarezbear;842370967 said:

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Seriously, though. I recommend getting a second opinion. If she really has such severe decay, I would get her teeth fixed which also teaches your child to take care of medical issues rather than putting them off with potentially larger consequences. If finances are that tight, perhaps she can go to UCSF or UOP Dentistry School clinic for treatment.

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+1 ... at dental schools, you get great care which is supervised by a teaching dentist ... and the price is right !!!!
Dental schools aren't always trying to replace crowns that don't need replacement, as happens if you go to a new dentist.

Bears2thDoc;842370888 said:

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OK, I'll play.....
First, I applaud you for taking her to the dentist.....
Second, the plural of tooth is teeth.
...

Yes, [U]your child will loose her 20 primary teeth over 9 years[/U]......

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The future tense of "your child lost" is "your child will lose".

OsoDorado;842371002 said:

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The future tense of "you child lost" is "your child will lose".

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Well, she will loose them before she loses them.

OaktownBear;842371006 said:

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Well, she will loose them before she loses them.

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Touch! Baby teeth usually become loose before they are lost.