Crowns on a 5 year old

[LCoulter]

Ok, so I will probably get flamed for this…but I’m going to ask anyway. Please try not to be too harsh….I already feel horrible enough and am blaming myself.

DD5 has been going to the dentist every 6 months for a few years now. Six months ago, the dental hygienist complimented us on the lack of plaque on her teeth so I know we are brushing fine. The dentist didn’t tell us to start flossing or to use fluoride rinse but we have been using fluoride toothpaste.

Two weeks ago we took her for her 6 month checkup and they were able to do x-rays only on one side because she wouldn’t cooperate and they said that she had at least 4 cavities. After some discussion, he suggested we take her to a pediatric dentist which DH did today.

She has 6, maybe 8 cavities. They have scheduled her for fillings and crowns because some of the cavities are really big….they even put in a temp filling today for one of the big ones.

We are flossing and using fluoride rinse for the last few weeks so we are hoping this will stop. This dentist thinks that the cause may be that she grazes all day, eating light meals throughout the day but brushing her teeth after breakfast and before bed. Her grazing consists of yogurt, fresh fruit, dried fruit, carrots, gold fish, pretzels, milk, juice and she drinks plenty of plain water so we will need to limit these snacks now.

I’ve never heard of putting crowns on a 5 year old. They are her very back teeth which she won’t lose until she is 12-13 years old but I assumed they would be all taken care of with fillings. I don’t have any reason to distrust them but it just makes me wonder if this makes sense.

Do crowns make sense for a 5 year old or are they an over kill so they can make more money? Maybe I should talk to the family dentist that saw her initially and get his opinion. He was planning to do just fillings.

If crowns are what makes the most sense, of course we will have them done. I was just not expecting this outcome. We just wanted her to be in a more comfortable setting to get fillings done and our family dentist is not equipped to handle her as well as a pediatric dentist.

 

[badblackpug]

Are they doing root canals? I have a crown, and my husband just got one, but only after root canal.

My ex's daughter had baby bottle tooth decay and needed 4 caps, but they were her front teeth and she had root canal.

I would definitely get a 2nd opinion, crowns are very expensive, depending on where you live, they are in excess of $1000 each, and since they are considered cosmetic they are usually an out of pocket expense.

 

[Southernmiss]

Ok, so I will probably get flamed for this…but I’m going to ask anyway. Please try not to be too harsh….I already feel horrible enough and am blaming myself.

DD5 has been going to the dentist every 6 months for a few years now. Six months ago, the dental hygienist complimented us on the lack of plaque on her teeth so I know we are brushing fine. The dentist didn’t tell us to start flossing or to use fluoride rinse but we have been using fluoride toothpaste.

Two weeks ago we took her for her 6 month checkup and they were able to do x-rays only on one side because she wouldn’t cooperate and they said that she had at least 4 cavities. After some discussion, he suggested we take her to a pediatric dentist which DH did today.

She has 6, maybe 8 cavities. They have scheduled her for fillings and crowns because some of the cavities are really big….they even put in a temp filling today for one of the big ones.

We are flossing and using fluoride rinse for the last few weeks so we are hoping this will stop. This dentist thinks that the cause may be that she grazes all day, eating light meals throughout the day but brushing her teeth after breakfast and before bed. Her grazing consists of yogurt, fresh fruit, dried fruit, carrots, gold fish, pretzels, milk, juice and she drinks plenty of plain water so we will need to limit these snacks now.

I’ve never heard of putting crowns on a 5 year old. They are her very back teeth which she won’t lose until she is 12-13 years old but I assumed they would be all taken care of with fillings. I don’t have any reason to distrust them but it just makes me wonder if this makes sense.

Do crowns make sense for a 5 year old or are they an over kill so they can make more money? Maybe I should talk to the family dentist that saw her initially and get his opinion. He was planning to do just fillings.

If crowns are what makes the most sense, of course we will have them done. I was just not expecting this outcome. We just wanted her to be in a more comfortable setting to get fillings done and our family dentist is not equipped to handle her as well as a pediatric dentist.

I have been right where you are and the mom guilt is terrible. Having come through it, I say don't beat yourself up over this.

I have 4 kids. I had an awful time with 2 of them and cavities in baby teeth. We did all the brushing, flossing, flouriding. They ate the same as the other 2 kids. Yet, the cavities came.

As older kids with mostly permanent teeth, they have not had but 1 or 2 cavities if that. In fact, my kid with the worst teeth is now my best brusher. With braces and a recent gum graft (hereditary issue), his mouth care is exceptional.

Had I to do the cavities/crowns again, I would get a 2nd and 3rd opinion.

I can remember as a kid, going to all of my dental checkups and never having a cavity filled. But I also remember pulling a few baby teeth and noticing that they actually did have small cavities in them. However, I had no toothaces, etc. from them.

I think in some cases there can be "overcare".

Also, DHs teeth seem to be just not as good as my teeth and I just wonder if some people are just destined to have "bad" teeth.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Edit: I also went through 3 pediatric dentists before we found the right one for us. THe first one was a butcher--like the pediatric dentits 20/20 profiles, the second one liked him but I didn't jive with the office staff (and I can usually get along with anyone) the third one was just right. Kids loved him and I loved the staff. But he was 15 miles away in heavy traffic. So after my youngest turned about 8, they started going to DHs dentist who is just down the street. And he lived behind my mother when I was growing up. Very happy with him, too.

 

[NAB]

Ok, so I will probably get flamed for this&but Im going to ask anyway. Please try not to be too harsh&.I already feel horrible enough and am blaming myself.

DD5 has been going to the dentist every 6 months for a few years now. Six months ago, the dental hygienist complimented us on the lack of plaque on her teeth so I know we are brushing fine. The dentist didnt tell us to start flossing or to use fluoride rinse but we have been using fluoride toothpaste.

Two weeks ago we took her for her 6 month checkup and they were able to do x-rays only on one side because she wouldnt cooperate and they said that she had at least 4 cavities. After some discussion, he suggested we take her to a pediatric dentist which DH did today.

She has 6, maybe 8 cavities. They have scheduled her for fillings and crowns because some of the cavities are really big&.they even put in a temp filling today for one of the big ones.

We are flossing and using fluoride rinse for the last few weeks so we are hoping this will stop. This dentist thinks that the cause may be that she grazes all day, eating light meals throughout the day but brushing her teeth after breakfast and before bed. Her grazing consists of yogurt, fresh fruit, dried fruit, carrots, gold fish, pretzels, milk, juice and she drinks plenty of plain water so we will need to limit these snacks now.

Ive never heard of putting crowns on a 5 year old. They are her very back teeth which she wont lose until she is 12-13 years old but I assumed they would be all taken care of with fillings. I dont have any reason to distrust them but it just makes me wonder if this makes sense.

Do crowns make sense for a 5 year old or are they an over kill so they can make more money? Maybe I should talk to the family dentist that saw her initially and get his opinion. He was planning to do just fillings.

If crowns are what makes the most sense, of course we will have them done. I was just not expecting this outcome. We just wanted her to be in a more comfortable setting to get fillings done and our family dentist is not equipped to handle her as well as a pediatric dentist.

That seems strange to me. Crowns are way to much money to be spending on a 5 year old. Heck I can't afford one for myself and I am much older.

He will grow another tooth there. I would just get it filled. I have some pretty huge fillings in my mouth and the dentist isn't pushing me to get crowns if I don't want them.

Can allows get a sealant to put on the teeth until the adult teeth come in too. I agree with the above poster. Some kids are destined to have bad teeth no matter what you do.

 

[tvguy]

Are they doing root canals? I have a crown, and my husband just got one, but only after root canal.

My ex's daughter had baby bottle tooth decay and needed 4 caps, but they were her front teeth and she had root canal.

I would definitely get a 2nd opinion, crowns are very expensive, depending on where you live, they are in excess of $1000 each, and since they are considered cosmetic they are usually an out of pocket expense.

I have more crowns than I care to admit (ok, 7) , only 1 had a root canal done before. My crowns were all put on broken teeth, they didn't hurt, and the pulp was fine, so no reason for a root canal.

Never heard of crowns on baby teeth.

 

[Jennasis]

Why would you crown a baby tooth? Won't it eventually fall out and be replaced by a permanent one? Can they just fill or seal the baby tooth to stop the spread of the decay?

 

[badblackpug]

I have more crowns than I care to admit (ok, 7) , only 1 had a root canal done before. My crowns were all put on broken teeth, they didn't hurt, and the pulp was fine, so no reason for a root canal.

Never heard of crowns on baby teeth.

Okay, broken teeth make sense, kind of like a cap. I didn't think about that, but they are still ridiculously expensive.

 

[Maggie Lizer]

I would find another dentist and get a second opinion. Crowns for a 5 year old sounds extreme to me.

I have 4 crowns now, one root canal, because the enamel just flaked off of my back teeth and they all were too soft and crumbling. Only one had a bad enough cavity that it needed a root canal. The rest just needed a bit of drill and fill and the crown.

 

[kirstenb1]

If crowns are the silvery colored things that cover most all the tooth, then my first grader has some classmates with them. Despite excellent brushing etc, my Mom has a mouth full of cavities. Some people just seem more prone to cavities than others (I got lucky, and inherited my Dad's lack of dental problems).

 

[TheIncredibles!]

This is not an all uncommon and not extreme in the least. This is not the same as a crown on a permanent tooth with is custom made and colored. These are stainless premade crowns placed on the tooth. Not the same cost either. I honestly wouldn't bother with a second opinion.

Even though these are baby teeth and will fall out it is important to keep the teeth as long as possible to maintain proper spacing in the mouth and to help guide the adult teeth when they start coming in.

 

[scrapquitler]

Why would you crown a baby tooth? Won't it eventually fall out and be replaced by a permanent one? Can they just fill or seal the baby tooth to stop the spread of the decay?

This was exactly what I asked both pediatric dentists we consulted before my son had two root canals and crowns put on baby molars....They told me that if you just pull the baby molar, it could cause the permanent teeth to come in improperly, and that if the tooth continued to decay, it could cause decay in the permanent tooth even before it erupts.

We ended up having to take my son to the Children's hospital and put under with general anesthesia to have two root canals/fillings and three other cavities filled (this was after numerous attempts to do the fillings in the pediatric dental office). It cost us an arm and a leg.

I think that someone who previously posted hit the nail on the head: some people just have teeth that are more susceptible to decay than others. My husband has never ever had a cavity, nor has his brother. On my side of the family, almost all of us have soft enamel and lots of cavities, and it's not for lack of proper brushing, flossing and dentist visits. My son ended up with those five cavities in spite of me brushing and flossing diligently and using flouride rinse. I had terrible guilt about his dental problems for a long time, but I do know that I did everything I could, except provide the right DNA for strong teeth.

 

[nmmom95]

If your child doesn't like x-rays, she probably is going to get stressed when the crowns are done. I would get a second opinion just to make sure there are no other options. If you have no choice, at least you tried.

 

[momto3pirates]

Crowns on baby molars are different than crowns on permanent molars. If the decay is on both sides of the baby molar, a stainless steel crown is the best treatment, expecially on a 5 year old. We only want to have to treat the tooth one time and baby teeth tend to get recurrent decay-decay under the existing filling. Crowns are the best way to aviod this because they cover the whole tooth. Baby molars are very important is holding space for the permanent teeth.

I am a general dentist, not a pediatric specialist.

 

[Debbie7452]

My DS had a crown put on a back molar because the tooth enamel didn't form correctly. However, I don't understand how you had such large cavities after only 6 months? Did the first dentist miss them during previous check ups?

My DD has bad teeth(lots of little grooves) so no flames from me, but we always catch the cavities when they are smaller. The flouride rinse and sealers have saved us a lot of grief.

 

[LCoulter]

Thanks you for all the quick replies. You have given me some things to discuss with DH tonight.

We are at a loss when it comes to “bad” teeth since we have both been blessed with good teeth. We are older parents and each only have one crown (which required a root canal) and just a few fillings.

Our family dentist was going to seal her teeth as the adult teeth come in. The PP that said that keeping the baby teeth in is important for spacing for the adult teeth makes sense to me so if given a choice between pulling the molars and crowning, we will crown but maybe they can fill and seal instead. It does sound like the molars have cavities on both sides so maybe that is why he wants to crown them.

 

[LCoulter]

My DS had a crown put on a back molar because the tooth enamel didn't form correctly. However, I don't understand how you had such large cavities after only 6 months? Did the first dentist miss them during previous check ups?

My DD has bad teeth(lots of little grooves) so no flames from me, but we always catch the cavities when they are smaller. The flouride rinse and sealers have saved us a lot of grief.

The cavities were between the teeth and this was the first time she had an x-ray so I think that is why they were found this time but not 6 months ago.

 

[tvguy]

but they are still ridiculously expensive.

Can't argue that, although my dental plan covers 50%....and my wife's covers 50% so we haven't had to pay for one since we got double coverage.

 

[badblackpug]

Can't argue that, although my dental plan covers 50%....and my wife's covers 50% so we haven't had to pay for one since we got double coverage.

Lucky man. We just shelled out $1375

 

[Poohforyou]

I would ask about sealant on her remaining teeth. Our dentist did this on our now 13 yo when she was about your dd's age. She hasn't had 1 cavity and she doesn't floss regularly. I have too many battles I'm fighting alread.

 

[caitlinsmom]

DD12 had a baby molar crowned when she was about 5. There was a deep filling in it and they want to make sure the tooth stays in as long as possible and she didn't lose it too soon. They filled the cavity and put to crown on and that kept the tooth there until she was about 7 1/2 at which point they had to pull it because it was in bad shape.

She had a space maintainer until the adult tooth started to come in.