OT- anyone have experience with pediatric partials?

[emmababy]

My daughter (3.5) knocked her two front teeth out today. I am so sad and can't bear the thought of her being toothless for 3 more years before the permanent teeth come in.

Has anyone had partials for their kids? How much? What was the process?

 

[squirrel]

Did you try saving them?

Next time (hopefully you won't have another child do this) take the teeth and put them in milk. Then get to the dentist. If the child is old enough not to swallow the teeth stick them back in and then go to the dentist. If the roots are still attached they may be able to reattach.

 

[emmababy]

Did that but they won't reattach baby teeth. SÓ now, she is missing two teeth for the next 3 years!

 

[proud_canadian]

My daughter also broke her front tooth last fall. Finally last winter, it got massively infected and it had to be pulled. She too will be toothless another 3-4 years, if not more. My kids were late teethers, and older sis is 6 and doesn't even have a loose tooth yet. Doc said they will both be late losing their baby teeth. I never even dreamed of getting a fake tooth though. We did talk to the dentist about a spacer, as we were worried about her teeth getting crooked from the missing tooth, but he said that wouldn't happen. I think she looks adorable with the missing tooth! It's just part of her, and her personality. Kids can get away with a missing tooth... and adult couldn't! Good luck and PM me if you'd like to chat more!

 

[bumbershoot]

FWIW, DS knocked a lower middle tooth out on a table at 6 months. Brand new tooth.

Then at 2.5 he had two upper (the ones around the middle ones) teeth pulled (they grew in yellow, turned brown, then started to disintegrate).

It was weird and sad to think about, and I still get sad when I see kids with all of their teeth, but soon enough he'll have his adult teeth. The matching middle lower one is extremely loose, so I imagine in a year or so he'll finally have a full row of lower teeth. In retrospect, it hasn't felt like THAT long. And it will be weird to have a full smile! Especially once the uppers all come in.

She'll be OK and you will too.

Plus, the other kids will be jealous when they first see her smile, b/c they'll think she is about to get adult teeth in.

 

[momto3pirates]

Did you try saving them?

Next time (hopefully you won't have another child do this) take the teeth and put them in milk. Then get to the dentist. If the child is old enough not to swallow the teeth stick them back in and then go to the dentist. If the roots are still attached they may be able to reattach.

I am a dentist and just wanted to say we will not try to "save" knocked out baby teeth because you could end up damaging the permanent teeth.

As far as the partial goes, it is really just like a retainer with teeth. An impression is taken of the child's mouth. The lab makes the retainer and it is cemented,usually to the child's last baby molars. It will have to be adjusted/replaced as the child grows.

 

[OwlDisneyGirl]

I am a dentist and just wanted to say we will not try to "save" knocked out baby teeth because you could end up damaging the permanent teeth.

As far as the partial goes, it is really just like a retainer with teeth. An impression is taken of the child's mouth. The lab makes the retainer and it is cemented,usually to the child's last baby molars. It will have to be adjusted/replaced as the child grows.

This!

My two oldest both had to have a partial (same tooth!!). I say "had to" because they would have needed some sort of spacer (and DD even needed a palate expander) once they had to have the tooth pulled. They're mouths are too crowded with their teeth and at 6 years old, my DS is about to have some teeth pulled because he doesn't have enough space (they got this from DH!).

My DD had a very hard time when the partial was put in - she ended up needing tylenol with codeine and we had a bad experience with that dentist. DS had an easier time. Of course, he ended up "pulling" out his partial tooth (just the tooth not the hardware) when he knew he had a loose tooth and thought that was it! So, he's now been toothless there for 2 months, but they x-rayed and said he's close enough to the new one coming in.

We struggled with the decision and got a second opinion from another dentist, consulted our own (adult) dentist and the pediatrician. They all agreed that in our particular case it was warranted - our ped says he never recommends it, but that my kids really needed it.

PM me if you have other questions.

 

[nchulka]

My son fell off a kitchen chair at 18 months and knocked out one of his top front teeth. He had only had it a few months (he was late getting teeth). I was so upset at the thought of him having no tooth for the next 5 or 6 years. My dentist said they absolutely do not try to put them back or put in false ones because it would mess up his permanent tooth. He is now almost 7 and has yet to have a loose tooth, looks like it will be at least another year or two till he gets it. I can tell you that his missing tooth grin is the cutest thing. I love all my pics of him with the missing tooth. It will be strange for him to have it when it comes in, he has never known having all his teeth. I know it's upsetting now but you'll quickly get used to it, and probably grow to think it's kind of cute. By the age of 5 or so no one will even think she's missing teeth, they'll just think she just lost them.

 

[Zoesmama03]

Yikes I've never been in the situation so hard to say what I'd do but I think I'd just leave it as it is. Poor thing! I know how traumatic going to the dentist can be for 3-4 year olds. Dd had to have all her lower molars filled just before 3 and had sealant put on one other. She did good took the laughing gas mask just fine and was done really quick. I took here in for 4 or 5 and she had a filling that needed to be redone and she was just so traumatized that this year she didn't want anything to do with the dentist chair. They have rules about parents going back at her dentist and I can understand that but this experience was just horrible. They wouldn't let me back to calm her had us come back at another time to be sedated unnecessarily with Demerol only to have me come back and force her down for the mask. Not something I'd like to go through again let alone for something cosmetic such as not having front teeth.

I honestly think I will just take her to my dentist next year. None of the dentists I have come into there(large practice to just keep popping kids in and out) have had the best bed side manner. And you'd think a kids dentist would be a little more fun.

 

[Sadie22]

I am a dentist and just wanted to say we will not try to "save" knocked out baby teeth because you could end up damaging the permanent teeth.

As far as the partial goes, it is really just like a retainer with teeth. An impression is taken of the child's mouth. The lab makes the retainer and it is cemented,usually to the child's last baby molars. It will have to be adjusted/replaced as the child grows.

Just wondering if the not trying to save baby teeth is something new as over 25 years ago when DS had a baby tooth knocked out the pediadontist who saw him a day or so later was very upset that the ER staff did not call him. He said he had asked them to do so. He would have tried to have saved the tooth.

 

[momto3pirates]

No it is not new. I don't know of any dentist that will try to reimplant a baby tooth. It is just too risky. A permanent tooth, definately, but not a baby tooth.

 

[emmababy]

Thanks everyone. She had to have the other tooth pulled, so missing both front teeth. She has been a real trooper. The tooth fairy came and she was able to go to the toy store and pick out a toy.

Her smile is cute and hopefully I will get used to it. I am a little concerned with her speech. I think I will call around about partials. The clininc at Children's hospital doesn't do them.

 

[Alli15]

Hi everyone, i know that this thread is a little dated but i would like to know i anyone did put in the pedi partials for their dear ones. I have a two ear nine month old daughter who recently got one of her front teeth extracted and i would like to find out more about experiences with the pedi partials before i put one for her. One of her pediatric dentists say we can put it and another has said she doesn't need it. We would like her to not be without her tooth for so many years as she is just starting school and I would just like some parents' experiences with the partials. Thank you in advance everyone. Also, this is my first post because i am new to this site.