Crowns on a Four Year Old

I have not personally had this happen to me... but my aunt had to do it with me cousin. She went ahead and got the crowns. It did not bother my cousin and her teeth when she got older came in so pretty. Some kids are just prone to having problems with their teeth. Some kids grooves are deeper which invites more cavities and more toothe problems. So please do not feel like a bad mom!! You did all that you could do with the child being so young. I hope this helped you out!!

GO get a second opinion. My seven year old had problems with several of her teeth around age five. They wanted to put braces on her and cap teeth. I went and had a second opinion at a Petatric Dentist and was told that all of that was not necessary right now because a few of the teeth were already loose. The ended up filling one and putting a retainer behind her two front teeth. It cost about $50.00 for the other visit. It was well worth $50.00 to save $900.00. Go to another dentist and just let them look. I hope this helps. Good Luck!!!

Well, my story is much the same. I took my daughter because I saw what appeared to be a little decay on one tooth and next thing ya know, She's got an appointment at Children's Hospital to go under the gas. I didn't know any better, and had I known then what I know now, I'd have definitely reconsidered my choice to allow them to do it. the "white" caps are truly like BRIGHT WHITE, like a marshmallow or piece of chalk. She has one on either side of her top front teeth and they're SO stark white they don't even come close to matching her other teeth, so it's VERY obvious that they're caps. You might as well let them do silver on the front too for all the white ones are worth. But, if he's not in pain, and you can only see a little decay, you may try to hold out until the little teeth fall out on their own. I get so sad when I look at my Destiny's teeth. Good luck with all this.
~Kim

I hate to be a cynic but is your dentist trying to add on a wing to her house? That sounds like a lot of work for a set of teeth that aren't even permanent.
I haven't taken my son to the dentist yet because they won't see him until he is 3, so I don't any sound advice, except to suggest that you get a second opinion.

Let us know how it turns out! I'm terrified now that I'm not brushing my own teeth enough :)

Wow! A lot of people responded! So, I'll be brief -

1) If you feel uncomfortable with the diagnosis, see another dentist. With a child this young, a pediatric dentist would be the best option because they have more experience with sedating little ones.

2) Please, don't just ignore the cavities. Baby teeth are space maintainers for adult teeth. Taking good care of baby teeth will help the adult teeth come in in the right places (and can help decrease the need for braces later on!)

3) Find out WHY!!! Cavities are largely preventable. Find out what is causing your son's cavities. Do you drink city water (fluoride) or do you drink well water or bottled water (no fluoride) If you do not drink fluoridated water, the dentist can prescribe supplements, like vitamins for the teeth. Also, does your little one use a sippy cup with juice or soda? Repeated exposure to sugary drinks will really cause a lot of damage. Talk to your dentist about more WHY's.

For more info: http://www.aapd.org/pediatricinformation/

Hi. I would 100% get a 2nd opinion. Also it's not your fault..esp if you have been brushing his teeth like you say.. Is he on a lot of prescription medicines or was he as a baby?? My sister was and she had problems with her teeth until her adult teeth came in and she still had to be careful. I cant believe they would want to do that much work (esp on baby teeth). Its crazy. I would get a copy of the records, look them over yourself and then get a 2nd opinion. Good Luck. Oh and what dentist did you go to because I'm staying clear of that place :) Is it a pediatric dentist or family dentist??

My little boy was 2 when we found out he had 8 cavities. The pediatric dentist suggested the gas. I debated for 3 months on whether to have this done. After some major research and talking to other dentist and my family doctor, I decided to go ahead and allow this. It is very scary, especially if he has not been put to sleep before. If he has, (tube in ears, tonsils removed, etc) and there were no complications, that should be a reassuring factor, although as a mom I struggled having my son put to sleep 3 times in one year, he did fine.

However, I want to reassure you that his teeth problems may not be a direct link to you. I would look into perhaps a calcium deficate when you were pregnate, or a family history of "bad teeth". For instance I had really good teeth as a child, but my brother had to have caps put on his teeth. I think there may be a genetic link.

Next, to answer your concerns about "their going to fall out anyway", true, but if not taken care of can effect his adult teeth growing in properly, etc...

I would seek a couple of other professional opinions, take him to a pediatric dentist if his dentist is not specialized in pediatrics. Good Luck and if you need more information, feel free to ask me, I've been in similar shoes.
Jenn

Hi H., My name is M.. My son who is now 14 had to be put to sleep when he was 5 for a mouth full of cavities. If you don't take care of this now your child will end up having a bad tooth ache and also after time a bad odor will occur. Also the dentist told me that if you don't correct the problem it could affect your childs adult teeth. And another thing if your not sure get a second opinion.

i would take him to another dentist and see what they say cuz crowns are very expensive and he is young to have them.But you do need to find out any family history of problem teeth. it could be weak enamel on his teeth causing the cavities.( this what causes my son's cavities and there is very little we can do about it besides keep them brushed but eventually he will have to get false teeth later on in life and he is 11) Ask both sides of the family if anybody else has this problem.

I really think you need to get a second opinion. That is a lot of traume for you child to go through without knowing if he really needs it. Definitely, a second opinion.

Also, I had 12 cavities when I was in about the 1st and 2nd grade. My mom was really great about us brushing and eating - just like you are careful. Sometimes it does happen, and it is not your fault. I never had caps or pulled teeth. I had little fillings, that is all. And, I was never put to sleep with gas. My teeth are great and never had any major problems as I grew and lost and grew in new teeth. I am really concerned about the dentist you went to, I would definitely go somewhere else before having your child go through something like that. But, if you find out he needs to, then you will know there is no other option and can deal with it better.

S.

H.,

First of all, don't feel like a bad mom. I have a 2 1/2 year old that I recently took to the dentist because he had a lot of decalcification on his front teeth and even a brown spot on one tooth. We too felt like bad parents even though we always brush his teeth. One of the things the dentist told me that made me feel better was that some people are just born with enamel that is not as good/strong as others and some people have more acid/bacteria in their mouth, which causes plaque and cavities. I had bad teeth as a child, so I'm sure he got his bad teeth from me. Anyway, we are scheduled for April to have surgery done at LeBonheur East. They will put him to sleep, clean his teeth, do x-rays, then do all the fillings (5) and crowns (3) at once. The good thing is we won't have to go several times to get all this done, and if he was only sedated, he would probably remember it all and then have a negative feeling about going to the dentist. This way, he won't remember having it all done and it will all be done at once. I know it is kind of scary and seems crazy because their baby teeth will fall out, but if the cavities are near the gumline, they can affect the permanent teeth, so it's important to get this taken care of. Who is your dentist? We are taking Nick to Bartlett Ped. Dentists and I really trust them. Hope all works out for you and your son.

K.

I had to do the same thing with my son when he was about the same age. His teeth were horrible no matter what we did or how much we brushed them they just got worse. We took him to a dentist and he said the same thing he would have to have caps put on them. we had the option of doing several visits in which the would numb the mouth and do a few at a time or he could be put under and have them all done at once. We him being so small i was worried about him going under, but it would be less painfull. In the end weput him under and had them all done and he came through it beautifully no problems.
This way he didn't fear the dentist so future visit were easy.

Hi! To respond to the last comment. NO you cannot let the baby teeth go, if it is a while before they lose them the deacy will go down to the perm tooth. I have always had perfect teeth but my husband comes from a family that has very bad teeth. My children all 3 had to be put to sleep. My oldest one had 19 out of 20 teeth that had a problem. My health insurance covered the anesthesia. I took 4 hours on my oldest. When they have that much extensive work it would take many visits and a lot more money at the dentist. Send me a message if you have any questions.

i have a friend who's son at age 3 had every one of his teeth in the steel crowns. He wasn't in them that long and he is now 10 and has beautiful teeth.
You are not a bad mom. You took him to the dentist didn't you?
You brushed his teeth didn't you?
Why do you think you are a bad mother?
We need to not be so hard on our selfs.
You are doing the best you know how.

Well i know it isn't what you want for your child to have to go through this but, his chances in having good, really good teeth after this is all over is really high.
I wish you luck and take my word for it his teeth will be fine when this is over.

DO NOT do this without getting a second opinion from another dentist. I have heard about dentists that do things that are not necessary just to make a buck. Ask a friend or lots of them for dentist recommendations and take the child to one or more of them and see what they have to say. Remember, just because she has DDS behind her name does not mean she is not a criminal. Oh, and if it turns out that your child does not need the work, report this woman to the American Dental Association, the Better Business Bureau and anyone else you can think of to warn, including your insurance company.

I would definately get a second opinion. Anytime a doctor or dentist has drastic measures/treatments it would be a good idea to have someone else take a look. There very well maybe some problems, but I wonder if he really needs to have his teeth capped.

i think you really should do it because there is no telling how long it will take for all of his baby teeth to fall out and eventually they will start causing him pain which as a mother my self i know you don't want that to happen. there are some people that just have bad teeth no matter how much they brush.i have 3 kids and one on the way and the oldest and youngest have had to have fillings and the oldest had to get a few teeth pulled and crowns. and i think he was 6 when he had his first absess, that was very scarry!!! but now my middle son on the other hand has never had a cavity or anything. so really it just depends on the child but i would really get him the work done to spare him the pain later on.

I would definately get a second opinion. That's a lot of work for your childs age.

My dentist told me, years ago, when thinking of teeth in each person to remember genetics is involved.( I didn't even think about that until it was brought to my attention, but makes perfect sence). Unfortunately, we're not all born with those genetics for beautiful white perfect straight teeth and very few people are. Don't beat yourself up, you are a great mom and don't think otherwise!

I do not know what you feed your little one but there's sugar in most everything we eat. Besides candy and juice, carbs(pastas, potatos, bananas etc.) have lots of sugar in them too. I know, I didn't used to think about until about a year ago. Definately get a second opinion or even a third if need be.

My 5 yo son got a silver crown at 4. I didn't take him to the dentist til he complained of his tooth hurtin. He was put under anathesia also. They filled 2 teeth at the same time. I'm sure I was not as diligent at brushing his teeth as u were..I am now. From what I understand..some people r just prone to having more cavities no matter what u do. Some of it is genetic....and I think they do some crowns because they know those teeth will be hard to brush because of the crevises r whatever. What they are asking of u though I have to admit sounds a bit excessive..before I would spend that kind of money I think I would have them clarify why he needs so much done to his teeth...especially when you were practicing good dental hygiene. If I could I think another opinion wouldn't hurt..that is alot of money and he does have to go under so anesthsia so you deserve to have all your questions answered. My son is due to go back to the dentist...I'll brace myself. God Bless C.

First of all, you are NOT a bad mother!! Sometimes there's nothing you can do. Genetics play a part and prenatal events play a part too.
I was pretty shocked too when I noticed my daughters teeth problems. We never, ever do juice or candy, and we were really careful about brushing teeth as soon as the first one came through.
My daughter had three abcesses and had to have four crowns put on at 18 months old because she had placental problems that affected her nutrition in utero. The baby teeth were forming in the gums then, and the problems created poor enamel on her teeth so they started decaying almost as soon as they broke through, despite all the brushing and care we did.
We decided to have the work done, primarily because we felt like they were causing her pain. Also, baby teeth are very important for speech development and alignment of adult teeth. We had the work done at the Children's Hospital under general anesthesia.
However, at four years old, you might be able to wait for them to fall out naturally though. I think they start to fall out naturally around 5 or 6 for most kids. Or if they cause any problems or pain you could possibly have the dentist pull them without going to the trouble and expense of caps. At age four, it wouldn't affect his speech development so much, and a good dentist could tell you if they would be crucial to his adult teeth.
A second opinion is ALWAYS a good idea if you have any questions.
I learned alot from this Yahoo group too.
____@____.com
We also used Dr. Vice in Hixson. He did amazing work, and my daughter recovered wonderfully. His office staff was incredible, and really advocated for us when we had problems with our insurance company. However, when we saw him in the office, Dr. Vice gave me the impression that he thought we must have been bad parents feeding her candy all the time for her teeth to get that way, and that was very upsetting when I was already feeling so bad for my baby. He didn't say it outright, but even when we told him about how we fed and cared for her, I didn't think he looked like he believed us, and kept telling us the same things over and over again.
Keep us posted about what you do, and lots of healing vibes to your little one!

My mother in law does day care. One of the girls that she has, has a mouth full of crowns. All of my nieces and nephews have bad teeth. It's definitely in the genes. My oldest even asked me one day when she got to get her special silver teeth! The fact is there is definitely a genetic disposition to the quality of teeth. One thing I can tell you is that you need to have them cleaned every 6 months and be sure that you are getting enough fluoride, or those teeth don't have a chance. I just thought I would let you know that what you are going through is not that uncommon. Don't feel like a bad mom. These things happen, and if you are making every effort to maintain good teeth, there is nothing more you can do.

Get a second opinion. Not someone this dentist recommends.

If at all possible, i would get a second opinion before having that extensive work done on a 4 year old! Crowns are a lot of work for a little one.... i wouldn't do it unless you get another opinion. Also, once your little one loses teeth & gets new ones in the back, they can put a sealer on it to prevent cavities. Hope that helps, but i would DEFINITELY get another opinion!!

What has happened with your son and his teeth? Did you find another Dentist for a second opinion? Just wondering how things are going! Thinking about you all! Ellen mom 2 two wonderful children.

I don't know anything about being that young. But, I do believe you should get a second opinion. I got one last year on my back tooth and it was really painful after they did. They gave me narcotics that didn't help much. It hurt for about 3 weeks after. I would not recomend this on a young child. I would not do this. I hope this help you.

well my three year old have to get 11 cavities filled because One dentist told me to just get the toothpaste in his mouth and I did just that and I even brushed but dentist two recommended me filling the cavities to prevent problems in the future. well he did this in children's hospital and I was very happy with the results. It turns out that the strawed cup and sippy cup that we let him keep by his beside was causing the problem. since the salvia decreases at night him drinking throughout night was causing the problem. so I recommend the surgery.

Hi- I have crowns and we now realize that well water was the culprit because it doesn't have flouride. Ask your dentist if a flouride rinse/toothpaste might be good for your son (if he's a good spitter and doesn't swallow it). If so, they can give you a prescription strength one that's better than over the counter.

My childhood dentist seemed to do tons of work on EVERYBODY. Not only that, he was mean, mean, mean. He would start drilling before the novicaine had numbed the area. I wouldn't refer anyone to that jerk.

A second opinion is definitely in order, and the time it takes to do that isn't going to make a huge difference if he only has cavities.

I have heard that the "baby" teeth are very important for the alignment of permanent teeth and that they should only be pulled when absolutely necessary. For a crown, the top portion of the tooth (above the gumline) is ground down to a nub, and the dentist would leave the root of the tooth intact.

Our dentist said to try to stay away from drinking juice all day long, sticky candies, raisins, fruit leathers, etc. as they are all bad for teeth. I have slowly been transitioning to sugar-free candies, and my daughter doesn't say much.... I also have started diluting her juice about 3/4 water to 1/4 juice.

I have a friend whose 2 year old had her front teeth crowned because she won't sleep without a bottle.

Hope some of this helps.
J.

Hi, My son was 4 yrs old for his first dental visit. He had 6 cavities to be filled and I thought I was a horrible mother because of it but, I was told it is not that uncommon. I would definitely get a second opinion for your son. We take our son to Dr. Daniel Freeman in Cordova.

Good Luck, J.

I would definitely get a second opinion! Perhaps there is something wrong with your water (is it well water?). I also suggest an electric tooth brush and a timer to make sure he brushes for 2 minutes twice a day. Make it fun somehow... Anyway, my daughter had a couple of cavities when she was young and just got fillings....no crowns, although I don't really know the difference. Let's face it, all of the teeth he has now will soon fall out and he'll get new ones!(but you do need dental care, maybe not crowns though) I have run into a couple of dentists here in Tennessee that seem to have quotas, so pleeease get another opinion from a dentist that works well with children!!! I think some of them really do only want your money! I have heard good things about Dr. Hurt in the Oak Ridge area (isn't that the perfect name for a Dentist?!)

Hello i am a morther of five i have a 17 year old a 15 year old two 10 year olds and a 4 year old... any way i have all was done what they told me to with my kids teeth i have a sister who has a little boy who is 7 any way my 17 year old has had all kind of thing done to her teeth and still is we started at the age of two she did sleep with a bottle and ever thing untell she was a little over a year my 15 year old has had a little work to her teeth and we started at the age 2 with her to but all in all he teeth are good and she sleep with a bottle untell she was almost 3 and then my 10 year old(one the 10 year old is mine the other is my husband they all live with us) sleep with a bottle and the a sippy cup untell he was like 4 and he has great teeth and then my 4 year old never sleep with a bottle our a cup and he had bad teeth he has three cap on his top three teeth.. any way im just saying i dont think it really matter what u do i think it all in there blood dont get me worng i feel if we did not do ever thing to help there teeth it could be worse... but my sister little boy his teeth are very very bad they had to pull like all his top bottom teeth when he was like two and they did come back untill these past year and not there BADDDD and my sister is one them who does ever thing bye the book with her kids so again i dont think it anything u did r did not do. it just who they are somthing that going on with in them... mabe with our way life these days ,,,, there so much in our food and air... that nothing is the way i should be like it was when our grandma and grandpa was kids and we have a ###-###-#### more thing to wor with then they did.... any way good luck i tell my 17 ever day girl u better stay in school and get a job with good inc u welll need it lol any way again good luck .....

I think you should definetly get a second opnion..I am really bad a making my daughter brush her teeth and we went for our first visit when she turned 4 and she had no cavities and they told us to keep up the good work. I am trying to be better at making her keep up with her teeth.I tell her if she doesn't brush then the sugar bugs will eat all her teeth away. It is working.I wish you the best of luck!

Get a second opinion. I recommend Dr. Hugh Vice in Hixson. He is a pediatric dentist. Just to let you know, they should start going to the dentist regularly for cleanings at age 3.

Well I don't know about crowns but I do know that you don't put a child through all that not to mention the cost for baby teeth!! My almost 7 year old always had beautiful teeth until about 2 years ago when his front top 4 teeth started rotting!! I was horrified and thought what a bad mother I was and every- thing else in the world until I found out there was nothing that I could have done...it had to do with lack of care from his birth mother during pregnancy and the milk with extra iron he was put on after he was born...the dentist says that as a father they will fall out!!! but as a dentist he recommended I could take him to a surgeon and have them removed but that if he were me he would get it some time, how if I can just get my son to wiggle the one that is loose so all 4 will start to fall out but I wouldn't go back to that dentist for nothing in the world!!!!!! Let me know what happens please.. D.

i think you should take him toanother doctor and see what they have to say, thats a bit much for a 4 year old