When to get dentist 2nd opinion

[melissamomof5]

We've been going to this dentist for 2 or 3 years now. I like him okay, his hygienists are nice and wonderful with the kids. 

 

However, I just keep wondering if he's over zealous when it comes to treating "cavities"? 

 

I've had teeth problems my whole life. I have only been in for a few cleanings the past 8 or 9 years due to lack of insurance. I have 9 teeth he wants to either do bonding or fillings on right now. I do actually trust this, because I can see/feel these problems.

 

However, with the kids, if the "cavity" is only visible on an xray, do we really need to go filling it? 

 

Dd1 - no cavities

dd2 - he has filled the same spot twice, and both times it has fallen out. The most recent fall out was the night before our appt (this week). She thought it had been loose for some time. He put a temporary filling in, but scheduled her to re-do it as it has new decay under it. I am frustrated it's fallen out twice. I didn't get a chance to speak to him about it at the visit the other day, but I plan to go in and ask about it Monday.

dd3 - has 3  new cavities. She's already had a handful done.

ds - this was his first cleaning ever. He turned 5 yesterday. They did x-rays on him before I even knew it. I don't think his cavities even were visible without the xray. But supposedly he has 4 around one tooth. They want to fill them. I am afraid of how he will handle this. He takes a flight approach to when you want to put neosporin or even just chapstick or lotion on him. :P

 

I do not want to have a new dentist ask for our x-rays. 

 

My thoughts are this.

 

#1 - just trust him and get the work done...afterall...I do like the office and they are good with kids

#2 - cancel fillings and find a new dentist to go to in 6 months for our next appts and see what they say

 

[Wildcat]

I am not a dentist and have had a fabulous dentist for 30 years, so I can't help there. What I can help with is your question "when to get a second opinion". My personal 'bar' for that is any time I wonder if I need a second opinion, I should get one. I figure it's my intuition kicking in.

 

Just my $.02.

[SparklyUnicorn]

That doesn't sound crazy to me.  I'll give you an example of "crazy".  My husband with perfect teeth all his life was told by a dentist that he had 12 cavities.  I told him to get a second opinion.  That guy didn't find any.  He's been going to him for years and in that time none.  So one or two...that wouldn't concern me.  Different dentists do seem to be more quick to do filling than others.  For sure.  That same guy sees our kids and they have had a filling here or there. 

I think the part that would make me wonder was the filling falling out twice.  That doesn't seem right to me.  I've never had that happen.

 

Of course you are also free to just not have it done.

 

[Ausmumof3]

Small cavities can recalcify if the diet and dental hygiene are really good. If you don't plan on making any change it would be good to get them done but if they are really small and you could change something that might help it I'd be inclined to leave it or get a second opinion.

[PeterPan]

If the filling falls out within a period of time (a couple years), usually the dentist puts it back in for free.  

 

And yes, I agree, just the fact that you're asking this question means you should be getting one.  And I'd have a COW if the dentist did x-rays without asking.  They're expensive!!  Ours ALWAYS asks.  

 

So yes, sounds like a 2nd opinion would be good.  

[melissamomof5]

Thank you all. 

 

We do have insurance. So, the xrays were covered, but I just didn't expect her to go so gung-ho on his first visit.

 

I also am sure he will refill the filling for free, but the anxiety it has caused my daugher to have it fall out twice and need to be done for a 3rd time. The first two times she went with no numbing because she was more anxious/afraid of the shot. But I have convinced her she would do much better with the numbing shot...it's much less disturbing than having a hole drilled for a 3rd time in your tooth. 

 

 

[duckens]

There are two types of dentists:

1) Dentists who "wait and see," and

2) Dentists who want to fix everything NOW.

You may have a dentist who is of the latter group.

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I have also seen that younger dentists (fresh out of dental school, opened their own practice, and have lots of college debt) anecdotally fit into the second category.  :(

 

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Beware of franchises.  Dental franchises are a growing segment of dental care, and the owners are under high pressure to rev up income.

Aspen, Great Expressions, Comfort Dental, and FLOSS are a few, but there are others.  I would RUN, DON'T WALK away from these health care providers. 

They have a record of recommending (in a dire tone) an expensive course of care (rather than options that fit the income of the patient).  They pressure patients to sign for care right now, and they provide expensive payment plans that some patients cannot afford.

Here is one of many articles on the subject.

There was also the news story about the (mostly low income) CHILDREN that were given unnecessary dental procedures at a children's dental franchise.  (This makes me mad because it is children, and it makes me mad because it is government money being fraudulently wasted).   Here is an unrelated document about that story.

[luuknam]

IIRC resin ( = white) fillings fall out fairly easily if the tooth wasn't perfectly dry when they were put in. My dentist generally prefers resins over amalgam, but he recommended putting in an amalgam one for the cavity that was at the gum line in my back bottom molar, because it's so hard to keep dry enough while filling (because of the potential of bleeding gums and saliva). So I have an amalgam one there (because no-one sees stuff back there anyway).

 

C had a dental appt this morning with a pediatric dentist because his regular dentist couldn't fill the cavities in his back molar due to excessive gagging. So I asked the pediatric dentist if she was going to use amalgam, and she said no, she never uses amalgams, because she has many autistic patients? Gah. C is autistic, was autistic, and probably will remain autistic regardless of whatever fillings you put in him. But w/e. They also found a bunch of tiny cavities in his baby teeth they want to fill. I'm going to ask his regular dentist for his opinion first.

[Amy in NH]

We've been going to this dentist for 2 or 3 years now. I like him okay, his hygienists are nice and wonderful with the kids. 

 

However, I just keep wondering if he's over zealous when it comes to treating "cavities"? 

 

[sNIP]

 

I do not want to have a new dentist ask for our x-rays. 

 

My thoughts are this.

 

#1 - just trust him and get the work done...afterall...I do like the office and they are good with kids

#2 - cancel fillings and find a new dentist to go to in 6 months for our next appts and see what they say

 

You should get a second opinion.  Tell the office you want a copy of the x-rays for your personal files.

[Tsuga]

If the second opinion will cost less than or equal to 15% of the cost of recommended treatment over the course of one year, or 5% of total treatment, and if you have doubts, get it.

 

I pulled that # out of my asterisk but I'm a good risk assessor.

[PeterPan]

There have been changes with glues used for composite fillings, and some of the newer glues are more durable than the older ones were.   There's no reason to take the known risk of amalgam fillings.  Current composite fillings are fine with a good dentist.  I have a mouthful of them and have no issues with durability.

[itsheresomewhere]

Is this a baby tooth? If it is, the filling maybe popping out because the tooth is loose.