Farrar Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 I have to preface this by saying that I'm deathly afraid of the dentist, which, a) is way unlike me to be really phobic of things, but this is my thing and b) probably colors stuff like this. Ds has a tooth that came in really weird. Which, of course, is not so weird in and of itself. Except that all our interactions with the dentist seem weird to me about it. I never take the kids anymore because they got anxious there once and I was completely unable to help them and probably exacerbated the issue so all my information comes via dh, who, honestly, is not so hot at dealing with authorities about things like this, but that's what we got. The tooth refused to come in and they told dh that if it refused to come in for just another month, we should contact them, except then they still didn't care. And even when it first came to their attention, it had not come in for several months. What was one more month supposed to do? So when it did come, it came at a wacky angle. So on the most recent checkup, dh says that they insist they need to extract some baby teeth that are stopping it from coming in right. Except... I simply don't understand how that's possible. That tooth is permanent, the teeth on both sides of it are permanent now. The teeth under it are permanent. What are they extracting that's a baby tooth and how could it possibly have any effect on this tooth at this point? It's been in for several months now - really for the better part of a year. The dentist hasn't gotten back to my calls to try and understand what's up with this. But my understanding was that it's not good to extract permanent teeth. And I just don't understand what they think they're going to take out. I guess... I have a feeling that dentistry is more of an art than a science sometimes. Like, should we get a second opinion about this tooth? Does it even matter? Every single tooth in his mouth seems perfectly straight - no overbite - really good teeth... except this weird one. Will we have to get braces anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Take him for a free consultation with an orthodontist; at least around here most offices offer a free consult, so you can even go do consultations with several. Do get a copy of ex-rays though so each office doesn't want to take a new set. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 I would see someone else. If nothing else, it is a problem if they won't take the time to explain it to you. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 See an orthodontist. Also, while at the orthodontist, ask for a referral to a different dentist. You shouldn't have to wait days before getting treatment plan questions answered. Specialists, like oral surgeons and orthodontists see all of the local dentists work and can give you a good referral to a reliable dental practice. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 I would see someone else. If nothing else, it is a problem if they won't take the time to explain it to you. Yes. My dentist explained periodontal disease to me--I knew I had a problem, I was willing to pay, but I really like how seriously he took my questions. And not a "let me speak stupid to you" explanation, either. It was a good explanation. We're all paying for this with our dental insurance so Farrar I say get a second opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 Well, it's probably unfair for me to overly complain about the dentist. It's not like I've been calling and calling. Really, I called once and dh called once. Mostly we like them. They're pretty nice. I'm sort of suspicious of going to the orthodontist... doesn't every orthodontist tell you your kid needs braces no matter what? I mean, it's a money game to some extent. He has one crooked tooth that doesn't bother him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Well, it's probably unfair for me to overly complain about the dentist. It's not like I've been calling and calling. Really, I called once and dh called once. Mostly we like them. They're pretty nice. I'm sort of suspicious of going to the orthodontist... doesn't every orthodontist tell you your kid needs braces no matter what? I mean, it's a money game to some extent. He has one crooked tooth that doesn't bother him. You know, I am pretty much suspicious of all dental type people, that they are trying to sell me something I don't need. That sounds awful, but there it is. I feel much the same way in recent years about veterinarians. The orthodontist we've seen in the same. And funeral homes. Many seem to belong to these big conglomerates, or have what seem to be very slick systems that seem to be about very efficiently making money. It isn't that I think they are incompetent, or are even trying to give poor advice to make money. I feel like they are working in systems though that are essentially commercial, and often set up by guys at the head office. I try and always take what they say with a kind of skepticism, but it is hard to do it when you don't have much real expertise. I manage it some with vets because it isn't that different from evaluating a doctor, but with dentists I am less sure of my judgements. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 If the dentist is talking about pulling teeth (an absolute last resort imo and experience), I would definitely want an orthodontist consult, preferably 2 or 3. In my experience, you may get different thoughts from each. It is an art, and the school the orthodontists attend will influence their recommendations as well. You don't have to do braces no matter what they say. But you'll at least have a, hopefully, informed opinion. I absolutely wouldn't let the dentist pull anything! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Never say Never, but I would have to be completely convinced in my own mind that the tooth needed to be pulled before I allowed it! Absolutely get a second opinion - get a third opinion if you need it!!!!! Anne 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Well, it's probably unfair for me to overly complain about the dentist. It's not like I've been calling and calling. Really, I called once and dh called once. Mostly we like them. They're pretty nice. I'm sort of suspicious of going to the orthodontist... doesn't every orthodontist tell you your kid needs braces no matter what? I mean, it's a money game to some extent. He has one crooked tooth that doesn't bother him. The thing about orthodontist consults is that most give them for free. So you can go see 2 or 3 or 10 and compare their recommendations. IMO if you get two (or more) with essentially the same recommendation then chances are it's really necessary. Oldest DS had model perfect front teeth. Truly. The orthodontist said "it doesn't get any better than that." But then he showed me the x-rays of DS's side teeth, and even my untrained eye knew braces were needed. And that was after our dentist had said DS needed braces. So really the ortho was confirming what the dentist had said. And they were in different towns about 15 miles apart. I doubt they even knew each other, let alone had any kind of collusion scam going on. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 OP do you want to get another opinion? Just do it. Our dentist is also an orthodontist and has specialty in special needs (I don't think you need that, but it was great for my spd ds and my ds with Down syndrome). He doesn't say everyone needs braces. He does the whole pros and cons. All three of mine would be recommended for braces elsewhere. Only my dd had stage 1 (palate expander). He said we could do stage 2, but it wasn't necessary. With the boys he went over the pros and cons and said the need for extra hygiene and food issues while wearing braces would probably be too much for their special needs issues and not worth the long term benefits. Anyway, if you can find someone who can help you do a big picture evaluation of cost/benefits solutions to your ds' needs, I'd get a second opinion. BTW our dentist is in McLean/Tysons (a bit of a hike for you). If you want his name message me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Friend's kid's front tooth came in at 90º, her dentist said it would naturally straighten, for what that random anecdote is worth. I am very skeptical of dentists, myself. I would definitely get a second opinion before taking any action. I'm glad it sounds like a benign problem, although that would rob me of a lot of the motivation to stay on it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 I feel the same way about dentists. I have my husband bring them. DS 9 at one point had the two permanent teeth in the front coming out even though the baby teeth had not fallen out yet. So picture four teeth vying for the same spot. It looked crazy. I called the dentist and he wasn't concerned. He told me to try pulling out the other teeth. I did not do that because yuck that would just be too freaky. They eventually fell out on their own. Took a couple of weeks after I noticed. As a result the two front teeth looked CRAZY to say the least. Dentist said I could have him looked at by an ortho. I did not do that and wanted to basically wait and see. I don't know how long it took, but now the teeth look perfectly normal. They straightened perfectly. I realize, totally anecdotal. I'm truly baffled by the fact dentists having such radically different approaches. Ours is very laid back and a "wait and see" sort of person. I appreciate that! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 I'm truly baffled by the fact dentists having such radically different approaches. Yes! Why do they all seem to be operating in random, self-interested ways? I don't have any dental insurance, so if you recommend a procedure or product, I am suspicious if you don't know how much it will cost. If your fancy laser machine doesn't beep to indicate a cavity, why do you decide I need $2000 worth of filling work? Why do neither of you comment on the "issue" the other dentist focused on? Whoops, sorry, the siren song of the soap box proved too much for me. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Yes! Why do they all seem to be operating in random, self-interested ways? I don't have any dental insurance, so if you recommend a procedure or product, I am suspicious if you don't know how much it will cost. If your fancy laser machine doesn't beep to indicate a cavity, why do you decide I need $2000 worth of filling work? Why do neither of you comment on the "issue" the other dentist focused on? Whoops, sorry, the siren song of the soap box proved too much for me. I feel the same. I've been told some pretty crazy things by dentists. I like that our dentist doesn't seem to do unnecessary things, but we do joke that when he finds something he must have some big upcoming expense. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 When ds2 was around 9 or 10yo he had both upper canines come in weird. Our dentist said we could wait to see if they come down but we might want to go ahead and consult an orthodontist. So that's what we did because ds2 was really embarrassed about his teeth and wouldn't smile because of it. He did get braces to fix the teeth and, as it happened, a slight underbite. (He did end up needing braces again as a teen to correct the underbite. The ortho had told us during the first round that the underbite would resurface as puberty hit and he started really growing.) Anyway, once ds2 started with braces and knew his teeth would be ok he started smiling again. ETA: no teeth pulled; ortho never recommended it as he had sufficient space for the teeth to move 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaraby Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 I think (gently) that you need to work through the dentist phobia thing which includes finding a new dentist that you're more comfortable with. Since you're not sure how to handle the existing issue, this is the perfect time to start previewing other care providers. If the dentist can explain how they would handle something and why in a way that makes you feel respected and comfortable, then odds are the other normal stuff would probably work, too. For the kids - what about a pediatric dentist? My kids have never minded the dentist per se, but they adore the pediatric dentist and tend to be rather excited about going. IME, they are generally more focused on helping kids through the experience and talking to them about the whys and hows. As the wife of a guy whose parents neglected dental care...it sure would have been nicer if they hadn't. Fixing dh's issue would have been cheaper if they had done it earlier or just kept up, IYKWIM. Maybe nothing needs to be done for your ds' tooth. Maybe it does. If it does, imo, it's better to figure that out now rather than later. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 Well, there's no way I'll work through this phobia. I've had too many horrible dentist experiences. One of the reasons I'm not likely to move from this place is that the practice also includes my dentist and I actually like her. The communication issue happens with Dh and every medical provider, no matter what if he ends up taking the kids without me. He's terrible at doing anything other than nodding and taking their advice. For our pediatrician, that's basically fine since we trust her to the nth degree, but it does frustrate me that I'll be like, and why or how or whatever and he'll have zero clue. I'm glad other people feel that pulling a mystery tooth seems extreme without a lot more explanation and that dentistry seems like it's got a ton of different approaches. I'm going to cancel the appointment until I can talk to them. The whole thing is too weird. Here's hoping that whatever happens the tooth straightens on its own. It mostly just looks funny. It's not really at an angle, it's up high. Very odd. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Well, you are one step ahead of me. I don't even go to the dentist. Luckily my husband does not have my insane phobia and he takes the kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 So your original post talks about pulling baby teeth. This really isn't a big deal and you need to talk to the dentist to find out which tooth or teeth are preventing the permanent from coming in correctly. If it's the baby tooth in the spot where the permanent is supposed to be, the permanent may be at such a weird angle that it hasn't dissolved the baby's roots and will never push the baby tooth out. All of my kids have had at least one baby tooth pulled because a misaligned permanent never pushed it out. The dentist did the procedure (not an oral surgeon), numbing wasn't always necessary, it was cheap, and it provided a place for the permanent tooth. Now my middle dd also had eye teeth that never came all the way down. There was not enough room for the teeth and she did need braces for them to come down properly. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 I would not have a dentist pull a grown-up tooth that randomly came in wonky without consulting an orthodontist, maybe even two. Orthodontists offer free consults/second opinions all the time. It's pretty standard. Ask around among your friends about reputations of orthodontists in your area. For example, I talked that part over with my own dentist (my kids see a ped dentist), who I consider a friend. He gave me the scoop on the various orthos he knows. For example, one of my kids has seen the ortho right across the hall from my dentist for a palate expander and will probably see him for braces. His work is believed to be of good quality though there is a big-business feel to the operation, if you know what I mean (a game room, etc.). My dentist recommended a different guy who is further away for second opinions, to see if they agree with the first guy - the second guy is known for being super careful, dotting i's/crossing t's etc. but his location is inconvenient for frequent appointments so we would not choose to have the work done there unless the recommendation is substantially different. Eta, it's a baby tooth? That's less of a big deal. Still, the dentists and orthos in my area seem to be against pulling unless absolutely necessary. I think it's worth a free trip to an ortho to hear that it's necessary. They will probably do a panoramic X-ray if you don't already have a recent one. One of my ds12s is still waiting on some permanent teeth to come down before he can get braces. (Not that he's looking forward to it, but we've long known he would need them - it's pretty obvious.) The teeth are up high and there's not a lot of room but we're still hopeful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Here's hoping that whatever happens the tooth straightens on its own. It mostly just looks funny. It's not really at an angle, it's up high. Very odd. That was how ds2's teeth were--they came in high. The ortho said they may or may not move down on their own. But as I mentioned above, part of why we went ahead with braces was ds2 was embarrassed by how they looked. The teeth had been odd too long for his comfort. He was really happy we decided on that route. I hope your situation works out. :grouphug: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 You don't have to leave your dentist even if you take the kids elsewhere, do you? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 So your original post talks about pulling baby teeth. This really isn't a big deal and you need to talk to the dentist to find out which tooth or teeth are preventing the permanent from coming in correctly. If it's the baby tooth in the spot where the permanent is supposed to be, the permanent may be at such a weird angle that it hasn't dissolved the baby's roots and will never push the baby tooth out. All of my kids have had at least one baby tooth pulled because a misaligned permanent never pushed it out. The dentist did the procedure (not an oral surgeon), numbing wasn't always necessary, it was cheap, and it provided a place for the permanent tooth. Now my middle dd also had eye teeth that never came all the way down. There was not enough room for the teeth and she did need braces for them to come down properly. Okay, that's the first thing anyone has said that makes any sense. So there may be a baby tooth root in there that we can't see? I just couldn't figure out what baby tooth could possibly be having any effect on this tooth since as far as we can see, the baby tooth it replaced and all the adjacent ones both up and down are all out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Our general rule is to never remove healthy teeth. I'd refuse. I had several dentists and orthodontist suggest removing healthy teeth and I just kept going until I found a dentist who wouldn't even suggest doing that. Those kids now have great teeth with no problems, so I'm happy with that decision we made. And none of the rest matters. You should go to a new dentist bc you and your kids don't trust/like this one. That's plenty good enough reason on its own. ETA: If there is something under the gums that needs removed, it should show up on the X-ray and they should be pointing it out to you. It should be clear and easy to explain. There's no reason for you to be confused about it bc the dentist should be more than able to literally show you what he is talking about. ETA2: I have one son who does not have an adult tooth to replace some of his baby teeth, so I never remove healthy baby teeth either. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 There are potential issues with removing teeth as well. Even baby teeth. If the adult tooth does not grow in fast enough you risk teeth shifting in such a way teeth get crowded. One of mine had to have a baby tooth removed early because of a cavity that was too big to fill so the dentist even had to put a spacer in there. This might not be an issue at all in your case, but just thought I'd throw that out there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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