Please help, dental issues for Brody

Brody is 3 1/2. We had a dental check up in November and he has cavities that need to be filled. They suggested he be put under by an Anesthesiologist.

Then the Pediatrician found that he had a heart murmur. We then had to wait over a month to see the Cardiologist and he was cleared for any type of surgery.

We called Dentist to book it and found it would be over $2,000 with the Anesthesiologist and dental work. The Anesthesiologist doesn't take insurance, cash only. Not only is it $$$$$$$$$, I started to freak at the thought of him being put under.

So, I went and got second opinion. That Dentist said that they use Benadryl to sedate a child. You bring in your own bottle, give them 3x the normal dose and wait and see if it knocks them out enough to fill cavities.
Really? Sounded ridiculous to me!

On to third opinion. Yes he needs them filled. But they use a papoose. They do not put the children out, in his opinion too dangerous. So, I made an appointment for next week, and just chickened out and cancelled. I couldn't deal with the thought of him being tied up.

I know that we need to take care of this asap. There are so many different professional opinions about how to do it, I don't know what to do. He absolutely will not cooperate. He barely opens his mouth for them.

Any suggestions?

Thank You

Re: Please help, dental issues for Brody

We had a similar issue with my younger son. He was petrified of getting any dental work done and I was petrified of putting him under anesthesia. We decided to try to do the fillings ( he needed 7 ) with sweet air and Phineas and Ferb on a Tv on the ceiling and see if that was relaxing and distracting enough. Luckily it worked for us. May try that route first?

Re: Please help, dental issues for Brody

DS had cavities filled at LIJ Cohen's He wasn't put out, but they were good at dealing with the struggles.

It must have been under our medical insurance, since I never gave them my dental account. But he was a patient, so that could have been a completely different scenario.

Re: Please help, dental issues for Brody

Re: Please help, dental issues for Brody

DD had fillings done, and teeth pulled (because of crowding, and her adult teeth were coming in without pushing them out) and she has sweet air and a TV on like a PP said.

I bring her to KiddSmiles in Manhasset but they have offices in Holbrook, N. Babylon and Merrick too.

And IMO, the person who recommended giving DS 3x the amount of benadryl should be smacked !! That is CRAZY that they would purposefully OD a kid on medicine to see if it knocked him out ?!?!?! wow.

Good luck !!

Re: Please help, dental issues for Brody

DD had to have several fillings done at 4 years old. She got sweet air, the numbing cream then novicane and was fine. They also had a TV on the whole time. We use Dr Kitsos

Re: Please help, dental issues for Brody

No child should be put under for any dental procedure unless 100% needed. The Benedryl response=run far away from that office. In my 12 yrs of practicing hygiene I have never heard that. I am not a fan of the papoose unless needed either. I would ask for recs around your area and go to an office that uses gas, lots of tricks and tvs etc. Kidssmiles has a great rec but I don't know where you are. Good luck!

Re: Please help, dental issues for Brody

Kidssmiles and numerous other dentists wanted sedation for my son, which like you, isn't covered under insurance. Well, unless it's done in a hospital. So we went to Stony Brook Dental, and they were able to do the work without sedation, just using the sweet air, and having patience. The problem with most places is that they have no patience for kids who are fearful. We see someone in the special needs department though. Not sure if your son is NT or special needs, but you might want to give them a call.

Re: Please help, dental issues for Brody

DS had to have a pulpectomy (baby root canal) at that age and his dentist did it with sweet air and awesome bedside manner. Ds loves his dentist-Dr. J at Kid Island Dental in Hicksville. Dr. J is so patient and has a gentle manner with children. So if you are in that area, look him up.

Re: Please help, dental issues for Brody

DS needed nine cavities filled as well as a baby root canal when he was 4. He was put under anesthesia and everything was fine.

When DS was 2, he chipped a tooth and the dentist fixed it while he was in a papoose. I would not recommend that method for any work that takes longer than 5-10 minutes, and I wouldn't use it for an older child, who will remember it and be traumatized. DS was 2 and doesn't remember it.

Re: Please help, dental issues for Brody

Robbie had some drug that we gave him a half hour before taking him to the dentist. Yeah.. I drugged my kid. It made him a little dopey.. just enough that he would tolerate the novacaine shots without struggling.