Any Dentists out there? Does this sound right?
Discussion
My son (10yrs) has been to the dentist today who has identified one of his adult teeth near the back is broken?
They have recommended removal.
Option A: Under local anaesthetic they can do it in a few weeks time.
Option B: Under general anaesthetic with the NHS it is a 2 year wait!!! This can't be right can it?
Option C: It is £2000 to go private with general anaesthetic.
Thoughts?
Does this sound right or do we need to ask more questions? If so what?
Thanks in advance!
They have recommended removal.
Option A: Under local anaesthetic they can do it in a few weeks time.
Option B: Under general anaesthetic with the NHS it is a 2 year wait!!! This can't be right can it?
Option C: It is £2000 to go private with general anaesthetic.
Thoughts?
Does this sound right or do we need to ask more questions? If so what?
Thanks in advance!
Not a dentist but I cracked one of my back ones a few years ago and had it removed under local anaesthetic. From memory it would have been several months wait to have it done in hospital even back in normal times.
The broken tooth didn't cause me any issues, it didn't get infected or cause any pain.
There was quite a lot of blood and grinding but zero pain when it was extracted (possibly due to an old nerve injury!).
The roots of this tooth literally curved 90 degrees under the wisdom tooth, so there was the risk it wouldn't come out complete and they would need to cut the bone, which needs a general(?).
If the dentist is confident he can remove it I would personally go for the local again.
The broken tooth didn't cause me any issues, it didn't get infected or cause any pain.
There was quite a lot of blood and grinding but zero pain when it was extracted (possibly due to an old nerve injury!).
The roots of this tooth literally curved 90 degrees under the wisdom tooth, so there was the risk it wouldn't come out complete and they would need to cut the bone, which needs a general(?).
If the dentist is confident he can remove it I would personally go for the local again.
The options described are pretty much what I would offer. Waiting lists for GA vary around the country but for comparison, oral surgery referrals in the North west without GA aren’t being seen until at least February. The GA definitely adds a significant wait on top.
Extracting a molar on a 10 year old is not much fun for anyone involved including the dentist. If your Son is a pretty good patient and has had treatment with LA in the past the I’d say he should be fine with it. If he is nervous / needle phobic or has never had treatment then it may be something that puts him off future dentistry so personally would tread lightly.
I’d be keen to see if there was any chance of the tooth being saved with something like Root canal treatment which although difficult in a 10 year old, is not impossible and would maintain the space for future.
Lastly, it would be good to identify that if it is an adult molar, it will have only been erupted for 4-5 years and so why has it decayed? As a father of 12 & 13 year olds, it’s almost certainly too much sugary crap / fizzy drinks and / or not enough cleaning with a fluoride toothpaste. This is important to address to prevent any further loss of important teeth.
Hope this helps.
Extracting a molar on a 10 year old is not much fun for anyone involved including the dentist. If your Son is a pretty good patient and has had treatment with LA in the past the I’d say he should be fine with it. If he is nervous / needle phobic or has never had treatment then it may be something that puts him off future dentistry so personally would tread lightly.
I’d be keen to see if there was any chance of the tooth being saved with something like Root canal treatment which although difficult in a 10 year old, is not impossible and would maintain the space for future.
Lastly, it would be good to identify that if it is an adult molar, it will have only been erupted for 4-5 years and so why has it decayed? As a father of 12 & 13 year olds, it’s almost certainly too much sugary crap / fizzy drinks and / or not enough cleaning with a fluoride toothpaste. This is important to address to prevent any further loss of important teeth.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for the replies. Speaking to some others the wait for a general anesthetic seems to be as expected but I'm still shocked if I'm honest.
The problem appears to be due to a crack rather than decay. The irony is he doesn't drink or even like fizzy drinks and sweets are minimal. He is great at teeth brushing as well and has had no other problems. It looks just like bad luck!
The problem appears to be due to a crack rather than decay. The irony is he doesn't drink or even like fizzy drinks and sweets are minimal. He is great at teeth brushing as well and has had no other problems. It looks just like bad luck!
cringle said:
How exactly am I trolling? If you really don't understand why your son got such bad tooth decay, go and have a diet analysis with your dentist. As if nothing in his diet changes, it will only be a matter of time before another tooth is lost. Really isn't rocket science.
Why do you assume tooth decay is involved in this problem? The op said the tooth is broken/cracked, this could have been caused by many things including the kid grinding his teeth or biting on something hard.cringle said:
How exactly am I trolling? If you really don't understand why your son got such bad tooth decay, go and have a diet analysis with your dentist. As if nothing in his diet changes, it will only be a matter of time before another tooth is lost. Really isn't rocket science.
Even if the kid is eating too much sugar, he's brushing twice a day and that level of decay wouldn't have set in.It's clearly a freak accident.
Retired dentist here.
Is sedation available for him? Specifically Inhalation Sedation. Works really really well for kids of that age and should make the whole experience much more pleasant for him.
GA is not without some risk to your son, it really should be avoided if at all possible.
Is sedation available for him? Specifically Inhalation Sedation. Works really really well for kids of that age and should make the whole experience much more pleasant for him.
GA is not without some risk to your son, it really should be avoided if at all possible.
cringle said:
5 years at dental school, 15 years in the field and owning/working full time in an NHS practice in a very high needs area in Manchester. What are your credentials?
Not sure who this is aimed at but if you're a dentist, you sound very unprofessional, you can't possibly know the state of his son's teeth without looking at them.Well - things moved a little quicker than expected. The tooth has been removed. It wasn't a great experience for him but the dentist was so patient and professional we have written them a short note of thanks.
I do agree about the inherent risks of a GA. I think my concerns were largely as a neurotic Dad who was worried about how he would handle it. I have to say my son was excellent and thoroughly earned hisbribe reward.
Thanks for the positive replies.
I do agree about the inherent risks of a GA. I think my concerns were largely as a neurotic Dad who was worried about how he would handle it. I have to say my son was excellent and thoroughly earned his
Thanks for the positive replies.
oakdale said:
Not sure who this is aimed at but if you're a dentist, you sound very unprofessional, you can't possibly know the state of his son's teeth without looking at them.
Well it's a bit like buying a new BMW 5 series and asking why it needs scrapping after 2 years, when it's been gently driven. And your remark discounts what I see on a daily basis. I have never, in 15 years, had a 10 year old who needed a back tooth out for anything other than tooth decay related to excessive sugar consumption.
Front teeth can become involved in trauma, but not back teeth.
Clenching or grinding can lead to tooth loss, the youngest I've seen that is in patients in their 50s.
Breamster I'm happy to hear that your son is sorted. I'm assuming you asked your dentist about diet? I think you should share what was said here for the benefit of others.
cringle said:
oakdale said:
Not sure who this is aimed at but if you're a dentist, you sound very unprofessional, you can't possibly know the state of his son's teeth without looking at them.
Well it's a bit like buying a new BMW 5 series and asking why it needs scrapping after 2 years, when it's been gently driven. And your remark discounts what I see on a daily basis. I have never, in 15 years, had a 10 year old who needed a back tooth out for anything other than tooth decay related to excessive sugar consumption.
Front teeth can become involved in trauma, but not back teeth.
Clenching or grinding can lead to tooth loss, the youngest I've seen that is in patients in their 50s.
Breamster I'm happy to hear that your son is sorted. I'm assuming you asked your dentist about diet? I think you should share what was said here for the benefit of others.
The dentist said all his teeth are very good apart from the one cracked one. She had no dietary recommendations and she made a point of saying that it looks like just bad luck. We did specifically ask about his diet and general dental hygiene on both visits and had a really good chat with her.
For background - we are a family of four and I am the only one to have one small filling.
For info. I don't doubt your credentials but I do disagree with your approach and tone. To assume you can make a better diagnosis without the benefit of even seeing the patient in question or x-rays etc is very arrogant.
There is a way to respond on public forums that doesn't antagonise people.
If you look at all the other posts in this thread everyone responded to me in a kind and well intentioned manner. I think Deckster and Oakdale summed you up very well.
cringle said:
5 years at dental school, 15 years in the field and owning/working full time in an NHS practice in a very high needs area in Manchester. What are your credentials?
Oh my word, you are actually a dentist too. You are utterly vile and exactly the sort of dentist that makes maintaining good oral hygiene with regular checkups far more stressful than it should be for thousands of people.The OP did you the service of replying with what his dentist told his son, would you do us the courtesy of telling us which practice you work at so those in your area know to avoid it at all costs?
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