5 1/2 year old needs crown or space maintainer - Dental Health Message Board

ngaines14 · 05-18-2009, 09:57 PM

"My 5 year old had filing done in between both molars 6 months ago. She complained of pain after procedure and I ignored thinking she had to get use of filing. Now 6 months later Dentist stated cavity has grown under filling and will have to put crown or pull tooth and put space maintainer. Which procedure is best since you will see crown since she smiles so big? Which is beneficial to my child in the long run. They keep resuring me that to pull tooth and put space maintainer will be best and less invasive. Also they say space maintainer will only be in mouth for about a year. Is this true?"

Stribe · 05-18-2009, 11:08 PM

If your daughter is not even 6 yet, she is going to have those primary molars for at least another 6 years, you want to do as much possible to save the teeth. Crowns are much better than space maintainers if the nerve are not infected. Space maintainers will not look any better than crowns anyway...any tooth is better than a black gap.

The only thing the dentist could have meant is that the specific space maintainer will only be in there until the first permanent molar comes in. Then a different space maintainer will be needed until your daughter is 12-13 when the permanent premolars come in. note* the space maintainers that are placed prior to the first permanent tooth are extremely un-hygienic and can lead to multiple minor infections.

ngaines14 · 05-19-2009, 01:09 AM

Thank you for replying!! Are you in the Dental field?

ngaines14 · 05-19-2009, 07:58 AM

[QUOTE=ngaines14;3988487]Thank you for replying!! Are you in the Dental field? If this isn't true what the Dentist stated about less invasive to pull tooth versus crown. Should I seek second opinion? Is it possible that they didn't get all cavity out 6 months ago? My husband states after several disagreements does it even matter at this point? Dentist stated cavity is big and close to nerve. At first Dentist stated she will go in and put some medicine in and cover with silver crown. Then stated if it was her child she would have pulled and put space maintainer which again stressed less invasive. I want what is best for my child. Lastly can my child have white crown versus silver crown? If so, will it last till new molar comes in?"

Stribe · 05-19-2009, 04:22 PM

I am not allowed to answer your first question here. As for the rest:

"Should I seek second opinion? "
If you are unsure at all about treatment anywhere, a second opinion is always a good idea.

"Is it possible that they didn't get all cavity out 6 months ago?"
Not likely, but its possible. If it was a white filling, they do not tend to last long in primary teeth at a certain size and location.

"My husband states after several disagreements does it even matter at this point?"
It would only matter to the point if you trust your current dentist's work or not. Do realize, even dentists make mistakes from time to time. But at 6 months, I would ask if they could at least credit you back the cost of the filling, since it failed very early.

"At first Dentist stated she will go in and put some medicine in and cover with silver crown. "
Very typical procedure as long as your daughter is not having any spontaneous pain (ex. wakes her up at night). It does not have a 100% success rate, but its better long term to keep the tooth.

I am not sure why your dentist said an extraction is less invasive. To me, yanking a tooth out of the bone would seem much more traumatic than putting a cap on it. She may just not be comfortable with primary crowns, some dentists get very little experience with children in school. You may want to check with a pediatric dentist (specialist) if you are going for a second opinion.

"Lastly can my child have white crown versus silver crown? If so, will it last till new molar comes in?"
White crowns are almost never done in children for a variety of reasons including cost (3-4 times the cost), child's experience (silver are done MUCH faster and in 1 appt.), and durability.