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06-11-2010, 09:24 PM
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#1 | | Newbie (female)
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 5
|  flipper for 4 year old
my son lost his two front upper teeth when he was two years old -- they fell out completely with root. they were baby teeth.
my dentist says his adult teeth will come in when he's 7 years old which is later than the normal. meantime, i'm thinking of getting him a flipper.
the dentist says he could get a removable one or one that can be cemented on.
i'm leaning towards to getting the one that's cemented on, (semi) permanent. because the dentist says it's going to be more comfortable to wear because of its smaller palate and my son would like the one that doesn't need to be removed everyday. i couldn't find much information about this (semi) permanent flipper and am concerned if it's difficult to clean and i'm afraid it could easily cause a gum problem. has anyone had one like that? what's your experience with it?
also i'm concerned about a kid wearing a flipper. would it cause any speech problem or affect the normal growth of teeth/jaw? i don't want to risk my son's heath over the looks... any thoughts?
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06-12-2010, 08:09 AM
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#2 | | Veteran (female)
Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NY
Posts: 469
| Re: flipper for 4 year old
I think that you are right and should DEFINITELY go with a cemented flipper.
Even adults with flippers that can be removed find it a little annoying and uncomfortable. I think that by having these important teeth replaced, your son will actually have better speech, not worse. It should not affect the other teeth at all
if the size and shape of the teeth are appropriate for his mouth. It sounds like a win-win for him!
Sue
Last edited by braveheart226; 06-12-2010 at 08:10 AM.
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06-12-2010, 09:13 AM
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#3 | | Newbie (female)
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 5
| Re: flipper for 4 year old
thank you for your comment, braveheart.
can you share any tips on how to clean the flipper when it's cemented on? i'm concerned about food getting stuck under the palate.
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06-12-2010, 09:35 AM
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#4 | | Veteran (female)
Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NY
Posts: 469
| Re: flipper for 4 year old
That's a very good question, and one I don't think that I can answer. Your dentist will know for sure, so don't be afraid to ask. It may not require anything more than brushing that area as you do the rest of the mouth.
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06-14-2010, 07:12 AM
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#5 | | Newbie (female)
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 5
| Re: flipper for 4 year old
maybe i'm overly concerned. that's what my dentist told me too - just brush like you brush your teeth. i'm going with the semi-permanent flipper for my son. i hope it fits well. i'll post how it goes. thank you for your comments, sue!
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06-14-2010, 10:00 AM
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#6 | | Inactive (female)
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,099
| Re: flipper for 4 year old
Whatever you do, get insurance for broken lost or damaged retainers. My son had a similar issue with one front tooth that was knocked out accidentally when he was young. He was constantly loosing his, finding it, breaking it, etc. and the cost to replace gets crazy. Now for $50.00 he can have three replacements per year. My son is 16 now, and still not old enough to get a tooth implant. He still has to take it out to eat, which is when he always used to loose it. I would also recommend getting the glow int the dark ones, they are much easier to find at night. One time we were all out in a park searching for the darn thing, and the green glow is how someone spotted it!
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06-23-2010, 09:20 AM
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#7 | | Newbie (female)
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 5
| Re: flipper for 4 year old
where/how do i get this insurance? should i inquire my dental insurance company? or is it something i need to get addition to my existing insurance? $50 a year is not bad, i think. Quote:
Originally Posted by writeleft  Whatever you do, get insurance for broken lost or damaged retainers. My son had a similar issue with one front tooth that was knocked out accidentally when he was young. He was constantly loosing his, finding it, breaking it, etc. and the cost to replace gets crazy. Now for $50.00 he can have three replacements per year. My son is 16 now, and still not old enough to get a tooth implant. He still has to take it out to eat, which is when he always used to loose it. I would also recommend getting the glow int the dark ones, they are much easier to find at night. One time we were all out in a park searching for the darn thing, and the green glow is how someone spotted it! | |
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06-23-2010, 09:52 AM
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#8 | | Veteran (female)
Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NY
Posts: 469
| Re: flipper for 4 year old
Anytime. I'm happy to help!!
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12-15-2010, 09:25 AM
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#9 | | Newbie (male)
Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: CT
Posts: 1
| Re: flipper for 4 year old
jady1974,
Just wondering if you went through with the semi-permanent flipper for your son? And if so, are you happy with the results and how is your son dealing (eating, comfort level, etc.) with the flipper? Thanks in advance.
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12-15-2010, 10:16 AM
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#10 | | Inactive (female)
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,099
| Re: flipper for 4 year old
Jady,
The insurance for the retainer was offered by the orthodontist office.
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