Crowns on 5 year old

[rebemj]

My son is 5 and we just had a consult today with the dentist.  I have been told since he was 2 that his enamel on his teeth did not develop properly.  He is 5 and has had 1 cavity filled and 1 new one that will need a filling.
The dentist wants to put four crowns on his back molars.  Why would they want to do this if there is no decay yet.  They really look pretty normal to me.  Is this just to be proactive and prevent them from getting bad?  Is there any sealant or bonding that can be done instead of crowns.  I will do what i need to do, but insurance does not cover crowns and 4 will be pretty costly. and i would like to avoid the stainless steel crowns in his mouth if i can.  any thoughts?

rebecca

[shouldi]

I have never heard of that.
Are those his baby teeth that he got a filling on and the dentist wants to put a crown on  molars because if they are he is going to lose them anyway so why put a crown on them it does not make sense at all. I can see fiing the baby tooth but when he losing that they will have to take the filing out so the tooth can come out.

Please go see another dentist because that is strange especially at 5 years old.
If those are his permanent teeth then fine I can see that but wow not is they are his baby teeth.

[rebemj]

yes they are his baby teeth.. this is the 2nd dentist that has told me this.  there is one other i am going to go to before i decide.  I just dont get it right now.  there is no problems with his molars as of right now.  The tooth that needs a filling is an eye tooth

[shouldi]

May I suggest that you bring your child to a Pediatic Dentist.
I think a Pediatric Dentist would know more and have other options besides crowns.
Filling are fine with baby teeth because when the baby tooth comes out so does the filling. Oh by the way did you know that when a child such as your child very young needs dental work the child gets puts under. I had asked my Dentist that once because My cousin's daughter needed baby teeth removed at the age of 6 because her adult teeth were in already in and the baby teeth were not even lose.

[chizzle]

It sounds like your child has a specific case & it will be a little hard to say whether or not the advice you are receiving is good advice or bad advice.  I am going to make the assumption that the advice is proactive treatment.

First, though, your dentist is recommending stainless steel crowns because that is the only option there is.  They provide strength for the tooth structure that other options cannot.  He is not going to lose those teeth for sometime, so you also need something that will last.

Sealants are only useful on the biting surface of teeth & only if there are deep grooves.  Sealants are a preventative measure & insurance will not cover them on baby teeth either.

Bonding is normally used more for front (anterior) teeth to close spaces.  All it is truthfully though is filling (composite) material. The problem, though, when you have large areas of decay though is that to remove the decay you have to remove a small portion of healthy tooth structure also.  Also, this does not provide any strength to the tooth.  

Also, as for taking your child to a pediatric dentist.  If your child is currently seeing your family dentist, there is no need to bring them elsewhere unless YOU prefer to do so. You child has already had a filling done, so obviously they have no fear and do not need any "special" treatment for dental procedures (putting them to sleep, laughing gas, ect).  A pediatric dentist does not know any more than your family dentist, the difference is is that the pediatric dentists only see children.  Also, very few insurance policies cover visits to their office.

I do think you should call you dentist & ask for more specifics.  They should have no problem speaking over the phone to give you more information.  Ask them exactly what you asked here, Is this proactive treatment? What if I wait to have the treatment completed? Are there any other options? Why do you think this is the best course of treatment? What led you to make this diagnoses?, ect. ect.