# Are extraction and a spacer necessary? UPDATE***



## Bestbirths (Jan 18, 2003)

Hello,

A year ago my then 6 year old (now age 7), had a cavity filled by our ap friendly non mercury dentist. It was in the molar next to the very back one. Last Friday a large abcess, about half the size of a marble developed in front of the molar. Funny thing is, ds is in no pain from this molar at all. We went in immeadiately to our dentist, who urged me put him on antibiotics, penicillin, and told me not to just use echinachea, because the infection could be potentially very dangerous. This was his first time on antibiotics, but they were really adamant about it, so I complied. They went on and on about how lucky we were that he was not in any pain yet, like any minute some horrible pain like you've never felt before could begin. They also did exrays, and come to find out, almost half of the root and tooth material on one side of the molar is gone. The dentist said that in his opinion, pulpectomies were like a 50/50 crapshoot, and more than likely the infection would come back. He sent us to a pediatric specialist, because he said the case was complicated because of the location of the tooth. The tooth is loose (but not quite loose enough to pull, but I wish we could just forget the dentist and wiggle that sucker for a month until it comes out-they make it sound like such an EMERGENCY). The specialist wants to extract the tooth, and put a spacer in by creating a stainless steel piece and wrapping it around one tooth, then cementing the other end to another tooth. He warned of the dangers of the teeth shifting horribly if the spacer was not put in, and the terrible problems that would result if all of the teeth in the mouth shifted. I read in the archives about using a tool called an explorer to monitor the space instead of a spacer, and I would like to know, would that be advisable in our situation? The total cost on this tooth extraction/spacer saga is going to be $470!!!! And it is scheduled for tomarrow morning, so I would like a reply quick if possible. I would love to feel good about just wiggling the tooth till it comes out, and leaving the space there and monitoring it.

edited to take out ds name


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

Well, whatever is best, I don't see why it has to be done tomorrow morning. I can see about hte abcess prolly hurting soon, so maybe the antibiotics might work, but the rest of the urgency reminds me a bit of Bush's urgent need to wage war in Iraq NOW IMMEDIATELY before anybody has time to change their mind.

Can't the dentist give you some time to think this over and get all the info at your own pace?

If it were me, and my child, I think I'd try to reschedule for next week or so, so we could get our stuff together. And I really don't see what's so bad about echinacea.

Sorry if that's not much help. Maybe smilemomma will see this thread soon and tell you what and why.


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## Bestbirths (Jan 18, 2003)

Simonee, I think you are so right about them rushing us and they do use fear and intimidation tactics. They seem to effortlessly make us feel like bad parents if we don't do everything they suggest. I have a tougher time with the dentist, when I am so sure of myself when it comes to confronting Doctors. I am going to be asking the tough questions about the spacer vs. explorer today though. I have read even further in the archives and we have decided to have the tooth extracted today. This is because of what could potentially be a years worth of infection lying underneath the nasty tooth. I muscle tested for it, and came up that the tooth should be removed. The advantage of having the dentist do it would be that they would be gentler than say, Dad yanking it out, because it still is connected on one side by the undamaged root. The other reason is that they will irrigate the area and remove the infectious residue or bacteria out of there. Also, I am going to continue to use arnica montana and rescue remedy, which we have been using, along with the echinachea/goldenroot (why just trust penicillin, eh?-got to cover all the bases.) Since this is ds first time on antibiotics, we are using nature's way Primadophilus for Kids in the chewable form, it is cherry flavored and he has been taking one a day. I would love to hear from anyone who has monitored their child's space with the explorer and had good success, or left a space where a molar was and not had shifting of all the teeth.









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## gilnikche (Nov 19, 2001)

I am facing this issue with my 5 1/2 year old. He does not have any signs of infection (probably dumbluck). The dentist wants to do 3 pulpectomies. I had never heard of pulpectomies being a 50/50 crapshoot before. I will have to look that up. My son is very stressed at the dentist & they want to put him under general anesthesia. It is not a real option for us as we can not afford to pay for it out of pocket.

I hope you will post a follow up so we can know how your little guy is doing. I have considered having my son's teeth pulled instead of a pulpectomy but my dentist refuses to do it.


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## simonee (Nov 21, 2001)

I think you made a good decision there. I was thinking about it in bed (lots of thinking time with a soccer talent of a fetus







), and also realized I would probably have it extracted. Just because infection is always nasty, especially so far "inside" the body, close to the teeth that will have to last his whole life. But the spacer thing... Yeah, I'd monitor too... anyway, how long will it take before the permanent tooth comes in there.

Carla, the 50/50 thing sounds like a load of bs to me, to be honest. Why would doctors do a procedure with such a bad prognosis? It sounds like a cover for either an untalented dentist (I've heard that procedures like that are a bit like art, and you either have it or you don't) or a liability thing. I think I've only read one or two stories here before about a pulpectomy that infected, and I've pretty much read the whole forum ~ with lots of success stories.

Bestbirths, will you keep telling us what happens? And congratulate Kevin on a job well done ~ at least he'll get an early visit by the tooth fairy


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## Bestbirths (Jan 18, 2003)

I want to clarify that our dentist said that it was a 50/50 chance of success for pulpotomy in ds specific situation because half of the root and nerve on one side was missing and the molar was loose, the infection had eaten away under the tooth (I know, YUK!). They extracted the tooth today. Lets just say being a doula comes in handy when chairside at a dentist, but it went pretty well. ds was very brave. I asked them about not putting in the spacer, the dentist said that within 6 weeks the permanent molar in the back would shift into the empty place, the place that belongs to the #2 permanant molar, a molar that isn't due to come in until age 11-13 years of age. She said it would be 100 percent chance that the back permanant molar would shift into the wrong space. She said that the shifting would begin in as soon as 2 days, and that the space could not be recovered once lost without expensive orthodontia. I could see from the xray that when the #2 permanant molar from the back would come in, if the first permanant molar from the back was in the #2 space, that #2 permanant molar would have nowhere to go. Then you would have two teeth fighting for one space. What a mess that could be. I have seen a tooth occlusion (two teeth jammed together and wedged, all hung up on each other) before with my oldest son, and it is very painful, so if I could help spare ds that, I think I would. We go back tomarrow to put the spacer in.







open wide









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## Bestbirths (Jan 18, 2003)

I don't know how you other mom's do it, but we give $1 if they wiggle their tooth out and $5 if Dad or someone else "helps" it out. We would usually only "help" a tooth out if the permanant tooth was coming in fast behind it. We don't have any Santa, Easter bunny, tooth fairy, etc. But we do hand out cash for teeth. ds requested his $5 in all quarters. I also got him a remote control car for being so brave. They gave us the tooth in a special little tooth sized treasure box. Very sweet!

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## Smilemomma (Nov 19, 2001)




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## Fieryfly (Mar 19, 2003)

Sounds like everything has turned out well. I know how heart-wrenching it can be having a child with dental situations.

My DS is 7, and has gone through a lot in his short dental history. He had 2 teeth pulled(both molars) and spacers put in, and yes we are STILL paying it off. My poor son did go through the pain of an infection, and it really, really sucked trying to find a dentist who would take him and get that tooth pulled out ASAP. We went through a handful of dentists before we found one that clicked w/our family, and helped my son feel comfortable at the dentist(he's had very bad past experiences, poor guy).

Just yesterday he went in for his cleaning and he had no cavities, which was a wish come true! However, my DD(3.5) had her first cleaning, and we discovered that she has several cavities







but nothing too serious.

Good luck on the future dental work!


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## Bestbirths (Jan 18, 2003)

Well, the response from others about the spacer is pretty neat too. We are a large family of eight, five children, a grandma, and a miniaturer schnauser in tow. ds has shown everyone from the vet to the vision and hearing screener his spacer, and boy is it impressive. The nurse that did his vision and hearing test said, wow, you've got some money there! Now, instead of my $470 in the bank, when ever I want to see my investment, I can just look in ds mouth. The other day I said, I want to see my $500 dollars please. He opened up, and there it was.









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## Bestbirths (Jan 18, 2003)

***Update***

We just got the spacer out today.

ds says that he has more energy since getting the spacer out. Over the past few years we were concerned because ds had been struggling with depression and we were looking for possible causes, and the subject had come up of metal in the mouth causing depression and fatigue in some people.

Anyhow. He got the spacer out and right away said "my headache is gone"....now I have to say...maybe it was the anxiety of going to the dentist was over and that could have been why his headache was gone.

then he says right away...I have more energy.

I am thinking....no way....no way he can get this spacer out and right away start saying he feels better.


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