Posted by Amy on 1/24/2008, 11:36 am, in reply to "Teeth"
12.110.109.254
Well, We had a horrible experience at the local dentist office yesterday! The dentist has never heard of PRS and seemed confused as to why my son didnt have a cleft lip! He seemed very confused and unknowledgeable. I explained to him the various surgeries he has had and he seemed like he didnt know what to say in response. He obviously had no previous experience with a child who has special medical needs. After I told him Masons medical history, he seemed scared to even touch him. He looked in his mouth and told me he does in fact have a cavity. He told me we will need to come back (next week) to have the cavity "fixed". I dont know if he's planning on filling it, sealing it, extracting it, or whatever else they do in order to "fix it". He mentioned the possible use of "laughing gas" which makes me feel VERY uncomfortable considering his history with breathing problems. To make things worse, the dentist had a foreign accent and I could barely understand him! He asked me if my son had any "HOT" problems, and I figured he was asking if the temperature of foods/drinks make his teeth hurt worse.. I soon realized he was asking about any "HEART" Problems. I have called and left a message with his plastic surgeon who repaired his cleft and performed his jaw distraction, he has yet to call me back. Hopefully he'll steer me in the right direction and I will be able to find a dentist who knows what he is doing!
--Previous Message--
: My son is now 3, he had the jaw distraction
: surgery when he was 2 months old. His
: surgeon mentioned the risk of "tooth
: bud damage" but when all of his teeth
: came in so perfectly and straight, we
: weren't concerned. However, One day (about 2
: months ago) I noticed a huge hole in his
: back tooth. It looked like half of his tooth
: had completely broke off. I asked the
: pediatrician about it, and he told me it was
: just a cavity and that i shouldnt worry
: about it as long as he's not in pain b/c its
: just a baby tooth. About 2 weeks ago, the
: tooth starting hurting him.. so i took him
: back to the pediatrician and he acted
: totally different about it. He was very
: concerned and suggested that i take him to a
: ped dentist. I have an appt tomorrow with a
: "regular" childrens dentist who
: probably knows nothing about Pierre Robin
: Sequence, Cleft Pallet, or the Jaw
: distraction procedure. I am wondering
: whether I should take my son to a specialty
: dentist who has a little more experience
: with anatomical abnormalties. I'm worried
: that someone who is not familiar with such
: issues won't be as careful. Maybe I'm being
: a little overprotective, or totally
: irrational, but I'm worried about the chance
: of the dentist slipping with his sharp mouth
: instrument and cutting the soft palate back
: open. It makes me cringe just thinking about
: it! And what if for some reason he has to
: put my son to sleep for the dental
: procedure, and he has to intubate him? We
: have had HUGE problems with intubation in
: the past. Even if they put a mask over his
: face and give him the sleeping gas that
: way.. theres a chance he will get into such
: a deep sleep, it may flare up his apnea
: again! I am worried outta my mind! I know
: the cavity probably isnt related to PRS in
: anyway, however I am still worried about our
: trip to the dentist.
: Thanks
:
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