Freaking Out About My Son's Needed Dental Procedure.

Get a second opinion before you do any of this, it just screams SOMETHING IS WRONG!!!! I don't agree with any doctor who sedates a child and then doesn't allow a parent in. Under sedation the child is asleep, how can a parent be a distraction to the child. DO NOT DO THIS UNTIL YOU GET A SECOND OPINION PLEASE.

M. and Gerri

Hi ! im sorry for you mom... I have been there I had to hold my son down through hair cuts and the doctor also the dentist My son has special needs he has fragile x which is border line mental retartation (but hes not retarted) he has autisc tendecies. my son is 6 yrs old. My son goes to a dentist who handles special needs cases and childern. Are they going to give him some type of gas before the procedere ? Ask if there are other altertives and start calling different dentist too.Hope this has helped. L. a stay at home mom of 2 boys ages 9 and 6 .

Hi!
First, don't feel silly! You're a Mom worried about your baby!
Are you going to a pediatric dentist? My son, at age 2/3, had to have a tooth pulled and a crown put on. The first dentist, family dentist, we went to tried to keep me out until my son was numbed up. I hated it and my son paniced! They referred me to a pediatric dentist who was wonderful!
There, they gave him a little drink that helped him to get drowsy and relax. That took about 15-30 mins. Then they brought us back, I had my little seat off to the side (out of the way) and they strapped him down to the jacket thing. That was one of the hardest things! But, my son was fine. They have flavored lauging gas now and he got to pick which one he wanted, they put it over his nose told him to breath deep and off he went.
I can't believe they won't let you be with him! Depending on how strongly you feel about this maybe you should find a dentist that will allow you to be in the room. But, as far as the restraining jacket it isn't that bad, really!
Hope I helped you some!

Hi M.,
If it were me, I don't think I would be comfortable leaving my child alone in the room for this particular procedure. Perhaps seek a second opinion before proceeding. I wish I could recommend someone good, but I am not to that point yet with my daughter. Best of luck!
A.

Hi! I feel for you and your son. My daughter, when she was 6 went to the dentist and she had 12, yes TWELVE cavities. She needed a root canal also in 2 of them. Thank goodness that they were all in baby teeth. Again, like you...Thanks to birthday party candy, etc.
First, if a dentist said that I could not be in the room with my kid, I would find a new dentist. You don't have to be in their way. There are other ways of doing this without putting him in the papoos. And you are right to say that it is a kiddie straight jacket. My daughter got Nitrous Oxide...laughing gas. They did half at one visit and half at the next. They did not sedate her at all. She was awake through the whole thing, but the N.0. really helped. They gave her lidacaine injections. I just asked her if she remembers the procedure and she said not really except she thought she couldnt breath as well. I am a nurse, and I kept my eye on her resperations during the procedure. She did well. She says now that she would never want the N.O. again, but some kids will gladly take it any time. Any procedure that needs anesthesia, I would think twice about. Is your dentist set up to handle any reactions to anesthesia? What training has his staff had if a reaction happens. Do they just call 9-1-1? or do they have emergency support equipment there in the office. Call other dentists and see how they would handle the situation. I myself prefer not to go under, and I would choose wisely b4 I let my kids go under anesthesia. Good luck!

I personally would NOT take my child back to this dentist. There is absolutely NO need to place a child in a restraint system just to do dental work if the dentist you have is the right dentist. If the situation is this major, you would do well to get a second opinion. I had the exact same situation happen with my three year old daughter, the dentist (Meckler) was absolutely atrocious, while her very first exam was being performed, we were not allowed to even be in the same room with her! It was all her dad could do to keep me from breaking down the door as I heard her crying uncontrollably. When he told us he'd have to sedate her completely and place her in the 'papoose board' in a HOSPITAL just to do the dental work, I knew we'd come to the wrong dentist. We ended up getting a second opinion from Dr. Stanley Hess ###-###-####) who did all the work not only with very little drugs but NO restraints what so ever. When my daughter was done with the the visti to Meckler, she was terrified of dentists, by the time Dr. Hess was done with her first visit, she gave him a hug! Now almost 10 years later, she actually looks forward to seeing him! He's absolutely wonderful and they take most if not all insurances. The office staff is so completely helpful and the techs are very friendly. Dr. Hess himself is the sweetest man and really seems to love helping kids. I've recommended Dr. Hess to a number of my friends with kids and NONE of them have been sorry.

As always, GET A SECOND OPINION!!!

Hi,
My boys both had to have a pulpotomy when they were 5 & 6, and both handled it different. My first had to have the gas first before they could numb him, my second was fine without the gas. Neither had to be tied down and I was in the room for everything. I wouldn't have let them do it without me there. We had some issues with medical procedures with my first son when he was 18 months old and after that I insisted on always being present to keep him under control. He just responded better to them when I was in the room. My younger son would have been fine without me, but I was more comfortable being there. He's 14 now, and recently had some extensive dental surgeries that he actually WANTED me in the room with him. Since he had a bad reaction after one of them I was glad I had been in the room. It gave me peace of mind to know that everything had been fine the entire procedure and his only problems were after when we were at home.

Anyway, I would get a second opinion from another facility that you are more comfortable with. If you are not at ease your child might sense that too, could make it more difficult for him.

Good luck,
D.

Hi M.,
I will be watching to see what responses you get as I am terrified of the dentist as well. When I took my daughter in at age 5, they told me she needed about 6 cavities filled and one was between molars. All the rest were in her upper front teeth where she has missing enamal. I was feeling the same uneasiness that you are. I didn't understand why I couldn't be in the room with her and I was really uncomfortable with the anesthesia.
I left and never went back. I figured that she would lose most of her cavitied teeth in the next year. But, of course, my child ended up being 7 before she lost her first tooth. And she still hasn't lost any of the cavitied teeth. The good news is that they didn't get any worse. At least as far as I can tell. But, I feel badly that I never did anything about it.
Hopefully you will handle it better than I did.
Sorry I don't have advice, but I hope that you feel comforted in knowing that I felt the same.
I don't think that you are silly. Neither of us would send our children into the pediatrician without coming with them, and for that matter, we wouldn't send them anywhere without coming with them.
Anyway, Good luck!!

PLEASE do not let a dentist put your child in restraints. Find a pediatric dentist. Our pediatric dentist lets the kids choose a video (and has a screen that pulls down right over their eyes as they lay back in the chair), puts headphones on them with the movie(so they don't hear the tools), using numbing gels before any needles, etc. My kids have all had pretty major procedures done in her office, and they have all commented on how quickly it went. If you create any fear in your child now, they will NEVER want to go to the detist EVER again.

If it were my child, I would check out another Dentist. I think parents need to stay with their child as much as possible, even when and especially when it's a big deal.
Just try calling several other pediatric dentists and get their reaction. If that's the way it needs to be then try this.
Try practicing what will be happening at home. If it's a given that he has to go through this and have a jacket on, then help him to manage it. Teach him to breathe deep when he is scared. Help him think of things he can think of to take him to another place while this is all going on.
Good Luck, The Mommie Mentor, www.proactiveparenting.net

HI- we had a similar experience but too long to explain via email:)
The one thing I feel really strongly about is that you should be in the room if you want to- your child is the most important and we stood very strongly on that point. My husband went back with my daughter and it was hard for him to see but he was there to support her:)
If you want more info you can all contact me:)
best wishes,
D.

I actually worked in a dentist office until recently. It is amazing how many dentist hold children down. Many Pediatric dentist use this approach, it is not a good idea.

I would call around and ask about how the dentist handles children, before booking and appt ie: do they hold them down?, are you allowed in the room?, Will they stop if the child is scared or uncomfortable?

As far as getting a second opinion if you take your kids in for cleaning every 6 months a Pulpotomy shouldn't be needed if six months ago there was no cavity. Maybe it just progressed fast. I would request a copy of your xrays and start checking around.

It is suppose to be a good experience to see the dentist and the doctor. I would highly reccomend finding another dentist so you don't traumatize your child.

IF your child is going to be awake during the procedure, and IF you can control yourself and keep yourself calm, then I think you should be allowed to stay with your child. Your calming voice, encouraging him to be still, should help. Also, help your child adjust to the papose, explain that it helps him hold still. Actually, he may not need the papose at all; you know him best, do you think he can hold still?
If your child is going to be asleep for the procedure, then there is no reason for the papose, and I would stay with him until he goes to sleep.
If they can't abide your wishes, go somewhere else.

I would find a new dentist. The whole "straight jacket" thing would freak me out too. A few months before my son turned two, he fell down and cracked his tooth. We took him to a pediatric dentist the next day and were told that his tooth would have to be removed. The dentist and his staff were great! They gave him a liquid medication to calm him down and both my husband and I got to sit with him in a little room until the medication took affect. Once he was ready, we both got to go into the room with him and hold his hands while they pulled his tooth. Of course it was heart-breaking for me, but there is no way I was not going to be in the room with him. The name of my son's dentist is Dr. Clark at A to Z Pediatric Dentistry. ###-###-####. He is located on Baseline and Sossaman. It was a bit of a drive for us, but he was well worth it.

My daughter was similar but worse situation. I had nursed her thru the night until she was 2 and she ended up getting like 12 root canals and crowns!
They put my daughter under anesthesia though.-I flew my sister into town to be with me for support because I was a wreck.
If I could go back though-I would not do it. They are baby teeth and will fall out very soon for your son-My daughter was 2 and they were telling me that her permanent teeth were getting ruined

My Meghan (now 5) has had 2 caps done and will need to get another shortly. Each time she has been sedated it has been the same procedure... no food or drink from midnight on (procedure is done first thing in the morning), "cocktail" when we get there to get her woozy, wrap the blanket around her to hold her arms down, laughing gas during the procedure and oxygen after. My ped, dentist uses brightly colored blankets to wrap the kids up in to restrain their arms. It sounds bad, but it really is for everyone's safety, and since Meghan is sedated, she really likes the cozy feeling. During the procedure, Meghan talks up a storm and laughs a lot, she even drifted off into a nap for a few minutes once... after the procedure she doesn't remember a thing. Just make sure you have Jell-O and juice ready, 'cause the kids are usually a little hungry afterwards, but the tooth may be a little sore or tender.

No... my ped. dentist doesn't allow parents in the room either... but I don't think I would want to watch. Besides, I get to take Meghan in and help get her all wrapped up in the blanket. By that time, Meghan doesn't have a care in the world! The waiting room is about 30 feet away, so I'm not very far. It may be the last door (furthest away from me) but it's open... well, they keep it open... so IF Meghan were to scream or cry, I would hear it... but I never do hear anything- since she is talking and laughing with the dentist and assistant!

Yes, the root canal type of procedure was done on baby teeth. But, if you don't get it done, the tooth will hurt when your child starts biting down on food, and with the tooth rotting in your child's mouth it will affect the other teeth by spreading the bacteria from inside the bad tooth and it could also affect the tooth that will eventually come in to replace it. No, I'm not a dentist, but this is how it was explained to me by the ped. dentist. If you had a bad tooth, wouldn't you get your tooth fixed?

I'm not going to tell you don't worry... heck... you're a mom! That's what we do! But I will tell you that from my experience, it's not so bad... once it's over! The second time is definitely much easier! (I've done this twice, about to go in for a third) Maybe the dentist will let you bring in a blanket to wrap up your son in? That way, the last image you see of your son before you go to the waiting room is of him in his favorite blanket. Just a thought. Good luck!

Hello, i am a dental assistant and i suggest taking him to a different dentist. If he has never had anything terrible done to him in the dentist office, he shouldnt be scared. The doctor i work for does a lot of root canals on baby teeth and the kids dont need to be sedated. Plus, you may get a second opinion from another doctor, maybe it doesnt need a root canal. I would really check in to it though. I sure would hate for my son to go through that, i really think kids remember bad dental visits. I would have the dentist try to do it with just a shot instead of puting him to sleep and tieing him down, i think that is just wrong.

It must be awful to have to go through this. Well, I wish they would have sedated me when I was little and had to have this done. I didn't know they put the kids in restrains, although this does make sense. While people are under sedation, some people react differently. My aunt had to be sedated to pull all her wisdom teeth out, and when she woke up she saw blood on her hands and freaked out. Afterwards, they explained that even under sedation, your subconscious is still reacting to the surroundings, and she had been fighting the doctors in her sleep. It's for their own safety, you wouldn't want him to push the dentist's hand when he has something sharp close to his face and gums! Oh, and they will probably do this after he's sedated.
He will be ok, and when he wakes up, he will barey remember this.
Good luck to you guys!

I am NOT a dentist but I am HATE going and would fear that your child may grow up the same way if he has to be restrained by one at such a young age. This is just my opinion here. It is also my opinion (because I am not a dentist) but why would a root canal need to be done on a tooth that is going to come out anyway? My son when he was about 8 had a baby tooth that hadn't come out yet and I took him to the dentist because the tooth was hurting my son. The dentist said he needed to do a root canal. I asked him about it because it just doesn't make sense to go through that for nothing. He did tell me then that we could chose to have the tooth pulled and then the adult tooth was free to come up when ready.

To me, this is just a way for the dentists to get more money. It is way more expensive to do a root canal (even on a baby tooth) than to pull it. The tooth will be coming out soon anyway so why pay to fix a tooth that is not meant to be there! Just something to think about and again this is just my opinion!

I say second opinion........ I know I would find an atlernative, my kids dentist does't even believe in filing a cavity unless absolutly neccasarry. They are baby teeth and everythig will grow and change. I don't even alow xrays with my children. They are 6 and 3 and I FEEL it is just not neccassary yet. The dentist I see is in Ahwatukee

Good Luck

Hi--I can understand your concern. My daughter who is now 10 was 4 or 5 and had to have the same procedure done. I was told the same thing--that I couldn't be in there with her and it really upset me. However, she came out of it just fine and I suppose I would have freaked out seeing her in the jacket anyway...but compare it to a hospital surgery or something...we wouldn't be able to be in there with them for that either. I hope it helps you out. Good luck.

I think it if were me, I'd be freaked out too and might want to find a different dentist that feels differently about having parents around. A 5 year old should not have to go through that by himself.

Get a second opinion from another Dentist. We like Dr. Gared Welch in Gilbert.

Find a different children's dentist. Our 2 year old did the sedation thing and they let us in the room. We called around until we found someone who would let us be in the room. They didn't use a straight jacket either. I would never allow my child to be with someone else in a sedated state without me or my husband there to ensure that they are treated well.

My four year old son had a procedure done as well. The board is used to keep the children from moving when they are being worked on. You should ask to see it and tell them you are uncomfortable. It is also used to prevent the dentist and child from being injured if the child starts kicking or hitting. I also wanted to be in the room but the dentist needs to have a different relationship with the child. He needs to trust him and know that he is not going to be able to cry, kick or scream for you to come get him. I felt the same way until my dentist explained it to me.

They did this to my daughter when she was that age. It sounds rather harsh to go through all that but it really is a heaven sent when they do it. It makes it so much easier for the child to go through the proceedures and they do not have to worry about the child's hands getting in the way causing more damage.
Just think of the jacket as more as they are bundling him into a papose (sp?) wrap.... showing him the love that they have for him by providing him good care.

Dawn (mother of 4 under 14)

These are baby teeth. Just have the "root canal" issue removed... pull it out. The adult tooth will come in eventually, the pain will be much less and the price cheaper too! Go to another dentist and get a second opinion, please. Good luck to you... :o)

My daughter never had a root canal, but during fillings she would go right to sleep. I was there for her first filling.

For a root canal, which is a longer procedure, I wonder if IV sedation is a possibility (rather than just inhaled nitrous.)

I am wondering why your child would need to be strapped to a board or put in a jacket BEFORE sedation. I would thnk that they would make the child sleepy, and THEN restrain him so that if he started to wake up a little he wouldn't fling his arms around.

About the cavities: I'm not sure the candy is the cause, unless he has an overall junky diet. Things that are acidic as well as sweet eat into the teeth, and something healthy and sticky that isn't brushed away can cause decay just like something junky and sticky. Plus, some people's teeth are more resistant to decay than others.

If he has an overallwell-balanced diet with lots of good minerals and calcium, I wonder if your dentist will prescribe a super-flouridated toothpaste or rinse.

Hi M.! My son was three when he had his first dental proceedure (7 cabities - with none 6 months before!). The procedure is nothing to worry about. Your child will not even remember. They give them a sedative, wait till they fall asleep, you carry your child to the treatment room. They put them in a restraint jacket (the same used in surgery or if they need stitches - done both!) and they are done soon after. Your child sleeps through the proceedure then sleeps some more at home and then they are fine. Tyler is 7 1/2 and has had more cavities and a baby root canal (not like an adult one - there is no pain after). Now he brushes with perscription tooth paste and does better. Remember if you stay calm - your child will be okay. Good Luck
M. B.

I take it this is a boby tooth? If so, get a second opinion. If you need another dentist, we have an excellent one around Indiuan school/32nd st. Or check Phoenix magazine's best dentist list.

I suggest that you find a different dentist. In the first place, why would anyone do a root canal on a baby tooth? and second, no one ties my kids down and makes me leave ther room. I have a great dentist that has never suggested such silliness.

I take my boys to Jungle Roots Children's Dentistry in Ahwatukee. I found Dr. Culp in the Best of Phoenix magazine. He has 3 young boys himself and is wonderful! My 5 year old cracked his molar in a bicycle crash when he was 4 (2nd day out with no training wheels) and had to get the whole molar pulled. My husband went with him and he thinks that they gave him a shot of Demerol in the arm to relax him, then laughing gas, then novocaine shots. All that Ryan remembers is the mask, sleeping, and the gauze when he woke up. His number is ###-###-####. (My cousin lives in Havasu and their dentist sent them all the way down here to Dr. Culp when their son hit his tooth on his toybox).

My sister in law just went through this with her daughter (age 3) last week. She was very scared about having her daughter sedated and like you was uneasy about having the procedure done with her in another room. The dentist was able to sedate her daughter while she was in the room. That way the child is already sedated when the parent leaves the room and is not as scared or confused about being without the parent.

My father is a retired dentist. In all his years of practice he never, ever used, or thought of using some type of restraint on a child. I have heard of dentists doing that now, but I would think there are those out there that don't do that. My suggestion is to check around; if it were me, I would look for dentists that have a small, private practice, not those that are associated with a group or a large office. Best of luck with this.

C.

many years ago my 4 y/o daughter needed a root canal done and she did very well

she never needed that straight jacket

ask your son if he could sit still during this? explain to him what is actually being done and then ask him--- he may opt for just sitting there without a straight jacket.

that straight jacket would freak me out let alone a 5 y/o.
the doctor should have a rubber thing that the doctor sticks between the upper and lower teeth and prevents the doctor from getting bit.

I would stress to him the important of him sitting still and the importance of this being taken care of. I believe 5 is old enough to be still.

when my daughter got it done the doctor was impressed she did so well.

when telling you son about this --- do not say it is because he ate candy or it is his fault. first of all it is not going to help and it this root canal could be like a punishment in his eyes. that could make future trips to the dentist a chore.

Sounds like you need to get a 2nd opinion. We're almost in the same boat. 5yr. old, 1st dental exam, baby root canals (pulpotomy), sedation. Our daughter's teeth were damaged during her chemo treatments when we couldn't brush well or often enough. Difference being that our dentist in Tucson is fine to have parents in at any time. There's been no mention of a "straight jacket" type to keep them still. I would do some calling around to other dentists that deal with adults & children with dental anxiety. A read through the yellow pages may help as a lot of them list this service in their ads.
The 1st dentist we went to, Dr. Maklin, is a peds dentist, and wasn't prepared to listen to ANY of our concerns about our child's anxiety from all the procedures she's been through already. It was basically, "I'm the professional, I know best, you just need to stop being overprotective and do things my way." Well that is SO not true. We went to another dentist, Dr. Wexler, who isn't specifically a peds dentist. He listened to our concerns, allowed us to be in the room with her. He talked to her like a person with real fears and feelings and praised her when she finished her 1st exam for being a brave girl. It helps that he is a father with children about her age.

Get a 2nd opinion, or at least call around. It's a major procedure and you need to know your child's getting the best care.

I'm not sure about the root canal, but my daughter had a cavity filled at 3 with no straight jacket or even anestetic! They used some sort of air compression drill. She was in & out in 15 minutes. It amazed me - wish they had this when I was getting my cavities filled! I would definitely look around to see if there is a dentist that uses this & get their take on the root canal. I think us Mom's have more apprehension about putting our kiddos thru pain. Good Luck!

I am with you...this is wrong. you need to find a new dentist. say no to the straight jacket and definatly NO to the fact that they will not let you in the room with him.
As a child I was dragged down the hall scared and crying. My mother was NOT allowed with me as well. It was a horrible experience and I had a deep fear of dentist my whole life. When a left home I found an amazing dentist who helped me get over my fears, and know my son goes to him and loves his trips to the dentist office to see William and Molly ( his hygenist ) Good Luck!!

In my personal opinion, I would find a different dentist. I would never go to anyone who won't allow me to be in the room with my child while they are sedated. That sounds too Chester the Child Molester to me. Unless there is a surveillance camera and you can watch the whole thing in a separate room next door or something like that, then I would definitely not agree to that, especially since they want to restrain your child. Heck no! You have every right to be there when your son goes through this procedure since he is a minor. I understand that there needs to be trust between the child and the dentist without the parent there to undermine the dentist's authority, but that just still sounds a little pervy to me. I wouldn't agree to it if I were you.

I hope that you have decided to find another dentist; one more sensitive to children. This is just wrong, wrong, wrong. I do hope this is not a pediatric dentist, as I feel sorry for all the other patients and their parents. And I would not feel comfortable at all leaving my child alone for something like this. They need to be holding our hand. Leaving parents out, to me, shows how scared the dentist is of getting punched or sued for doing something wrong. I just see tons of red flags here. It's hard enough going through something like this as a child. Not having mommy there would traumatize me.

Be sure to get a second opinion. I have a friend who was told that her son needed a baby root canal and then was reassured from another pediatric dentist that it wasn't necessary.

I was a dental assistant in a Pediatric office in the Phoenix area for 6 years before I had my daughter and now I am a SAHM. I absolutely understand how hard it is to see your child go through this. In our office, we followed the same procedures- sedation, Pappoose etc. I know it seems cruel, or torturous, but honestly, it is the easiest, least traumatic way to handle the situation. The alternative would be no sedation, and have him litterally held down while the procedure is done. If it makes you feel better, it will most likely be harder on you than it will your child. Depending on the office, he will most likely receive a conbination of 2-3 drugs, 1 of which has an amnesic effect, so even if he does not completely sleep, he will not remember it. And as far as the pappoose board goes, it is truly for the safety of the child. The dentist is using a lot of sharp, fast moving tools, and if the child is not fully asleep, or just flinches or moves during the procedure, he could receive an injury. Now that I have my own children, I understand how the parents of the patients felt, and why they were often so upset. If (heaven forbid) my children ever get cavities, I will absolutely have the work done in this manner. As hard as it is to put your child through this, you can take comfort in knowing that you are doing what is best for your child, and helping him to have a positive experience which will hopefully lead to a lifetime of proper dental care. If you are interested, I can give you the information about the office I worked at- they have 2 offices, and almost everyone there is a parent themselves, so they understand how you feel! Feel free to contact me if I can ease your mind anymore, or get you the info!

P.S I notice a lot of comments on the fact that it is a baby tooth and will be lost anyway- well there are a lot if facts to consider: depending on the tooth, he may have it until he is 10-12 years old! You cannot leave a 4 year olds decayed tooth in for 8 years, and if you pull it, you are creating space issues because naturally the surrounding teeth will move into the open space. Then you may have issues with the permanent teeth trying to errupt, and not having room. If it is a front tooth, and your child is 5 or 6, then pulling is definetly more practical. The bottom line is that you need to feel comfortable. Talk to several dentists- express your concerns, and educate yourself. If you feel you cannot do it without being in the room, talk to the dentist- I know at my office, we would try and talk the parents out of it, but if they absolutely insisted, we would accomodate. Just remember- be polite, and understanding that they have a job to do, and your childs well being is the most important thing to the dentist and staff. ____@____.com- if I can help!

I can understand your concern, that is alot of work for a little one. If it is truley needed that is one thing, but I would get a second opinion before I let my children go through that much dental work. Does this work need to be done on baby teeth? If they are baby teeth(especially the one that needs the rootcanal) why can't they just pull the tooth? My six year old has a few teeth that are not doing what they are supposed to, but would not fall out for several more years. We consulted with a dentist and orthodontist, both suggested that we have the teeth pulled and maintain the space with spacers, if needed. The orthodontist we saw is Dr. Dickerson of Dickerson Orthodontics, he offices in Glendale, Tempe and Gilbert. The website is dickersonortho.com The consult is free and the people we met are wonderful. P.S. We were referred to him by my sister who works in the dental profession.

Hi M.,

Sorry to hear about your dental nightmare. I agree with a lot of the moms about getting a second opinion. I would be very uncomfortable about #1 restraining my child and #2 not letting me be there with her. If the child is restrained and sedated then the dentist shouldn't mind if you are in there. When children are fearful or anxious, they want their moms especially at a young age. I would get a second opinion and look into good pediatric dentists.

Good luck,

L.

Our son needed to get fillings when he was 5-years-old and our dentist never mentioned a jacket. Our son is very claustrophobic so a jacket would have made it much worse. He had cavities between all his mollars so there were multiple dentist visits. He was very comfortable with the dentist and never complained about going. I did stay out of the room for the first fillings, but I was in the room for the others since he wasn't scared or upset at all. I would follow your instincts and get a second opinion.

I just went thru the situation my self last month. went in for a normal check up and they found a cavity needing a baby root canal. I was in the room the entire time of the procedure and the papoose board was a life saver in our case. My son was fiesty though he had taken the medicine. It was not that he was scared (he actually was excited about it-he is a strange one) he just didnt want to be strapped down (control issue) and he was not in pain because his tantrum happend before they started any part of the procedure. They reassured me it was both for his safety and so the root canal could be done quickly. They were right and since I was in the room I could see their point. Once they gave him the laughing gas he settled down and the whole thing went rather fast. BOY were they so patient and still very gentle. They did give me the option to fully put him under but I decided against it. He came out fine a bit groggy but once he took a nap and rehydrated he was happy to show the family his new pirate tooth he got at the dentist. Is it an exerience that I can say that I would like to go thru again... No but I think it was harder for me to go thru than it was for him. I think as adults we over think things and forget kids are more resilient than we give them credit for. For about a week my son said his new tooth felt different but he hasnt mentioned it since then. Now we make sure teeth are brushed and flossed as normal but if he has a sugary snack (grapes,PB&J or juice) or attends a party where treats are given that we brush after that too. Its normal to be nervous about anything done to our children but just remember if you really DEEP down dont feel right about it dont do it or get a second opinion if it will reassure you.
I decided to get the baby root canal done because I went without teeth as a kid because it was what they thought would be easier to deal with but I was so young i didnt have my adult teeth come in until much later so I went thru 1st and 2nd grade missing teeth. I lucked out and everything grew in fine but sometimes depending on the location of the tooth you will need a spacer place inte the gap.
Not sure if my experience put your mind at ease or made things more confusing But I do hope whatever you decide goes well.

I would probably find a dentist that will allow the parents in the room as my son has never needed a straight jacket for anything. He fell into our gate at 1-1/2 and needed stitches above his eye and the ER wanted to put him in a straight Jacket and/or tie him to the table which would have freaked him out. Instead he sat and held Dads hands and was completely still. I don't think all kids require straight jackets for certain procedures, I think more doctors/dentists should allow the parents to keep the kids calm. I would ask if you can try to keep him calm and still yourself and if it doesn't work you will walk out and let them do what they need to do. Tell them you are uneasy about the straight Jacket and want to avoid it if all possible as you don't want your child to be afraid of going to the dentist.

Hi M.!
I'm a foster mom. Last summer we had twin 2 1/2 year old girls who had horrible teeth. Between the two of them, they had 7 root canals. It worked out great. We had a good pediatric dentist who put them to sleep through the procedure. They woke up groggy, but did just fine with no problems. The dentist even did one right after the other. I had my 14 year old son along to help.
Hope yours works out well!
J.
www.homebasedabundance.biz

Hey M.--

I can totally relate. My 4-year-old just had 5 cavities filled and was sedated with the "blanket" (they called it). It was a little weird to see my son getting so loopy with the sedation, but he was conscious the whole time and could respond to me. The "blanket" ended up being OK because it kept him in the chair, whereas he probably would have rolled right off the chair without it. It kept him still for the procedure, which meant that everything was over that much quicker. It was still very strange to see him wrapped up like that.
As far as not being in the room, I think you should question that one. My dentist allowed me to stay in there--I was sitting in the corner and kept quiet, but I could still watch everything that went on. She even showed me the cavities in his mouth before she filled them. There's no reason you shouldn't be allowed in there, especially with your son being sedated.
Coming out of sedation was a whole other thing to deal with. It was about 5 hard hours before my son got "back to normal". He was angry, cried, stumbled around, and even hallucinated. I wasn't prepared for that, and it was a little strange to deal with. He finally fell asleep and he was a lot better.
I know it's hard to be the Mommy and watch these things happen to your baby, but it will be OK. I would definitely find out about being in the room, though. Or go to another dentist.

Hi M.,
My son recently had to have alot of dental procedures as well. Fortunately, he did not end up needing to be sedated, but that was a possibility. He started his treatments at around 5-1/2 years old. My recommendation is that you talk with a child/family therapist about the procedures and ask for their help in helping your son during these challenges (we did this & it was VERY helpful!) I definitely think that would be very calming for you. It also might make you feel more comfortable about things if you got a second opinion from another children's dentist that is recommended by either your friends or the therapist (if you decide to talk to one).

Best of luck!
Shirl H.

you should definitly listen to yourself. if you are worried this much, how much do you trust this dentist? maybe you should get a second opinion! we have a great dentist his name is Dr. Turley on Greenfield and southern. he is great with my son. my husband was told he needed quite a bit of work from another dentist and we started seeing Dr. Turley and he said all he needed was his wisdom teeth out! im not so sure about some Dentists any more! but go with your gut!!
Good luck

I'm not sure where you live, but if you live in Tucson Mark Maklen is a great children's dentist. He does not use the straight jacket thing and he is very quick. I took my daughter there when she was 2 1/2 for a root canal and two cavities. It took maybe 30 minutes, and she never remembered any of it. Good luck, I've been in your shoes before and I know how scary this can be.

My daughter had 4 cavaties at the age of three. They had to give her meds to go into a "twilight sleep" and then they worked on her cavaties. I was able to be in the room with her and hold her hand. We went to a pediatric dentist call My Kidz Dentist...you may want to get a second opinion, I would be really uncomfortable with leaving my baby to get dental work done. Also, don't beat yourself up about cavaties...my dentist said that it is purely genetic and some kids are more prone than others. My other daughter has had no cavaties at the age of 9 and they both brush their teeth the same and eat the same foods. I would also ask the dentist about sealing your son's teeth when your through with all the dental work. Good luck!

you should definitly get a second opinion. I've never heard of the jacket thing but it sounds scary and I don't think I could ever not be in the room with my child.

I would get a second opinion. Dentists remind me of mechanics sometimes and make up stuff to fix, in my experience.

I would honestly get a second opinion before doing such extensive procedures on baby teeth. If the tooth is that bad, since it is a baby tooth, why not pull it?

Since I moved to Arizona, I have found many dentists who are procedure happy. For example, I was 23 when I moved here and had 5 cavities in my life. The first dentist I went to told me I need 5 root canals and about 7 cavities filled, etc. I went to another dentist and have never had a root canal even 7 years later, so my only caution is to make sure you angel really needs to have all these procedures done. I can absolutely understand your fears, they are not unreasonable.
Best of luck with your angel and his care.
C.

My daughter had this done last year and it is NOT as bad as it sounds... this is completely for your child's safety! My daughter was sedated and then wrapped in a soft, rainbow colored gentle restraint blanket, they put the oxygen over her face (which looked like a clown's nose), and they had the DVD of "Happy Feet" playing on a TV built into the ceiling. Everything was about keeping her extremely calm so that they could perform the work without injurying her should she become agitated. Honestly, I felt like it was a most loving & compassionate experience for what was initially extremely stressful to think of my child being put under for major dental work at the age of five!!! Please... consider the circumstances... your child is not being put in to a straight jacket anymore than an adult who is undergoing surgery might be gently restrained for their own safety while undergoing a procedure. To undergo a surgical procedure on a half-awake five year old is just begging for problems much worse than undergoing a baby root canal! Please reconsider and please speak to your pediatric dentist about your concerns... I found our ped dent office very understanding and helpful in answering my questions... they even called us at home after the procedure to check on my daughter.