I have taken my daughter to the dentist since she was 6 months old and every 6 months ever since. She how 4 years old and I took her last week and I was told that she had 8 cavities in the back molars. I was so shocked because 6 months ago everything looked great. The dentist told me that she needed 8 crowns. I couldn't believe it. I kept asking why the crowns and not just do the fillings but she said that the cavities were too close to the nerve and they didn't want to risk it. Now she has eight stainless steel crowns and I just can't get over the fact that they didn't just filled them. I feel so bad for her because I feel I should have research more and get a second opinion? DId I do the right thing? Were the crowns the right procedure? Could fillings have been sufficient? Please help?

Crowns on baby teeth? I've never heard of that before. Typically, if the cavities are too big to fill successfully, they just pull baby teeth.

Before a big procedure, I would always get a second opinion.

It's quite possible to go from no cavities to eight, particularly if sucky lollipops or sweets are involved.

The one thing is that they are baby teeth, so the tooth and the crown will fall out naturally in the next few years, and it might be a sharp lesson to her to look after her teeth better.

I'd question how the decay became so extensive in just 6 months! Don't waste energy second guessing what has already been done.

It would be interesting to see the x-rays that showed the decay. Did the dentist show you the x-rays and show you the decay in your daughters mouth? Was your daughter complaining of her teeth being sore when she ate or drank anything sweet or cold?

Stainless steel crowns are quite common for children with extensive decay. If the decay was close to the nerves and pulpotomies weren't done watch your daughters gums for abscesses.

If your daughter has been seeing the same dentist all this time I'd suggest you call your local dentist licensing body and tell them what has happened. I am sure they will look in to it, not that it will change what has happened to your daughter but if these crowns were placed fraudulently it will hopefully prevent the same thing happening to another child.

Thank you for answering my question... and going back to what was said... The dentist didn't show me the x-rays. I was in the room when he was discussing the x-rays with his assistant and I didn't hear anything about extensive decay he just said my daughter needed crowns then I asked him why and he told me his assistant would explain everything. So, then he left and she (the assitant) told me that the cavities were too close to the nerve and that the dentist recommended crowns. I ask her why not just remove the cavities and fill them like they do with adults and she told me that the molar would stay too weak so the crowns would make them stronger and that way they wouldn't break. So, then she was given some medicine to make her relax and then her gums were sedated with inyections. Another dentist came in and she drilled and placed the 8 crowns. Now I feel I didn't do the right thing and I can't stop thinking about that. Can the crowns be removed? If there was no extensive decay was their resoning correct? Is there such thing as the molars being too weak after removing the cavities and then breaking? Please help!!

Well usually we place stainless steel crowns on teeth after they have had a pulpotomy (root canal for kids teeth). Sometime a Stainless steel crown is put on a tooth with a large filling, but I find it very strange that decay could happen that fast (in 6 months) Are you SURE the dentist told you your child had NO cavities at her check up 6 months ago? If so you need to complain

Usually you can't replace a crown, because the tooth has been drilled down so the crown will fit it. But all the teeth involved are baby teeth, so they will naturally fall out over time. She won't have metal crowns for life.

What done is done, if you really really want to find out more, request the x-rays and have them examined by a separate dental clinic

Thanks again for the responses... I really appreciate the input... and going back I call the office and asked if she had extensive decay for the crowns to be needed and they told me that the cavities were in between the teeth and that she had pulpotomies done and I told them that she never complained about any pain and they told me that they wanted to prevent that from happening that that's why they did it. They didn't want the child to get to the point and be in pain. Then, I asked how could the decay happen within six months and then be so extensive because last time they told her teeth looked great and that I was going a great job! She told me that she did have some cavities and apologized for them not mentioning anything and they had them on watch to see how they would progressed. They told me they would never do something that wasn't totally necessary for the child first because it's illegal and then because they just wouldn't... but I don't know... what do you all think?

Time to look for another dentist. 20/20 hindsight said you should have sought another opinion.

I've done so. My dentist said to me I can't put a crown on that tooth because your mouth is too small. He wanted the wisdom teeth yanked. The peridontist said I'm missing 4 teeth anyway (no room) and I need all the teeth I can get. An old classmate had no trouble making the crown.

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You can request copies of the x-rays, you paid for them, they belong to you. Take them to another dentist and get his/her opinion of what treatment they would recommend.

I'm curious... how many appointments were these done over and how long was your daughter in the chair?

Well, It was only one appointment everything was done the same day. She sat in that chair for about at least 2 1/2 hours. She's now terrified of dentists, when they were placing the crowns she cried the whole time and begged me to help her I was torn I wanted to stop everything but at the moment I thought it was necessary and for her own good. Now I'm doubting everything! I will ask for the x-rays first thing Monday!!