Monthly Archives: March 2019

Pediatric Dentistry

Is my child too young for a flipper?

My three year old daughter lost her two front teeth after she experienced a nasty fall on our front sidewalk. We recently moved to a new community and were testing the waters with a new dentist. When we visited with him about her losing her front teeth, I asked about flippers, or some form of cosmetic teeth. The dentist rudely informed me that she was too young for a flipper and and will not cooperate for that sort of procedure. Do you agree? I assume a procedure like this wouldn’t be covered by our medical coverage, and the kits which can be purchased online are all made for adults. I am just concerned about future repercussions of this and taking any more time than we already have to address the issue. Thank you for your input!
Mary


Dear Mary,
How awful that your young daughter experienced such a fall! It is also unfortunate that the dentist you visited gave you such a response. Nonetheless, he is correct. It would be nearly impossible for a child the age of your daughter to understand the importance of complying with a procedure for a flipper. In addition, there are other issues to consider for a child of this age.

Issues With Young Child Receiving a Flipper

Safety is a major concern. Just as it is hazardous to allow young children to play with small toys, or toys with small parts that have the potential to come loose and cause them to choke, something like a flipper has the potential to also come loose and is also a choking hazard.

Functionality is also a consideration. Metal clips or plastic parts clip or press against the other teeth in order to hold a flipper in place. Because a child’s mouth and teeth are constantly developing and changing at this age, it would be impossible for an appliance such as this to stay in place for any lengthy period of time.

Positive Points to Consider with Premature Loss of Front Teeth

Fortunately, there are some positive points to consider in this situation. To start with, your daughter’s baby teeth won’t move because of missing front teeth. When baby teeth change position, it is a result of missing back teeth lost too early. When this is the case, a space maintainer is often a necessity. A second consideration is that, at this age, children are not self-conscious about missing teeth. Children of all ages are missing teeth, either because they haven’t grown in yet, or because they have lost their baby teeth and their permanents have yet to grow in. Therefore, it is quite common to see a child without all of his or her teeth.

Overall, this is not an issue to worry about.

This post was brought to you by Phoenix pediatric dentist, Dr. Hillary Peck.

Affordable Dentist

What should i do to find a good affordable dentist?

It seems there is a bit of irony in the phrase “affordable dentist.” As someone who is in need of several dental procedures, I have not been able to secure dental insurance until the last few months. The first dental provider I visited recommended treatment to the tune of almost $12,000. That is completely unrealistic for my budget, so I set out to find a dentist would could provide the services I need for a lesser cost. However, in my research, I’m concluding that the dental offices who showcase their low costs come with poor reviews. And, those which I have visited, feel like the dentist is running an assembly line, quickly moving through as many procedures as possible.

Because I am in need of a great deal of dental work, it is crucial that I find a dentist with whom I can connect with and feel comfortable around.

Is it possible to find a dentist who will provide quality work for a reasonable cost?

Thank you,
Will

Dear Will,
You ask wonderful questions. Rest assured, this situation is quite common. However, the remedy will require a different way of thinking.

Thought it may appear that, when comparing the services from various dentists, that they are the same, regardless of the procedures, the individual dentists have their own unique approaches. Try to consider the dentists’ perspective, as there are only so many ways costs can be reduced. A dentist could:

  1. Monitor and limit the time they are with patients (this sounds similar to the tactics you mentioned above).
  2. Select materials which are cheaper.
  3. Reduce the amenities they offer and/or the size of their team, or have team members with less experience.

Unfortunately, doing any of the above would reduce the quality of your experience and services you receive and you would want to steer clear of offices that do them. However, these are characteristics of cheap dentistry.

The solution is more about finding a good dentist who is affordable. There are several considerations when doing this.

  1. Look for an office who will separate your treatment plan into smaller sections. This will allow you to pay for the services as you receive them and your budget allows.
  2. Consider offices who offer financing options. Many offer this in-house through their office, or use services such as CareCredit.
  3. If you don’t currently have dental insurance, get it. Or, if you do have it, look into getting a secondary plan. You can get on a good PPO for under $50 a month, but be cognisant of wait periods, as some companies require waiting over a year for services.
  4. Prioritize and address the most pressing needs first, and as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the longer you go without fixing dental problems, the more expensive they become.
  5. Be sure you are getting the most out of your insurance benefits. Ask questions and find out as much about your benefits as you can. Determine if there are other options that will allow the insurance company to cover more, or be sure you use every dime of the amount they pay.

If you find an office that you connect with, be sure to let them know your budget. Ideally, the best practices will offer to find ways to help ensure you get the treatment you need, even if you have to start slow and go at the pace which your budget allows.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix affordable dentist, Dr. Hillary Peck.