DD(6) needs to have two baby first premolars out

[Anusername]

My daughter who just turned six have developed dental abscess for her two lower first premolars. We took her to see her dentist and she said they needed to be taken out, and referred us to Paediatric dentist as an emergency appointment. The Paediatric dentist saw her and also confirmed to take those out. We hoped that baby tooth root canals can save them due to concerns about permanent teeth alignment (loss of space, overcrowding, etc).

Since then, we have consulted another Paediatric dentist who can do root canals in the same practice, she also agreed to take them out. But I’m not 100% sure if she reaches this statement to avoid any contradiction to her colleague. I had expressed a very strong favor of keeping them during our consultation.

AIBU to consult another Paediatric dentist for this matter?

I'm not sure what another consultation will achieve meanwhile your DD has an abscess that needs to be dealt with.

Overcrowding can happen with natural tooth loss and can be sorted with braces in early teen years.

I would trust the professionals to know what they are talking about.

Forgot to add that, both dentists point to us in the X-rays why root canal might be challenging in her lower left first premolar (due to decay at the side reading gumline which makes crowns/cap difficult). She has similar decays in the lower right first premolar as well, but for that tooth, the decay hasn’t reached gum line.

Also, it is very costly to consult Paediatric dentist. So I find it frustrating to spend loads just to get the same answers.

@TimeForTeaAndG thank you so much for your reply. I’ve been crazily researching what impacts they can have from an orthodontic point of view. If I can find a Paediatric dentist who says the tooth is salvageable, I’ll go with that treatment. Am I being sensible??

So three dental professionals have advised you the same thing and you're still questioning it? Exactly how many experts will it take to convince you?

Meanwhile, your poor child is presumably suffering.

Frankly, I'd be more concerned about removing the decaying matter from her mouth than future tooth alignment.

How often are you cleaning her teeth? What is her diet like? Does she drink lots of squash?

Have them out they will eventually fall out I your dd .might be at risk of a secondary infection and isn't she in pain?

3 professionals have said remove them. If you consult a 4th, and they agree with you but your daughter suffers more as a result, what will you then do? At what point will you listen to the professionals you are asking for advice from?

3 professionals have suggested taking them out and your DD has active abscesses in her mouth! That’s an infection, she is presumably in pain. I really don’t know what other clarification you need OP, unless I’m really not understanding the post.

An active infection in her mouth would trump any possible alignment issues in a decade for me.

Thank you all for the reply. I do have concerns (constant worries) about her current abscess. It’s not causing her to complain but it did flare up a month ago very badly, which brought us to the emergency dentist in the first place. Since then it just calmed down, but it’s there. I am too worried to make a decision to get it out (since it’s irreversible) as I think there might be hope to fix it. But equally I’m worried that I’m just wasting energy, time and money in this process…

If they begin the root canal just because you want it and then they find the decay goes down past the gumline they will have to abandon the root canal and do an extraction instead another day. More expense for you and more stress and pain for DD. There is no point getting a 3rd or 4th opinion just for someone to agree with you when you aren't a dentist yourself. Solve your DD's current problems and plan for braces in the future

You seriously think that having a root canal on baby teeth is a viable option?

Have you ever had a root canal?

Way to start a dentist phobia at 6. 🙄

She’s had an infected mouth for over a month!?? And you are too worried to make a decision, and equally worried that you are wasting your own time and energy.

This is weird OP. Get the tooth out.

@minisoksmakehardwork thank you so much. I know a root canal may not be successful, and only then I think I can accept that the tooth is out. My daughter will of course go through this unpleasant procedure. But losing two teeth on the opposite sides will have an impact on her ability to eat as well (as the first permanent premolars don’t exfoliate until 9-11). so really, there’s no easy option. I just want to exhaust every method before tooth extraction. Am I crazy?

I would understand this in the context if these were adult teeth in a small child but OP I think you have really lost sight of what is actually important here. I think you are getting completely hung up on a cosmetic issue. If it is not cosmetic then I am lost for words as to what you are trying to do here. I very much question your motives to firstly leave your child in pain and secondly subject her to a long painful arduous procedure to have root canals when an extraction will be far faster and much kinder and compassionate to your DD. Are you in denial about what has gone wrong and what needs to happen?

@Sera1989 yes i have lost many nights of sleep over it. I think I’m trying to make peace with her losing them at this age. In fact, she had one of them out yesterday and I found it very hard. She’s totally fine though -had it under sedation. I am now rigorously googling if she can keep the other one (on the opposite side).

Yes. Root canals are pretty traumatic to the mouth and in my own case, I lost the tooth anyway. It wasn’t worth the pain and cost and yes you are crazy trying to save baby teeth

@Anusername its not really about you it’s about what’s best for your daughter. This is a kind way of saying you are being selfish

@Menora the reason we are so reluctant to have her baby teeth out at this age is because my partner has a small jaw and needed orthodontic treatment which he didn’t get as a kid. So she has 50% of chance of getting his gene. Premature loss of baby teeth might have an impact on the future work of orthodontic treatment. I am actually thinking whether I should consult an orthodontist now to guide my decision. But she has not yet shed any baby tooth yet, so I wonder if it’s useless.

Root canal on baby teeth is a non starter. Concentrate your energies on looking after your child so they don’t get any more decay instead of second guessing professionals.

I would be concentrating your efforts on brushing her teeth and ensuring good oral hygiene. The damage has been done already to the teeth in question and you have been told it needs to come out.

@rainbowunicorn I have since then being extremely careful about her teeth and her diet. I have this deep regret of not doing this for her earlier. But what if we can save her tooth? She has five more years until her adult teeth come out

Will you get those rotting teeth out before she gets endocarditis?

And have the dental nurse teach you how to keep the rest of her teeth in good condition.

You won't get anywhere with teeth alignment if the infection spreads and affects her jaw.

OP I think the concerns you have need to be assessed by an orthodontist.

My children were seen by the dentist many times throughout their life. I brought DS to an ortho to get assessed for braces and within 2 mins he said to me that he thought DS has a condition where his lower jaw will grow too much resulting in an obvious underbite that will require surgery when he is an adult to correct.

Never did a dentist mention this.

MY DH has the same condition but the ortho didnt know when he examined DS. If you concerns are about the size of her jaw I recommend an urgent appt with ortho. She may be too young to know for sure but you will get better guidance.

@FluentRubyDog do you happen to be a dentist pls?

Her mouths been infected for over a month and 3 professionals have told you to get it out. You cannot save this tooth and you are actively harming the rest of them/her general health by letting an infection fester. Every time she eats she is swallowing this infection, and breathing it in and out every day. This sounds so bloody cruel to me!!