Special Needs Dentist

Joined : 27 Mar 2007 Posts : 808 Localisation : Surrey

My fantastic lovely dentist, who would be perfect if he only changed his profession, has referred Charlotte to a special needs dentist.

She is terrified of the dentist even though she has never actually been as I thought she'd grow out of her problems and we'd be able to go when she was better behaved. Ha! How daft that sounds now!

Anyway, does anyone have any experience of SN dentists?

What should I expect, and what information would they want? Life is so problematic at the moment what with my dad getting sicker, and trying to study, and living with PDA and now the cat being a worry, it's all beginning to mount up and overwhelm me! Crying

Age : 35 Joined : 12 Mar 2007 Posts : 769

I hope this will put your mind at rest. Dd has been seeing a special needs dentist at the health centre for a few years. They need to know the childs medical background and the one dd has understands autism well because she is treating autistic children all the time. She sees dd every 3 months it took a while but dd now goes in, plays with the tap, then sits down and lets the dentist check her teeth. The dentist makes it fun and gives dd sunglasses, talks to her in a way she understands and always follows the same routine, quick play with water/tooth check/sticker/new toothbrush, dd now knows exactly what is happening and is happy with it. It takes awhile to get used to going but its been well worth it. Let us know how C gets on Smile

Joined : 27 Mar 2007 Posts : 808 Localisation : Surrey

Oh, thanks for that!

My dentist said that it might take a few weeks and to let him know if I hadn't heard.

I'm worried that she'll need sedation, as she's really scared but I'll cross that bridge when I get there!

Her milk teeth have yet to start falling out, so it'll be good to get her in the chair before they do as knowing her she'll associate the loss of her baby teeth with visiting the dentist! Little minx!

Feel better now, thanks Misty hugging

Age : 35 Joined : 12 Mar 2007 Posts : 769

They should have an understanding about autism so will take things slowly and be patient. When dd first went she bit the dentist, kept crawling out the chair , refused to open her mouth etc, but she was patient with her and the routine started which made dd feel at ease. I would try to hold off sedation, even if C dosnt open her mouth the first few times she will be getting used to the new environment and building up a relationship with the dentist and over time will feel more confident to let the dentist see her teeth. This is why dd sees the dentist every 3 months, maybe you could suggest that for C. hugging

Joined : 27 Mar 2007 Posts : 808 Localisation : Surrey

Oooh, good plan! hug

Subject: Re: Special Needs Dentist 11/6/2007, 12:48 pm

Funny thing is i got Ts card thru for him to go dentist at the weekend, so i discussed with him about him going and he wasnt having it. I have tried ringing them to discuss his refusal and maybe they will refer him to special needs dentist then, i dont know.

I do know it wont be easy tho just like u mum2c, we can only but try and hope for the best. Do let us know how she gets on and i will do the same when it comes to T going.

so pleased for u misty that ur dd is ok with it now, bless her Smile

_________________
Northern lass born & bred!

Joined : 27 Mar 2007 Posts : 808 Localisation : Surrey

My dentist is a lovely man, and as someone who is very nervous of all things dentist-y I am very pleased to have him!

The fact that he referred Charlotte without having seen her says a lot for his understanding of the problem...although once I'd explained C's expected behaviour, maybe he was only too glad to do it!!! Very Happy

Joined : 12 Mar 2007 Posts : 896 Localisation : East Anglia

Joined : 27 Mar 2007 Posts : 808 Localisation : Surrey

It went really well.

Too well!!!

We spent ages role playing dentists, talking about the chair and exactly what the dentist would want to see, the whole thing....

C was perfectly behaved and PDA didn't even come with us I don't think! (We must have left it at home as she was a mare for the rest of the day, bless her!!)

Now, of course, I feel a total fraud!

She has a tiny bit of decay on one of her milk teeth which they want to fill. Hah!! Not on your nellie, dentist-lady!! Am not putting my baby through that just for the flippin' thing to fall out naturally in less than a year!!

It does need attention though, and they said that they can knock her out to remove it!! Eeek! I know that's far less traumatic for her than trying to remove it without her being asleep, but it's still a bit scary for me...

Age : 35 Joined : 12 Mar 2007 Posts : 769

Really pleased it went so well thumbup

if its only slight decay carnt they clean it and put a temp filling on (I had one without any pain, no drilling just cleaned and smoothed a temp filling on top) seems pointless putting her and you through putting her to sleep to knock a tooth out when it will drop out anyway. Which tooth is it? As a rough guide (I know all kids are different) but dd lost her 8 front teeth when she was 6 and 7 and hasnt lost any since, not even another wobbler in sight and shes 9 now so if its a canine or close to the back it might be worth taking it out.

Joined : 27 Mar 2007 Posts : 808 Localisation : Surrey

It's one of the big molars at the back and apparently it has a hole in it! Eeek!!

I can't see them filling it as I can't see her letting them!! The only thing she was unhappy about at her appointment was laying down in the chair, so they let her sit up, but you can't do that when having a filling.

I have such a 'thing' about dentists as I spent far too long there as a child (my teeth were very badly damaged when I was given penicillin as a baby 'cos I'm violently allergic to it. at least that what my mum has always said. It certainly wasn't too much sugar!!) and I don't want Charlotte to feel like that too.

My feeling is that they might as well oick it out now, before it becomes infected and painful, it's going to fall out anyway...