ASAP!!!need help - dental spacers!

[mirtodd]

Need info on spacers, and the pros & cons of uni vs. bilateral spacers


Hello, DS (7.5yo) is getting one of his baby molars pulled tomorrow. The tooth has already cracked twice, had a pedi-root canal,and now the gum has an abcess, so our new dentist says it needs to come out. It is the second to last molar on the left side (immediately in front of his 6yr molar).

She wants to put in a spacer, specifically a bilateral spacer, as she said that that unilateral spacers do not work and only have to keep getting replaced. I am reluctant, and would love to get more information on this from anyone. He is a bit OCD, so I think that anything draped over his arch is going to driv him nutso... I just don't like the idea of hardware in his mouth, but what to do???

[Lovenest]

Gosh I have no idea, but I know how you feel my son may need a cap and has OCD issues as well as sensory issues.
I have yet to figure everything out.
Did you ask her if there is any other options as far as the spacer goes?
Most dentist kinda brush you off if you tell them the child may have an issue with things like that though. Well my experience has been that.

[mirtodd]

When you go to a surgeon, you get surgery. When you go to a dentist, they want to do dental work. I've been racking my brain and the internet over what to do. I found a study on the efficacy of spacers in kids (a 6 yr follow-up study), and they found spacers only to have a 30% success rate. After discussing things over with my hubby, we decided (barring new info that might sway us) that we will get the tooth pulled, but will wait on the spacer. I read one sight that you can monitor the space closely, and deal with it if shifting starts to occur. I think that in DS's case, it would be the best course of action.

Thanks for your response.

[Lovenest]

Originally Posted by mirtodd

When you go to a surgeon, you get surgery. When you go to a dentist, they want to do dental work. I've been racking my brain and the internet over what to do. I found a study on the efficacy of spacers in kids (a 6 yr follow-up study), and they found spacers only to have a 30% success rate. After discussing things over with my hubby, we decided (barring new info that might sway us) that we will get the tooth pulled, but will wait on the spacer. I read one sight that you can monitor the space closely, and deal with it if shifting starts to occur. I think that in DS's case, it would be the best course of action.

Thanks for your response.

Good on ya mama! I think that sounds like a excellent idea.
Now I will keep that in mind if we are ever in that situation.