DS needs several fillings HELP

[JamesMama]

DS have about 8 cavities. Nothing I'm doing wrong or right, just that DH's family has horrible teeth, there is not one single person in his family that made it out of their first dental check up with less than 6 cavities, the record stands at 12 by DH's cousin.

SO...he has an appt for major dental surgery (anesthesia, the whole 9 yards) on June 20.

Well we got the pre-op information from the dentist and she wants to use amalgam fillings. I called today and told her I prefer to use composite. She argued with me. Said that amalgam fillings are perfectly safe and no longer contain mercury. But I read on the ADA website that they are made from mercury. :

She also said that composite fillings don't last that long and that they may need redone and that our insurance company will not cover the cost of composite fillings.

The cost is *sort* of an issue, but so long as we can make payments on them we'll just have to deal. I'm not sure how much it will cost but we'll just have to deal.

The office manager said that the dentist will talk with me about it on the day of surgery. I have a feeling they'll really push the amalgam fillings.

:

Arm me with some info to take with me.

Arm me with some info to present to DH so he doesn't balk at the cost and demand we just go for the amalgam fillings.

TIA!!

[flowmom]

IME, it's so nice to go to a dentist that you don't have to educate!! Try to find someone else if you can because IME professionals are not going to be convinced by anything you bring them - they believe their own sources.

[JamesMama]

We get title 19...she's the only pediatric dentist within miles and miles and miles that takes title 19 (medicaid)

[Pookietooth]

Ugh, tell her she can't use them and nothing she says will change your mind. She's obviously an idiot if she doesn't know they have mercury in them. Supposedly it's less than it was, but not zero. She works for you, not the reverse.

[Peony]

There is only two pedi dentists in my area for hundreds of miles, one uses a papoose board so i refuse to go to them so I have exactly one option left. With DD1's first 4 fillings, I got the same lines you did, "it's safe....", I just refused anything but the composite, which they did, but it wasn't "ideal". She goes in again this summer for general anesthesia for yet more cavities and I'm prepared to do the same thing again.

[tanyalynn]

Don't try to convince her, and frankly, her integrity and/or competence is in question if she says that amalgam fillings don't have mercury. They're about half mercury, and even the ADA admits that it leaches out. As someone who's had her health really, really messed up by the mercury in her fillings, I'd just advise you to continue to be skeptical of what she says.

Have you looked for adult dentists who also see kids? My kids' first appointments were with regular dentists, and I _think_ they would've been fine filling cavities if there had been any.

Good luck! And good job asking questions.

[onemorebb]

I just learned today that both my kids have cavities that need to be filled. My dentist doesn't use amalgam, instead he uses the composites. The problem is I looked up what the composites were made of and they Bisphenol A in them. That's the chemical in plastic #9 that some scientists believe causes cancer and fertility problems. So, are there any other options?

:

[JamesMama]

I took him to the only adult dentist for hours that takes Title 19 and he refused to see James since he was so scared. : He started screaming when the tech was examining him so she said the dentist would not see him and refered us to the pedi dentist.

She was pretty good with James...he has a MAJOR doctor phobia...and she was pretty cool about that...just this amalgam thing she's stuck on.

[Peony]

Originally Posted by JamesMama

I took him to the only adult dentist for hours that takes Title 19 and he refused to see James since he was so scared. : He started screaming when the tech was examining him so she said the dentist would not see him and refered us to the pedi dentist.

She was pretty good with James...he has a MAJOR doctor phobia...and she was pretty cool about that...just this amalgam thing she's stuck on.

I'm sorry. That's the issue I had as well. My great family dentist that I've used for years refused to touch my DD's mouth, just refers us to the pedi dentist.