“My 9-year-old son sees our pediatric dentist every 6 months for checkups. In April, the dentist insisted that my son get sealants for his teeth. The dentist said that they give kids nitrous for the procedure, although I thought it wasn’t necessary because my son loves going to the dentist. I had to pay out of pocket for the nitrous because my insurance doesn’t cover it.
Now the dentist says my son needs 3 of the 8 sealants replaced because they came off. She says that my son must have been eating something sticky, like candied apples or taffy for the sealants to come out. My son has never eaten candied apples or taffy. My kids are only allowed to have sweets on the weekend, and I bake them.
The dentist’s office expects me to pay for the new sealants. I didn’t ask, but I suppose they are going to insist on using nitrous again. I feel like finding another pediatric dentist, but I am wondering if there is a certain way I should handle this. What do you suggest?” – Teri
Teri – Your son’s pediatric dentist likely used sealants because they are very effective in preventing tooth decay. Children in your son’s age range are usually able to brush and floss on their own, but they often miss brushing in deep crevices. Dentists recommend sealants to protect permanent teeth from decay.
When a pediatric dentist properly applies sealants, they can last ten years or more. If your son’s sealants have fallen out already, there might be a problem with the way they were placed. You have already mentioned that you don’t allow your children to eat sweet, sticky foods, so that issue isn’t the cause of the issue.
Options for Replacing Dental Sealants that Fell Out
- We recommend that you speak with the office manager at your son’s pediatric dentist and ask if the sealants can be replaced at no charge.
- You can also request that the sealants be replaced without sedating your son with nitrous oxide, given your son’s good track record of cooperation with the dentist. If the office manager seems unwilling to honor your request, you can ask to speak directly to the dentist.
- As a last resort, consider getting a second opinion from another pediatric dentist.
This post is sponsored by the pediatric dentists at Naperville Dental Specialists.
