Re: Urgent Dental Question

February 13, 2003

My daughter had to have 5 fillings, while we were using Cigna HMO/POS. They

put her under at the hospital outpatient center. My daughters dentist was

out of network for my dental insurance, so I had to pay additional fees for

his work. The facility and everything else was arranged through my MEDICAL

insurance and they paid fall of those fees.

I suggest that you have the dentist, work with your child's doctor and they

make the next request. At the very least you should appeal the insurance

denial. Most companies always deny the first request. My question to the

insurance people would be, " At what point would the infection from this tooth

actually be serious enough to be covered as a medical necessity by you? "

My heart goes out to the little girl. I know how bad an abscessed tooth can

hurt.

February 13, 2003

Diane,

thanks for the quick reply. I have forwarded it to my daughter. I'll let

you know what happens.

Diane Bond wrote:

> Honestly I would get a second opinion. Sounds like an awful lot of money .

Personally I would pull it out, from what you describe I can't see why it would

cause trouble down the road. Kids have teeth pulled all the time and you said

that it wasn't even a permanent one?

> jn516 <jn516@...> wrote:I'm hoping someone can help my daughter and

son in law with information.

> Their daughter Jackie, who is 6 years old, seems to have developed at

> least one pretty bad cavity which started hurting her this Monday.

>

> When they realized why she was crying so badly, my daughter took her to

> a the dentist she uses in the hope he would be able to confirm that it

> was a tooth that was causing her to cry so.

>

> While he could not take x-rays due to the fact that Jackie would not let

> him take an xray, he was able to get enough of a look to see a cavity.

>

> On Tuesday she got her in to a pediatric dentist who treats special

> needs children. He was very good with her and with the help of Jackie's

> dad, this dentist was able to get a better look at the tooth. He is

> recommending a root canal with cap to be done next week. The tooth in

> question is not a permanent one, but he says to pull it, would cause a

> problem down the road, when the molar comes in.

>

> He said she would be knocked out, have x-rays taken, and if what he

> suspects is true, they would proceed with either the root canal or pull

> the tooth.

>

> He told them to watch for any signs of swelling or redness between now

> and then. My daughter alerted the school Jackie attends since she

> returned today. The school called this afternoon and said they thought

> the tooth was hurting her because of the way she was crying and they

> also thought her face was swollen.

>

> Her parents picked her up and took her to an oral surgeon, who was

> unable to get x-rays because she would not hold still or allow anyone to

> put their hand in her mouth to hold the film next to the tooth. They

> also have the equipment to do an xray where the machine circles the

> head, but she would have to sit still in the chair by herself, and there

> is no way that was happening!

>

> The problem is in order to have her knocked out, the cost is $1500.00.

> My son in law called his dental insurance carrier - Aetna US Health Care

> PPO and his health insurance carrier - United Health Care PPO. Both

> say they will not pay for the anesthesia, even if the procedure is done

> in a hospital, which was also suggested by either the pediatric dentist

> or the oral surgeon. He did stress to both that she is autistic and

> there is no way anyone will be able to get an xray without her being

> knocked out.

>

> Is there anyone on the list who can make any suggestions about this

> situation. Right now, trying to dig up $1500.00 is going to be just

> about an impossibility. Any advice, or suggestions sure will be

> appreciated. Thank you.

>

--

June Guerin-Najdek

mailto:jn516@...

February 13, 2003

> I'm hoping someone can help my daughter and son in law with

information.

> Their daughter Jackie, who is 6 years old, seems to have

developed at

> least one pretty bad cavity which started hurting her this Monday.

>

> When they realized why she was crying so badly, my daughter took

her to

> a the dentist she uses in the hope he would be able to confirm that

it

> was a tooth that was causing her to cry so.

>

> While he could not take x-rays due to the fact that Jackie would

not let

> him take an xray, he was able to get enough of a look to see a

cavity.

>

> On Tuesday she got her in to a pediatric dentist who treats special

> needs children. He was very good with her and with the help of

Jackie's

> dad, this dentist was able to get a better look at the tooth. He is

> recommending a root canal with cap to be done next week. The tooth

in

> question is not a permanent one, but he says to pull it, would

cause a

> problem down the road, when the molar comes in.

>

> He said she would be knocked out, have x-rays taken, and if what he

> suspects is true, they would proceed with either the root canal or

pull

> the tooth.

>

> He told them to watch for any signs of swelling or redness between

now

> and then. My daughter alerted the school Jackie attends since she

> returned today. The school called this afternoon and said they

thought

> the tooth was hurting her because of the way she was crying and

they

> also thought her face was swollen.

>

> Her parents picked her up and took her to an oral surgeon, who was

> unable to get x-rays because she would not hold still or allow

anyone to

> put their hand in her mouth to hold the film next to the tooth.

They

> also have the equipment to do an xray where the machine circles the

> head, but she would have to sit still in the chair by herself, and

there

> is no way that was happening!

>

> The problem is in order to have her knocked out, the cost is

$1500.00.

> My son in law called his dental insurance carrier - Aetna US Health

Care

> PPO and his health insurance carrier - United Health Care PPO.

Both

> say they will not pay for the anesthesia, even if the procedure is

done

> in a hospital, which was also suggested by either the pediatric

dentist

> or the oral surgeon. He did stress to both that she is autistic and

> there is no way anyone will be able to get an xray without her

being

> knocked out.

>

> Is there anyone on the list who can make any suggestions about this

> situation. Right now, trying to dig up $1500.00 is going to be just

> about an impossibility. Any advice, or suggestions sure will be

> appreciated. Thank you.

> --

> June Guerin-Najdek

> mailto:jn516@o...

Hi June,

I was a Dental Assistant fro nine years. I worked for a Pedodontist

for two years. Yes it can effect her permanent tooth if they pull her

baby tooth. I'm going to assume the tooth is a molar. If they pull it

it can sometimes effect the development of the permanent tooth but

not always. they do not do root canals on baby teeth because they

have very small roots. They do waht they call a pulpotomy, remove all

the decay and cap the tooth with a little round silver cap. Has

anyone suggested that they use nitrous Oxide (laughling gas). They

may need to hold her down until the gas takes effect but usually it

works quite well and of course it is painless. After the gas relaxes

her they can give her a local (novacaine) and do what they have to

do. They even have steel finger guards so the dentist doesn't get his

finger bit. We treated special needs children including Downs

Syndrome children this way all the time with no problem. I don't see

why she should have to be put under general anesthesia for this

procedure. The only time we would have to doo this is for severely

retarded adults who were very strong and could really hurt soemone.

It is unlikely taht is the case with a six year old. Maybe she should

call around to other pedodontists. I'm really shocked no one has even

mentioned nitrous.

Peggy

February 13, 2003

Personally-I would pull it. And put a spacer in if needed.

Elaine-

February 13, 2003

As you can see Cheryl our health care system is garbage!

Charlene

-- RE: Urgent Dental Question

You see in australia we have the government system where all kids up to

the age of high school at least can receive free dental treatment

regardless of how much money the family has. I am a dental nurse, so I

know a bit in regards to the government scheme. The reason the dentist

did not want to extract [pull] the deciduous [baby] tooth out is

right.......it can cause problems in the future of where the permanent

teeth come in, and under any circumstances this has to be taken into

account when pulling teeth. If the child is now in pain and swelling, a

different story, it very may well have to be pulled out now, or a

pulpotomy could be attempted, where the nerve is taken out and

antibiotic cream put in, then after a couple of weeks a filling put in

the keep the tooth. You cannot root fill baby teeth!!!! No way!!! It is

called a pulpotomy, so don’t let any dentist charge you for a supposed

Root therapy!!!! I would find a childrens dentist or dental therapist,

they are trained for kids.....all the best, and if you want me to find

out anymore, I shall sure try. Cheryl s [aussie]

February 13, 2003

Exactly what I said peggy........though you said it better than

me.........hehe, old dental nurse coming out in me. Yes, if you want to

try the old laughing gas, it sometimes works great. The government

system here in aussie doesn’t supply that, but they do do GA's General

Anaesthetics, but not as regular as they like. Cheryl S