There’s a local dentist who has a bad reputation for pushing stuff that may not be needed. Sadly I didn’t know this and took my kids to see him when they were small. They wanted my son to wear this apparatus when he was 4. —>
It was something to fix his crossbite. He had only baby teeth and he was a thumb sucker. I’d asked about what age to work to break him and they had told me that it’d work itself out.
They were like it’s going to cost this much and insurance will pay this much. Let’s schedule it for next week, when would you like the appointment??? I about cried. I was like, that’s a lot of money and pretty scary looking. I am going to have to talk to my husband and they were like ok, we’ll leave the room so you can call him.
What??? I took the photos of it with my camera in my purse. My 4 and 2 year olds are in the room whining and I told them that I’d just have to call back later as I’m not sure what my schedule was like. I was freaked out!
Then I went to my dentist and asked his opinion. Like walked into the waiting room and just asked to see him. He looked at him briefly and was like No! No no no no NO!!! Don’t do that to that poor baby! Work to get the thumb habit to stop, but crossbites will either get better with time as their mouth grows (and when he quits the thumb) or when he gets older he can get braces, but why on EARTH would anyone want a 4 year old to wear that?
I stayed with Dr. Snodgrass two more years and just said no to them. The next year they gave the kids flouride and my insurance didn’t cover it but once a year. I told them that I’d pay it this time but put it in the records that I don’t want that to happen again. Next year, another flouride bill. Why? Because they didn’t care what my records said, they do it each time as it’s best for the kid. Um, no. I called and went off. Look I asked you not to do it. I’m the mom. I will not be paying you for these and I’d like their records. I’ll be by next week to pick them up we’re done.
Now they go to my dentist with me. There’s no arcade, but they ASK before any treatment and they do it when I’m doing mine. I trust him and they have a tiny goodie box for the kids so they still get their silly ring or whatever after.
Oh and that dental thing scared my 4 y/o out of his mind. He was crying about it and begging not to. He was like, I’ll quit the thumb – anything but that. He asked us to help him bandage it at night and sure enough he quit pretty quick. I’d be like remember that mouth thing and show him the photo. BAM. So if anything I recommend them to scare your kid to stop the thumb.
By the way – my son is almost 8 now, so this was a while ago, but still so fresh in my mind. And he has a few adult teeth and …. well see for yourself, he isn’t lacking for room right now. Crossbite or not, the david letterman gap was going to happen either way. I had one and I had braces and fixed it Oh the braces. Better start saving up now!
