Dental Work

[Brenda]

I'm curious if anyone has had an increase in tics after having dental work involving laughing gas and stainless steel crowns. My daughter is to have a crown put on and the dentist suggested using gas to ease the process.

 

I am hestitant about both - she is doing very well (very minimal tics) that I hate to subject her to something that may increase her tics. I questioned the dentist about only filling the tooth with white filling and they said that the tooth may break as the cavity is quite large.

 

I'd appreciate any input. I continue to read this site daily and you are a wonderful support group!

 

Thankyou, Brenda

[LuluGirl]

Hi Brenda,

 

I can't really speak to the laughing gas effects. My son has had it but I can't remember an increase in tics. That may be a good sign!

 

As to the crowns, I have about 6 or 7 of them in my mouth and they are all porcelain. I actually haven't even heard of stainless steel crowns. They do make gold crowns, which are very durable but most people don't want to have something shiny like that in their mouth. Same would go for stainless steel. Please ask your dentist why he's not considering a porcelain crown. I have also gotten a porcelain onlay. When your daughter opens her mouth I can guarantee she'd most likely prefer to see things that look like her own teeth! Also, be sure and have her double check her bite when they're finished. They do the tap, tap, tap of her bite on a piece of carbon paper to show where they need to file it down a bit. If the bite is wrong her tooth will hurt. Also, they need to be careful to match the color of the crown with the rest of her teeth (if you go with the porcelain which I am begging you to!) and you also have a choice if you want them to put stain on the biting surface. Sometimes they like to do that so it looks "real" but I think it just makes the crown look dirty.

 

Wish I didn't have so much experience with this. Let me know if you have any more Q's.

 

 

 

Lisa

[Chemar]

Hi

 

without exception, dental work intensifies my son's tics and he cannot tolerate any metal in his mouth ......he even stopped using metal eating utensils some years back.uses only plastic ones and doesnt care who notices..... ...metal in his mouth sets off his tics big time....specifically toothgrinding and jaw snapping.

 

we take him to a specialist dentist who has experience working with TS folks. He sealed up my son's teeth a while back to prevent any grinding damage, but thankfully pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5) supplements stopped the bruxism(tooth grinding tics)

 

no experience with nitrous oxide(laughing gas)

[Giselle]

Hi there, I would definitely vote for the porcelain crown too - when you say "stainless steel" did you mean the silver fillings? If this is the case they contain mercury which does leach out and as mercury is a neurotoxin it is one thing more your daughter's body will have to fight.

 

My son has never had the gas but the numbing agent they used for his one filling didn't cause problems.

 

Good luck,

Giselle

[Spring]

Hi Chemar,

 

You mentioned that your son had his teeth sealed. Do you know what kind of sealant that he had? My son's dentist also asked him to seal his teeth, but I'm not sure. I appreciate your input.

 

Thanks!

[kim]

Just thought I would add that my 12 yr. old has braces and he has steel crowns on two teeth that hold little bars that force him to close his mouth in a certain way, to adjust his bite.

 

There was a discussion on the ACN Autism bd. about the composition of the steel/metals used in braces and other dental work. The impression I was left with was that the metals may not be as big of a concern as the adhesives.

 

Just last night my son informed me that one of the bars has broken off of one of the crowns. To repair this will require that the crown be removed and replaced with a new one, with a new bar attached, so more adhesive. He also told me that he can taste the adhesive when he bites down, and these crowns have been in place for several months.

 

I have not noticed an increase in tics do to any of the work he has had done with orthodontics, and I was very nervous about it for a long time. I had braces, and I know how painful it can be when they do an adjustment, then throw the anxiety about the metal and the adhesives in there, but he has really breezed through it and were nearing the end.

 

I'll be very glad when he's done. I hate him being exposed to anything that could be "more poison", but I did want to say that I have never noticed an increase in tics with treatment.

 

Kim

[Brenda]

Thank you for your replies!

 

I checked with the dentist, and it is a stainless steel crown. I questioned about using a procelin crown but it was very expensive.

 

They did say, that they could do a white amalgam filling, but if it falls out it would have to be replaced. After talking with my husband, this is the route we will go. We both feel better about not putting any extra metals into her body.

 

The dentists' office also wants to put a sealant on her molars. I feel better about this as there is no color or metals in the sealant, although I will ask them for a detailed list of ingredients of the sealant before we proceed.

 

Thanks again for your input, I really appreciate your advice.

 

Wishing you all the best.

Brenda