Would you let your 3 yo be strapped down w/ papoose board at dentist's office for filling?

Question

My son had 2 cavities. I took him to my dentist and as soon and as he got in the room they strapped him to a papoose board and 4 ppl worked on his mouth. No one tried to comfort him. They just held him down with the papoose board which looks basically like a strait jacket. It made his arms and legs immobile and his head was between two boards. When we left he was hysterical. His lips were bruised & he cried in his sleep that night. I did not sign any consent form. I decided I was not taking him back to get the other cavity filled there. So I began calling other pediatric dentist and found out they all use the papoose boards. Well atleast the ones that accept my insurance. A friend of mine recommended www.smiles4keeps.com but they use the board too. I think maybe they would be a little more compassionate since they are geared towards kids and the other dentist wasn't, but honestly I don't want to take him anywhere. Should I take him the the new dentist? What do you think of their site?

Answer 1

that dentist's technique sounds rather cruel and outdated to me?

my children had a pediatric dentist... and when my son was 2-1/2, he had to have work (long story)... that pediatric dentist was just wonderful... my son never even knew he had a shot.... the dentist and staff didn't have to tie him down either....he was a little shy when he went in, but his staff was trained to work specifically with children.

im' really sorry your child had this experience.... i hope you can find a decent dentist and that there will be some way your child will be accepting of the next dental experience?

perhaps have a meeting with the next dentist before you go... let them know about the first experience... i really think they ought to know and be prepared about your child's last, unfortunate dental visit.

i wish you all the best.

Answer 2

I worked in a dental office for years and we did use a papoose on children. We would only implement the papoose if the child was completely uncooperative. We always tried to work on the child with out the board first. Most of the time if we were calm and explained what we were doing the child would be fine in the chair.
I agree that your experience was terrible. Please remember at any time you feel any doctor or dentist is not being reasonable with your child you have every right to tell them to stop and they have to stop.
Children really frighten some dentists because they are unpredictable and with the instruments and drills that are used a child can be badly injured if they get scared and start moving around.
I would call your pediatrician and ask if they know anyone that works on children without using the board. Some dentists will give nitrous oxide and that puts the kids in a very relaxed state.
Whom ever you find, I would set up a consultation with the doctor ( without your son), and explain the situiation. Most dentists will do this for free. I would also suggest having your son just visit the office a few times without having anything done. Usually the dentist and staff are fine with this. They should be willing to show your son around, let him have a ride in the chair, play with the suction and water and get comfortable.
As a last resort, I would have my child sedated and have any and all work done at once. It may sound extreme but it will be the least invasive. Your son will be a sleep and while that may be scary for him to begin with, it will all be over when he wakes up.

As an aside, have your pediatrician give you a presciption for flouride drops or tablets ( if your son will take them), this will help prevent future cavities.

My son was 3 when he fell and split his chin open. We went to the emergency room and they had to use a board on him. It was one of the worst experience I have ever had. I cried, he cried, so I totally sympathize with what you went through.

Good luck!!

Answer 3

When my son was 5 a pediatric nurse strapped him onto a papoose board to take his blood, my son is 23 now and he still complains about that!
If I were you I'd get a new dentist, even if they use the same method of restraint, they should be more compassionate.
My niece was given gas when she had her dental work done, she actually enjoyed it, maybe you can find a dentist that uses gas instead.
Good luck.

Answer 4

Papoose Board

Answer 5

a lot of dentists - even pediatric specialists - use restraints and ask new patients to sign a blanket permission form at the first visit

take your time and interview potential dentists about their policies - you can find one tha does not use restraints

if necessary, they can use a method of sedation for certain dental procedures

you'll need someone really caring and understanding to work with you since your son was so traumatized

also, using the board in and of itself may not have been so bad - sounds like they didn't do anything to lessen his fears or make the experience less traumatic - another dentist may have done much much better

Answer 6

I am sooooooo angry reading this! If your child had never shown any problem in the past with a dentist working on him, or if this was his first visit and he hadnt shown signs of being an issue while they worked on him, then I personally beleive they shouldnt have used a papoose board! There are reasons they do this, although I dont agree with papoose boards. First of all, the papoose board in itself makes kids/infants scream because they are being restrained! Thats makes them mad but doesnt hurt them! The dentist also has tools he needs to use that could hurt them or the child if the child is flailing around and screaming and wont sit still. It is also beleived by many that IF the parent is allowed in the room, it makes the child even MORE upset and harder to handle- so many dentists wont treat the child if the parent comes in! I wont go to those dentists! The staff in most offices maybe empathetic to this distraught child, but they have to do their job and dont always show compassion. It doesnt mean they are heartless, although we feel they are while they work on our baby! They have to get the job done as efficently as possible and as quickly as possible without anyone getting hurt! My daughter was 2 when she fell and broke her 2 front teeth. The dentist didnt use a PB (papoose board) but he didnt use any local anesthetic either cause he said babies dont feel pain! Yeah right! She developed painful abcesses because of the broken teeth and he had to drill to release the infection! The noise freaked her out and it WAS painful! He was firm and not pleasant but not rude and freaked her out so bad the surgery had to be finished in the hospital! It was 4 years before we could even drive past his office without her screaming! Any dentist you choose now, for a very long time will undoubtedly have to sedate her, and CAN do this safely, in order to work on her without so much trauma! This dentist probably freaked out your daughter BEFORE it was necessary to use HIS method of treatment! She will remember this for a LONG TIME! Find a dentist who can either use a form of sedation or do it it the hospital with IV therapy. Whatrever you do, dont ignore her teeth because they will just get worse and the treatment then more extensive and more trauma for him! The website you included actually looks pretty decent and they can use sedation which your child will probably need for a long time now. Give it a shot!

Answer 7

Did they let you stay in the room with him? I won't let my kids go to a dentist that won't let me be in the room. My job there is to do the comforting. Theirs is to get the work done. Fortunately we've never had to use a papoose board for dentistry but we did have to bundle my older DD when she needed stitches at 2 1/2. I was there to comfort her as I could but she was still immobilized to get the work done.

Answer 8

go out and find someone who doesn't us a board or ask if they couldn't use the Bord and try to calm him down like after he has the Novocaine have him try to blow up a rubber glove that's what the dentist i take my siblings to does. Definitely find another dentist.

Answer 9

That one act can scar your child for life,I was done that way when I was a child and unfortunantly I did not go back to a dentist untill I had to have all of my teeth pulled. Find a dentist that can build trust with your child.

Answer 10

This is child abuse of the first magnitude if I ever heard of it! Something like this one incident can permanently damage kids life,and were you present during this procedure? The staff most likely didn't want you to see what they did to the kid! Think about it!!!