What Every Parent Should Know about Your Child’s Baby Teeth

As a parent, I have adored my children at every age  (ok, sometime a teenager is not always adorable!).  As an orthodontist crazy about teeth, I thought their baby teeth were the cutest little chicklets compared to the grown up teeth I work on every day.    So how do children get from a set of 20 baby or “primary” teeth at age 3 to a full permanent dentition?

Primary teeth are a much smaller version of the permanent teeth that will succeed them starting at around age 7.  Nature gives us 2 sets of teeth because only small primary teeth will fit in a child’s small jaws.  As the face and jaws grow, the primary teeth are replaced by larger, sturdier permanent teeth that are meant to handle the forces of chewing of an adult. 

When children begin to lose their primary teeth (age 6-7), they enter the mixed dentition .  It is at this time that significantly larger permanent incisor teeth (the front teeth) make their debut appearance.  This is also the time that permanent teeth get blocked out from erupting (growing) into the mouth, due to a mismatch of the size of a small jaw with large permanent teeth.   What can be done?

The American Association of Orthodontist recommends that children have an orthodontic examination at age 7 for just this reason:  The transition from only primary teeth to the mixed dentition reveals many possible problems that should be identified early.

When a permanent tooth is unable to erupt, it is not uncommon that the baby tooth or teeth in its path need to be removed.   This is a temporary measure to relieve crowding until a later age when other treatment will be necessary. 

Primary teeth fall out (exfoliate) when the corresponding permanent tooth pushes into the root of the primary tooth, causing it to dissolve (resorb).  There are situations where the permanent tooth has resorbed the root of a primary tooth, but it won’t budge!  This requires the removal of the primary tooth to allow the permanent tooth to erupt.  

Permanent teeth that are not permitted to grow into the mouth (due to blockage by a primary tooth, or improper location eventually can lose the ability to erupt, and become impacted.  So it’s important for your dentist or orthodontist to maintain the proper tooth shedding /tooth eruption timetable to avoid problems.

Fortunately if a primary tooth needs to be removed, it is typically a simple procedure for a dentist or pediatric dentist to provide, and an easy and painless experience for your child. 

If you have any questions about this or any Orthodontic related topic, please visit my website at www.braceace.com. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.