Do you have a child that hasn’t lost any baby teeth yet? If so you may be wonder if you should be concerned. Most children will begin to lose their baby teeth around six years of age but can start as early as five and as late as seven. However, there are some complications that can occur in a child that loses their teeth late. Smile Reef would like to share some development issues with those who lose their teeth late, what signs to watch for, and why or when you should seek out professional help.
When Do Permanent Teeth Come In?
All parents should be concerned for their child’s oral health. Kids will begin to lose their baby teeth as early as five and as late as seven, which is normal and you needn’t be concerned. However, if by age eight and the child have never lost any baby teeth, there could be a problem. It is recommended if the child hasn’t lost any baby teeth by the age of seven, you begin seeking help from an orthodontist and begin monitoring your child’s oral development. By the age of eight most kids should have lost up to eight teeth: the front four on top and bottom. However, when the teeth or jaw bone isn’t developing correctly, it can cause delays. With proper development by ten years of age the rest of the baby teeth will begin to fall out, and by age 12, the second molars will start to come in. By sixteen the wisdom teeth are usually due to begin coming out which is why it is important to begin monitoring their development. Wisdom teeth are usually removed before the roots are fully developed.
Permanent Teeth Eruption Problems
When baby teeth fall out late it can be due to a number of problems. One is crowding. The permanent teeth need enough room to come down. Sometimes the permanent teeth can’t push out because of the overlaying baby teeth. Sometimes, rarely, the permanent teeth never develop at all and there aren’t any teeth to push the baby teeth out. In most cases it may only be one of the permanent teeth that never developed. Improper development of permanent teeth can block other teeth, preventing proper eruption of the other teeth which can cause delays.
Dental X Ray Procedure
Often to detect problems associated with delays when losing baby teeth, it requires x-rays to be taken. The x-rays can show if the teeth are dropping correctly or if there are problems with crowding, missing permanent teeth, or improper development such as crooked teeth. If your child is seven years of age and still hasn’t lost any baby teeth yet it is strongly recommended to begin monitoring your child’s teeth. Consider having your child’s oral development monitored by an orthodontist. There are a number of ways where teeth can be corrected during development to help ensure your child’s oral health. Improper development has many consequences such as problems chewing food, tooth pain, and too early tooth decay.
Pediatric Dentistry
If you have a child that hasn’t lost any baby teeth and they are between the ages of six and seven years of age, consider seeking professional help. Smile Reef can help monitor your child’s oral development and help provide your child with the care they need. Contact Smile Reef and make an appointment today.
