After your child loses one of their baby teeth, you would likely expect it to be replaced by an adult tooth. But sometimes this can take some time. We’ve all heard the holiday song All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth, which of course comedically describes the impatience children can have to wait for their adult teeth to come in. But sometimes as parents, you might have concerns that your child is completely missing adult teeth. The best solution for this is to visit a family dentist and get X-rays. Digital X-rays can show dentists if the adult teeth are there and if there are any reasons that your child’s teeth are coming in delayed. In this article, we will discuss why adult teeth take a while to come in and when to call your dentist. For family dental services in Chicago, please contact one of our five dental offices.
One of the common reasons a child or parent might be worried that they are missing adult teeth is that it has been a while since the baby tooth fell out in the first place. There are two things all parents should know. First and foremost, it can take months and even half a year for an adult tooth to erupt after a baby tooth falls out. To a kid that can seem like an entire chapter of their lives where they are missing an important tooth. The second thing to know is that kids are different and that all the charts on when teeth should fall out or come-in are based on averages and often leave large room for variation. The best thing you can do is see your dentist twice per year. Regular dental visits are the most effective way to determine if there are any issues.
There are a few reasons why an adult tooth might be delayed. The most obvious is space. Adult teeth are larger than baby teeth. So while a single baby tooth might fall out, the adult tooth might need the other surrounding teeth to fall out as well before it can come in. Aside from size, you also need to consider shape and alignment. If you look at an adult’s teeth you will notice they are not perfectly symmetrical (unless you have had cosmetic/orthodontic treatments). Different shapes, sizes, and alignments can make it difficult for teeth to find the space they need. Hypodontia is the medical condition where a tooth fails to develop which often leads to a baby tooth failing to loosen or fall out because there is no pressure from an approaching adult tooth. Hypodontia is diagnosed using X-rays. Like losing an adult tooth, Hypodontia is often treated with tooth replacement treatments like dental bridges.
If you live in the Chicago area and are interested in scheduling any dental appointments for yourself or your children, we would be happy to see you at one of our five dental offices.
