I got dental questions...

[Anonymous]

My 7 year old lost 1 tooth (upper middle) about a month ago, the permanent tooth is half way out while the baby tooth next to it is still going strong. I usually see both go missing at the same time. Also - He still has all the bottom teeth but there's a permanent tooth already coming out. Is any of this normal?

Should I get him to the dentist for xray?

[Anonymous]

It's I *have* dental questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's I *have* dental questions.

Thanks for the visit, grammar fairy!

[Anonymous]

One month is not a huge time gap to lose one tooth without losing its partner. I might get an X-ray next time you’re at the dentist, but probably wouldn’t make an extra appointment. May need to extract the bottom baby tooth to make room for the permanent.
When is he due for his cleaning?

[Anonymous]

His next appointment is in March.

[Anonymous]

Both are normal. The bottom tooth can require intervention depending on how the permanent tooth is growing. DS didn't need the baby tooth pulled, dd did. When in doubt call the dentist. We didn't have to do x-rays, the dentist could tell by how the teeth were growing

[Anonymous]

When the adult tooth comes in behind the baby tooth, it's called a shark tooth.

[Anonymous]

It is normal but sometimes the dentist has to pull them because the baby tooth can kill the roots of the permanent tooth. One of my kids had to have 4 baby teeth removed for this reason. Two others of his baby teeth were fine and eventually fell out. Other kid didn't need any baby teeth pulled.

I feel like it was the orthodontist who said the baby teeth needed to be pulled though, not the dentist, but it could have just been an issue of timing. I can't remember now.

[Anonymous]

This is quite normal. I have two boys with several teeth as you describe. What you are likely dealing with are shark teeth. Called such because they resemble the multiple of rows of teeth that shark have. Its highly likely that the baby tooth will fall out and the adult tooth will slowly move into position as more teeth come and go. This is what's happened to my boys for some of their shark teeth. In some cases, the baby tooth may need to be pulled. After x-rays our dentist took a wait and see attitude. We have one baby tooth we are still keeping an eye on. It takes many months for these things to resolve on their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is normal but sometimes the dentist has to pull them because the baby tooth can kill the roots of the permanent tooth. One of my kids had to have 4 baby teeth removed for this reason. Two others of his baby teeth were fine and eventually fell out. Other kid didn't need any baby teeth pulled.

I feel like it was the orthodontist who said the baby teeth needed to be pulled though, not the dentist, but it could have just been an issue of timing. I can't remember now.

Isn’t it actually that the permanent tooth can kill the roots of the baby tooth, which means the baby tooth doesn’t ever get loose and fall out on its own? That’s why the baby tooth would have to be pulled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is normal but sometimes the dentist has to pull them because the baby tooth can kill the roots of the permanent tooth. One of my kids had to have 4 baby teeth removed for this reason. Two others of his baby teeth were fine and eventually fell out. Other kid didn't need any baby teeth pulled.

I feel like it was the orthodontist who said the baby teeth needed to be pulled though, not the dentist, but it could have just been an issue of timing. I can't remember now.

Isn’t it actually that the permanent tooth can kill the roots of the baby tooth, which means the baby tooth doesn’t ever get loose and fall out on its own? That’s why the baby tooth would have to be pulled.

Dentist here. There really is never a need to pull a baby tooth, unless it is ankylosed (basically fused to the bone). When permanent teeth begin to erupt, the baby tooth roots begin to resorb. Once the root is almost completely gone, the tooth is ready to go. The baby tooth can not damage the root of the permanent tooth. If the baby tooth is even the slightest bit loose, it does not need to be pulled. It’s a money maker for the dentist. Just have your kid play with the tooth as much as possible, and eventually he will wiggle it out.