Dental Questions: Are my child's front teeth coming in normally?

Here, you can see the child's permanent teeth erupting behind the similar baby tooth. 

We often get calls to our office from parents concerned that their child's adult teeth are coming in behind or in front of the corresponding primary tooth. This can create a "shark tooth" appearance that looks to be preventing the permanent tooth from coming in straight. On the contrary, a retained primary tooth is usually not a problem and will come out on it's own. The permanent tooth should "push" the baby tooth out enough that it becomes loose. If the permanent tooth is fully erupted and the baby tooth still isn't loose, a dentist will usually extract the primary tooth before a problem arises. 

Dr. Kari's son Duke with his two mandibular primary central incisors erupting. These are usually the first teeth to appear.

Likewise, the mandibular primary central incisors are the first baby teeth to be lost (notice the permanent tooth erupting it its place). 

Retained teeth are usually a problem localized to the mandibular and maxillary incisors (four front teeth). The two mandibular primary central incisors are the first teeth to erupt at about six months. Subsequently, they are the first baby teeth lost at five to six years. They make way for the mandibular permanent central incisors, which typically erupt at ages six to seven. You can definitely see how a small overlap in timing can create the "double tooth" problem. 

Overall, any concerns with your child's dentition should be brought up at their yearly checkup. We pride ourselves in being an educational and informative office and want you to leave with peace-of-mind.  If you have any concerns with your family's oral health, please call our office!

Tooth Fairy Fun

One of the most exciting times in a young child’s life is their first visit from the Tooth Fairy. As your little ones start to lose their baby teeth, chances are they will be expecting a special visit from the fairy herself. Likewise, you are probably looking for a way to make this event fun and memorable for your family. With all this in mind, our office has collected some of our favorite lost tooth toys and holders. Take a look at all the fun you can have!

Baby Tooth Album

While we have covered this tooth organizer in a previous article, it fits in perfectly with this list. The Baby Tooth Album is a fun way to organize all of your child’s lost teeth and turn them into a great keepsake. It's even flat enough to fit inside a scrapbook or memory box! 

Twinkle Toof

The Twinkle Toof is a fun baby tooth holder that glows in the dark. It has a secret compartment for the lost tooth and a small clip for any "Prizes." It glows quite brightly, which must make it easy for the Tooth Fairy to find at night! 

Maison Chic Tooth Fairy Pillows

From owls to robots and even sharks, these fun embroidered characters come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. You are sure to find one that your child loves! Each pillow has a little pouch to keep teeth safe until the Tooth Fairy can get to them. We are sure you will enjoy the fun fabrics, textures and colors!

We know the tooth fairy can have a hard time getting teeth out from under pillows without waking resting children. These fun toys help simplify the process and add a little pizzaz to the occasion. If you would like to see more of these tooth holders or any of our other children’s products, please stop by our office. We love getting our patients and their families excited about dental health topics!