Baby teeth don’t get the credit they deserve. You have
probably heard or even said yourself “they’re just baby teeth.” Here at Young
and Polite Children’s Dentistry we understand how important “baby” teeth are.
Baby teeth with a more formal name of deciduous teeth serve
several purposes. These purposes include
space maintenance. Baby teeth are space holders for the permanent teeth. Typically, the baby tooth remains in your
child’s mouth until the permanent tooth is ready to make its grand appearance. The roots of baby teeth are short and dissolve
making the baby tooth loose as the permanent tooth underneath it pushes up
causing the baby tooth to fall out.
What happens if the baby tooth is lost too early?
This happens and we are aware of the proper steps to take
here at Young and Polite Children’s Dentistry.
Baby teeth can be accidentally knocked out or sometimes must be removed
due to extreme tooth decay. It is important to understand the timeline of when
baby teeth are typically lost and permanent teeth emerge. If there is a
significant amount of time the baby tooth is lost and the permanent tooth will
emerge one of our pediatric dentists at Young and Polite Children’s Dentistry
may suggest a space maintainer be placed. Having the proper amount of space
for the adult tooth to fully emerge is very important.
Along with baby teeth being space maintainers they also
serve the function for chewing and aid in speech. Before considering a baby
tooth as just a “baby tooth” consult with one of our pediatric dentists at
Young and Polite Children’s Dentistry. Baby teeth serve an important role in
the lifelong oral health for your child. We offer three locations to serve you and your family Waxhaw, Mint Hill and South Tryon.
