Premature Loss of Baby Teeth Can Lead to Crowded Permanent Teeth!

Premature Loss of Baby Teeth Can Lead to Crowded Permanent Teeth!

There is often a misconception about baby teeth, as many believe that since they are not permanent and eventually fall out, they are not important and can be selectively pulled (as opposed to saved) should any problems arise. The truth is, not only are baby teeth important for nutrition, they are also crucial in maintaining space for the permanent teeth to come out, or erupt.

Permanent teeth have a tendency to drift toward the midline when teeth are extracted and not restored in a timely manner; the same phenomenon applies to baby teeth. Baby teeth serve as placeholders for the developing permanent teeth. The natural progression of tooth development is for the permanent teeth under the gums to develop, and when they are ready to erupt into the mouth, they resorb the roots of the baby teeth, which makes these baby teeth lose and ready to fall out. If a baby tooth is prematurely pulled, the teeth behind it are free to drift forward to close the space where the extracted tooth once occupied, leading to space loss. When space loss occurs, there is insufficient room for the permanent tooth to erupt into alignment; this is a frequent cause of tooth crowding.  

The important take-home message is to leave baby teeth in the mouth until they fall out on their own! If there are cavities in baby teeth, then fillings should be rendered immediately to preserve the integrity of the baby teeth. If there are large cavities leading to a toothache, then a baby root canal and stainless steel crown should be rendered, even if the tooth will eventually fall out. Only in cases where the baby tooth is non- restorable (i.e., the tooth cannot be salvaged and repaired) should an extraction be considered. Even so, when premature extraction due to non-restorability occurs, it is important to maintain that space following tooth loss with a space maintainer. Space maintainers serve to hold the space that the extracted tooth once occupied to prevent the drifting of other teeth until the permanent tooth is ready to erupt. 

I hope this entry has been helpful in conveying the importance of retaining baby teeth until they naturally fall out. Preventing space loss is crucial for allowing sufficient room for the permanent teeth to erupt. When teeth erupt properly into alignment, orthodontics (braces) may not be necessary, and this converts to thousands of dollars in savings! Please feel free to contact us at Gallegos Family Dentistry if you feel your child has lost space and we will be happy to evaluate for placement of a space maintainer to prevent further loss of space!