Answers From Your Dentist: When Should Baby Teeth Be Gone?

Baby teeth are a common topic for parents to bring up during a visit to Riverside Dental Care. Everything from when to expect all the baby teeth to come in, to when parents should expect for all the baby teeth to be gone are asked.

In general, baby teeth can start erupting at six months old. As for permanent teeth, the average timeline is for all baby teeth to be replaced by fourteen years old. However, this process isn’t always straightforward, so your local dentists are here to tell you all about what to expect when it comes to your kid’s baby teeth.

• Baby Teeth Ages From Start To Finish
• What If A Baby Tooth Is Delayed
• How To Correct A Crowded Mouth
• Steps To Take If A Permanent Tooth Doesn’t Come In
• What To Do If A Tooth Is Knocked Out
• Be Sure To Bring Your Kiddo In For Dental Cleaning

Baby Teeth Ages From Start To Finish

While the common milestone for the first tooth eruption is at six months, which can occur later or earlier in your child’s life. If your child starts having teeth erupt around six months old, you can expect that the first couple of teeth will start being replaced with permanent teeth around six years old. Once the replacement process has begun, your child should continue to lose their baby teeth for the next six years.

Now, that is a fairly rough estimate, and everyone’s experience is a bit different. Usually, parents can expect the lower central incisors—front two lower teeth—to be replaced first, which are followed by the upper central incisors—front two upper teeth. This replacement process will continue to follow the pattern of replacing teeth in the order in which they erupted until all the teeth are replaced.

What If A Baby Tooth Is Delayed

Sometimes, it can take time for a permanent tooth to come in. Some children are in their mid-teens by the time their last baby teeth have fallen out. Generally, it is best to leave baby teeth alone to fall out naturally.

Most importantly, children should go to twice a year dental cleanings. Your family dentists will keep an eye on your kid’s dental development and can suggest treatment if necessary.

How To Correct A Crowded Mouth

Baby teeth are essentially space-savers for permanent teeth, which is why it is critical that these early teeth aren’t removed prematurely. Otherwise, the risk of crowding is higher.

Crowding can occur when there isn’t enough room for the erupting permanent tooth, often causing overlapping with the teeth. If there is crowding in your child’s mouth, you will need to work with an orthodontist to help realign and create more space.

Steps To Take If A Permanent Tooth Doesn’t Come In

There are times where a baby tooth will fall out, yet an adult tooth never comes in to replace it. In these cases, one of our dental services will need to be considered, such as a dental bridge or a dental implant.

Before any replacement steps are taken, our dentists will check to see if there is just a simple delay in your child’s tooth development. If there is any doubt whether or not a permanent tooth may still grow and take the spot, our dentists can place a spacer to reserve the spot for the tooth.

What To Do If A Tooth Is Knocked Out

If a baby tooth is knocked out before a permanent tooth can grow in, it is best to bring your child to the dentist.

For one thing, our staff can take x-rays to ensure that no further damage occurred when the tooth was knocked out. After that, our dentists can place a spacer to keep the spot open for when the adult tooth comes in.

Be Sure To Bring Your Kiddo In For Dental Cleaning

As your child grows, it is important that their dental health is maintained and monitored over the years by coming in for regular dental cleanings. With biannual checkups, our dentists can help keep your child’s oral health on track and monitor any potential issues.

To schedule a dental cleaning for your child—and the rest of the family—feel free to contact us today and keep your kid’s dental health on track.