How long does a tooth take to be born (and what to do if it takes)

When the baby tooth falls and the permanent tooth is not born, even after 3 months of waiting, the child should be taken to the dentist, especially if he / she has symptoms such as toothache, changes in the gums and bad breath, for example.

The dentist should take into account the child's age, dentition and perform a panoramic x-ray examination, which is only recommended from 6 years of age, to check the entire dental arch and if the unborn tooth is found hidden in other places of the mouth.

Usually, it takes about 1 month for the permanent tooth to be born, however, if it does not appear even after 1 year, it may be necessary to place a retainer, to maintain the space necessary for the growth of permanent teeth. Dental implants are not recommended in childhood, as they can impair the development of permanent teeth.

Why is the permanent tooth taking too long to be born?

Some of the reasons why the tooth is taking too long to be born are:

1. Milk tooth fell before the ideal period

The permanent tooth may take time to be born, because the baby tooth may have fallen off before the ideal period, due to a blow or due to the presence of cavities, for example. In this case, the permanent tooth should only appear at the expected time, which can occur between 6 and 12 years old, depending on the affected tooth.

Baby teeth, in most cases, fall in the following order:

2. There is no permanent tooth

When the child has passed 6 years of age and has started to lose milk teeth, but not all permanent teeth are emerging, one must wait up to 3 months to go to the dentist, so that he / she can make an evaluation, in order to verify if the tooth germ is present, which is an embryonic structure from which the tooth is derived.

In some children, it is possible that the baby tooth falls out and another tooth is not born, because it does not have a replacement tooth, a situation called anodontia. In this case, it is necessary to accompany a dentist.

Anodontia can be suspected when there are other cases in the family and when the baby tooth has fallen more than 2 years ago and the definitive one has not yet been born. However, in some cases, the tooth may be located in another region of the mouth and only a panoramic x-ray of the mouth can indicate its location.

How the treatment is done

When the tooth is not born, but is present in the gum, the dentist can choose to put an orthodontic appliance to pull the teeth, making room for the permanent tooth to be able to position itself and be born.

If there is no spare tooth in the gum, the dentist may recommend placing braces on the teeth so that the other teeth remain in their ideal position, and in the future, when the child is about 17 or 18 years old, an implant can be placed permanent dental. However, when the teeth settle well, despite the lack of the other tooth, treatment may not be necessary because, in this case, it does not impair chewing or appearance.

What to do while the tooth is not born

To ensure oral health, children should be taught to wash their teeth well, to avoid cavities and gingivitis. Teeth should be brushed at least 3 times a day, after meals and always before bed. If the child has a good gap between the teeth, flossing is not necessary, but if the teeth are too close, they should floss before the last brushing of the day. Learn how to brush your teeth properly.

Other important precautions are to eat foods rich in calcium so that teeth and bones are strong and to avoid eating sweet foods because they favor cavities.

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