What you need to know about your child’s teething days and beyond

March 15, 2012 - PRLog -- Did you know your baby is born with a full and complete set of teeth? These small baby tooth buds are in development, and are deeply hidden in the recesses of the jawbone.
Teeth are a wonderfully complex part of the human body. They are an essential contributor to our overall health and wellbeing. We often overlook the many ways in which our teeth have an impact on our daily lives from infancy to old age. Some of the more apparent functions of teeth include their role in a child’s confidence/smile, and  the presence of healthy teeth is a requirement for proper craniofacial (jaw) development, as well as proper speech in the growing child. Here we will discuss these concepts.

Primary Teeth
You will observe the gradual eruption of 20 primary teeth (“baby teeth”) from birth to age 3. It is vital to take care of the health of your child’s primary teeth because this primary development will affect the eventual development of the permanent adult teeth.

Primary teeth are very important because they serve as place holders for the permanent teeth that will later erupt. Also, healthy primary teeth are major contributors of proper speech development. Though children only have their primary teeth for a few years, if preventive matters are not taken, the child may require expensive treatments due to decay which can lead to more involved and widespread infection in the supporting roots, surrounding bones, and even nearby musculature.

By the age of 3, your child should have their full set of primary teeth. Monitoring the proper development of this process in the meanwhile can help detect atypical developmental issues such as presence of missing or malformed teeth. By age 5 or 6, your child’s 1st tooth will start to loosen. Usually, the first teeth to exfoliate or “fall out” are the lower central incisors. This process of losing teeth to make room for the new ones will continue until your child is 12 or 13 years of age. There may be problems as a result of your child loosing teeth too soon (because of injury or disease). If this happens, the permanent tooth underneath will likely not be ready to erupt, as a
result, the neighboring teeth may shift out of place and take over the space left after the primary tooth is lost. “Malocclusion” is a misalignment of the teeth and may be caused or exaggerated by premature lose of primary teeth. If this loss is inevitable, there are preventive measure that your dental professional can consider.

The most common solution is placement of a space maintainer appliance. The appliance will need routine care and should be removed by a dentist once the
permanent tooth is ready to erupt.

Permanent Teeth

The full set of 32 adult teeth includes 16 teeth on top and 16 on the bottom (including the 4 wisdom teeth that erupt in late adolescence). Around the age of 6, the first permanent molars which are not preceded by primary teeth, begin to erupt. Special care should be given to the structure and position of the first set of molars because it has a significant impact on the overall harmony of a child’s bite.

During the child’s developmental years (ages 1-21) there is significant growth and development of bones and muscles in the craniofacial complex. One of the most important developments is the growth and elongation of the jaws. Over a period of time, your child’s jaw expands to make room for an additional 12 teeth. Around the age of 12, your child will develop the full set of 28 permanent teeth and would require monitoring of the 4 wisdom teeth which at times require extraction if deemed a liability in causing infections, decay, or crowding.

Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, usually develop in early adolescence, and may erupt around ages 17 to 20. These teeth may be extracted while the roots are partially developed. One of the major concerns leading to recommendation of wisdom teeth is impaction due to malposition or lack of room in the jaw. That said, not all wisdom teeth must be extracted, and your dentist should be consulted to help you make the best decision possible.

Dr. J. Shahangian is not only a board certified pediatric dentist in San Diego, but he is also a father of two young girls. He is a UCLA faculty and San Diego Rady Children’s Hospital staff. To learn more about him visit and his blog visit http://scrippspediatricdentistry.com/meet-dr-j/

Cavity Epidemic in Very Young Children-

My 3 year old has a cavity. Is that normal?
Early Childhood Caries is a recognized disease affecting children of all races and genders, from San Diego to New York. Caries is the most prevalent chronic disease in US children. It is seven times more prevalent than asthma and its a preventable condition. Acids from bacteria in plaque demineralize (breakdown) the hard tooth structures enamel and dentin. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has a specific terminology for the disease in young children. Early Childhood Caries (ECC) refers to presence of 1 or more cavities in any baby tooth in a child 71 months of age or younger. If the child is younger than 3 years of age and has smooth-surface (not
on chewing surface) cavities, its classifies as Severe Early Childhood Caries (S-ECC).

When should I take my child to the dentist?
Preventing Early Childhood Caries is the best option. Informed parents value starting preventive dental care before decay is present. Some pediatric dental offices offer a full educational
program designed to alert parents about good oral health practices. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry have a joint guideline, recommending a child’s first visit by age 1.

What if my child does not have symptoms or pain?
Cavities can cause significant tooth destruction before a child may bring symptoms to your attention. Routine dental checkups can prevent costly, invasive treatment required to treat teeth that are causing pain and discomfort. Also, research has demonstrated that children with neglected oral health can have issues focusing in the classroom, may miss considerable instruction while missing school, leading to academic performance deficiencies.

So, cavities are preventable, but they sure can and do happen. Establishing a dental home early on and routine preventive care and educational programs by a pediatric dentist can improve your child’s smile, confidence, and health. Call 853-693-8977 or visit our website http://www.scrippspediatricdentistry.com