Sometimes baby teeth simply do not want to wiggle, let alone come out of your child’s mouth. This problem can complicate alignment, cause pain, and delay braces for kids. It’s important to have a conversation with your orthodontist about whether it’s time to have any troublesome baby teeth extracted professionally.
Reasons Baby Teeth Don’t Fall Out
Getting a tooth extraction is always a big deal, even if it’s baby teeth being pulled. There are many possible reasons your orthodontist may recommend extractions, including:
- Crowding. A crowded jaw is small and does not have room for all permanent teeth.
- Rotation. A rotated adult tooth under the gumline fails to push out the baby tooth.
- Impaction. A baby tooth blocks a permanent tooth from erupting properly.
- Stubbornness. The roots of a baby tooth refuse to disintegrate, causing permanent tooth (shark tooth) to pop up behind it.
Extracting Baby Teeth
Tooth extractions are no fun at any age, but no orthodontist approaches this choice lightly. Each tooth has a role to play, whether they’re baby teeth or permanent teeth. In some circumstances, pulling teeth is important because of what’s happening with the patient’s bite and dentition.
- Misalignment. If baby teeth are very crooked, their position can cause further misalignment and affect permanent teeth. Pulling the offending teeth without negatively impacting appearance may be recommended.
- Slow timeline. If baby teeth are taking too long to fall out, it may be necessary to extract baby teeth to expedite treatment and get full braces or Invisalign started.
Don’t Rush Orthodontics
You probably want your child to get their braces over with as soon as possible – and they may feel the same. Either way, sometimes their mouth isn’t quite ready for a big change. Boys and girls are different when it comes to dentition, tooth eruption, and braces. Dental development can be much faster for girls than boys.
The smartest move you can make when it comes to braces is to schedule an assessment by an orthodontist. After x-rays, photos, and a dental exam, you’ll know right then and there what the diagnosis is for your child and what the best timing and plan is to correct their alignment, which sometimes includes baby tooth extraction.
Every patient is different, and baby teeth may be pulled to:
- Create space for permanent teeth
- Correct crowding
- Guide erupting teeth
- Remove problematic teeth
Ultimately, the goal is to make enough room in a child or teen’s mouth to allow for proper alignment of their teeth, whether that happens naturally or with the help of braces or Invisalign Teen.
Get Braces in Woodinville, WA from Dr. Soleil
If it is the right time for braces for your child, your orthodontist will let you know. It’s important to have that first consult around age seven or eight to identify any crowding or early issues that could benefit from phase one orthodontics like an expander. This is long before any extractions need to be considered. Making changes to your child’s teeth early and creating room for adult teeth to erupt can minimize treatment time for some. Contact Soleil Orthodontics in Woodinville, WA, to learn more.
