H.H. asks from Moses Lake, WA on October 22, 2008
3 Year Old Lost Tooth
HI,
My 3 year old had a loose tooth. It was her top one next to the front two, so we took her into the dentist and he said he had never seen anything like that so he took ex-rays and come to the conclusion her root just dissovled!!!! OMG! no cavities perfectly healthy teeth but now she lost that tooth (he one you don't loose til like 8yrs old) The dentist said there was NOTHING we could do. I am afraid she will begin to worry about it the older she gets. Has this ever happen to anyone? And if so can she get a Fake tooth for the time being??? Any advise would help!!!!!
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W.C. answers from Seattle on October 23, 2008
First of all--go to a pediatric dentist!
My son lost his front tooth when he was 2 in a fall. The dentist at that time said "no worries", wrong! We went to a pediatric dentist a year later and he said we HAD to put in a false tooth to hold the shape of the jaw so the secondary teeth would come in straight.
Also get a floride treatment at the new dentist.
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M.S. answers from Portland on October 23, 2008
First of all, my daughter was 5 when she lost all 4 top teeth, so it probably won't be as long as you think before the new one grows in. The dentist's x-rays should be able to tell you about how her permanent tooth is growing. My only guess is that the tooth was injured somehow. My daughter knocked her front teeth and almost lost them at 3, but the roots suddenly started growing back instead. If there definitely was not an injury, then it is important to find the cause so it does not happen again... especially with the permanent teeth. Kids that age are usually so oblivious, and even when they do notice, most won't care, so I wouldn't go through getting a false tooth. That's just a lot of trouble and money for nothing.
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D.C. answers from Portland on October 23, 2008
I don't think I would worry too much about it. When our son was 4 we took him to the dentist and we found out he had a third baby tooth right in the front top of his mouth. We had both front teeth pulled and his extra baby tooth in hopes that it would not mess up is adult teeth. It didn't work. We did however have a few laughs with him not having his teeth for a few more years. I would accidently make corn on the cob or we would go out for ribs, two of his favorites with out even thinking and he just knawed away. I think if you keep bringing it up around her then it may become more of an issue then it really is. Good luck!!
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A.H. answers from Portland on October 23, 2008
She may not be as self conciuos (sp??) about it as you might think. My daughter had to have her four front top teeth pulled at the age of two and was in preschool last year and is going again this year (she is now four) and she has never once said anything about other kids teasing her. kintergarten may be different but we have never pointed out that she is different in any way. the teeth they pulled are ina little pink treasure chest and we have shown her her teeth and talked about why they had to come out. and she has been perfectly fine with it ever since. I am more nervous about how she iwll do when her new teeth finally grow in. her teeth had to be pulled because when she was about 12 months or so she had a face first fall and landed on her teeth. the front two were cracked and the other two were knocked loose the dentist did not do much at the time and said we will watch them well the front two started to rot where the food particals were getting intothe cracks and the other two never really tightened up so we just took all four to save her any future pain. like i said she is doing wonderfully. good luck in your situation.
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M.G. answers from Seattle on October 23, 2008
I would talk to a pediatric denstist or orthodontist about a kiddie-bridge. Not so much for cosmetic reasons, I am sure she will be fine, since her, and the other kids baby teeth will come out anyways by the time she goes to school.
But baby teeth are supposed to be spaceholders for adult teeth, loosing a baby tooth too early for whatever reason, may cause problems for the incoming adult teeths later on.
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D.A. answers from Portland on October 23, 2008
My five year old got her front tooth knocked out last year by the girl I was babysitting. Her older sister did not loose her front tooth until she was 7. We decided to just let her have a hole were the tooth was, but the doctor did offer to make her a fake tooth. My nephew ran into a glas door and knocked out his two front teeth when he was 2 and they just left it. He is now 10 and has his new front teeth all the way in. It is really up to you what you want to do. I would find out why the root disovled. Make sure there is not an infection in there...sinus or otherwise.
D.
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J.A. answers from Seattle on October 23, 2008
When I was dental assisting, we would sometimes do what we called a "kiddie-bridge" for kids who lost teeth from bottle rot, severe decay or trauma. It's a little bridge custom made to replace the missing tooth. So, yes it is possible to replace the tooth. You'll just have to call around to find a dentist that does them for children. Good luck!
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W.C. answers from Seattle on October 23, 2008
First of all--go to a pediatric dentist!
My son lost his front tooth when he was 2 in a fall. The dentist at that time said "no worries", wrong! We went to a pediatric dentist a year later and he said we HAD to put in a false tooth to hold the shape of the jaw so the secondary teeth would come in straight.
Also get a floride treatment at the new dentist.
1 mom found this helpful
M.L. answers from Seattle on October 23, 2008
Hi H.,
My son lost a tooth when he was 4yrs old. It was one of his front teeth. This was due to when he was about 2, he fell and hit his front teeth really hard so he lost one sooner than normal. the dentist warned that that may happen. He never had any issues with not having that tooth. took about a year and a half for the new one to come in. No one made fun of him at all. Now I did get the school picture in kindergarten before it grew in with a smile showing now teeth but that was it. Hope this helps. Take care.
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