See a Dentist or Normal?

Updated on November 09, 2010
M.S. asks from Mansfield, TX
10 answers

My 5 year old showed me tonight that she has her first permanent tooth coming in on the bottom. Problem is that her baby tooth isn't the slightest bit loose and the new tooth is completely behind the baby one. Is that normal? Is it something she needs to see the dentist about right now? She was just there last month getting her teeth cleaned. We won't have dental insurance until Dec. 1 so if it's not a big deal I won't worry about it. But I thought the baby teeth usually fell out before the new tooth started to push in. Just wondering if I should be concerned.

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C.B.

answers from Cleveland on

I agree with the ones that say it is normal. Happened to my oldest. Just have her start wiggling the tooth in front of it to get that one to loosen and fall out.

When dd finally lost her tooth, she was visiting her grandparents. When we picked her up 2 days later, the adult tooth had already moved into place so we never got to see her with her first missing tooth. Oh, and the adult tooth did not grow in crooked.

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L.S.

answers from New London on

I would see the dentist. It happened to my sister and her tooth is permanently crooked because of it.

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D.B.

answers from Chicago on

I just had my daughter at the dentist for this exact same thing yesterday. My daughter is 7 1/2 and has not lost one baby tooth yet. He took an x-ray and there is not just one but two coming in with no signs of the baby teeth falling out any time soon. He said that he could take them but my daughter looked at him in horror and said no way. lol He told her to keep pushing her front teeth with her tongue as much and as often as she can. He said that might help. He had us make an appointment for January so that he can check her again. Not uncommon but may have to have her teeth pulled in order to make room for the perm teeth.

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M.M.

answers from Chicago on

Normal...the same happened with my dtr. You could call your dentist to get reassurance...that's what I did. It gave me peace of mind.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

It's very common....called shark teeth and my dentist said it's only a concern if it happens on the top. My son had both front bottom teeth like that and when the baby teeth came out, the permanent teeth moved right up into place.

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J.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

sometimes this happens. it shouldnt be anything to worry about. the baby tooth will fall out on its own :)

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J.B.

answers from Columbus on

I wouldn't worry yet....but would definitely keep an eye on them!! My DD went through this with two bottom teeth about 9 mo's ago. Initially I called the dentist and he told me to keep an eye on them and have her work the prime's with her tongue & fingers to try to loosen them. If any unusual pain (besides pain from working them or biting down on something hard to call him immediately) As the poster below me said... typically the permanent teeth coming in dissolves the root of the primary and loosens them up, and they come out..... then the permanent teeth will move into place. Sometimes it doesn't happen that way as in my DD's case. Her permanent teeth have came in quite quickly and instead of dissolving the roots the permanent teeth are starting to deflect backwards. The primaries barely seemed loose at all and she was starting to randomly complain that one or both of her teeth were hurting. Soooo... I called the dentist and got her in w/ in the week for a check-up and scheduled an extraction for the following week. Once the prime's are removed the perms should start moving into place since its still early & as long as the teeth are healthy. Hope this helps a bit.

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S.B.

answers from Wichita on

I would see a dentist, just in case, if you have good dental insurance.

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S.W.

answers from Detroit on

no big deal. My kids teeth did the same thing, no problems.

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

You can wait till you have insurance, but the tooth will have to be pulled eventually. When adult teeth come in under the baby teeth, they dissolve the roots of the baby teeth so they wiggle and fall out. When an adult tooth come in next to the baby tooth, the roots are not dissolved and it's as firm as a permanent tooth. Before you know it you have too many teeth crowding for very little available space. My son has had to have a few baby teeth pulled. It wasn't bad at all. He only had to have braces for 2 yrs (and he's only got 6 months till he's finished.).

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