Question About a "Grown Up" Tooth Coming in Behind Baby Tooth

Updated on October 20, 2011
V.B. asks from Pompano Beach, FL
18 answers

My daughter is 5 years old and already lost her first tooth a couple of months ago. The second one has been loose for awhile, but hasn't fallen out yet. We noticed the other day that her adult tooth is coming in already behind the baby tooth that hasn't come out yet. My husband looked online and thinks that it will need to be pulled out. Has anyone had this happen and if so, did they have to pull the baby tooth out? I'm taking her to the dentist on Saturday morning, but just wanted to see how bad this could be. I want to prepare myself so that I can prepare her for what may happen. Any insight would help to ease my mind until the weekend.

Thanks!

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

The dentist will take care of it.
If it's loose and wiggly then the root has dissolved and removing it will be fairly easy.
If the root hasn't dissolved, removal will be a bit more tricky but it doesn't sound like this is the case.
They'll numb her up and she won't feel a thing.
Don't build up any scary anticipations.
Just see what the dentist says and proceed from there.

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S.S.

answers from Miami on

It is no big deal. I used to work in Pedatric dentistry and we would just pull the baby tooth and then the permanent one moves into it's place in a week or two. No biggieeeee.

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A.G.

answers from Houston on

This happened to my daughters first two teeth.they came out naturally eventually and her teeth are straight.

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J.K.

answers from Dallas on

This happened to my son and it came out on its own.

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H.D.

answers from Dallas on

My son had this happen, I freaked and took him to the dentist immediately where the dentist laughed and said it was actually quite normal. As long as the other one comes out before the other one fully comes in, I was told it's fine. Sure enough, a few weeks later, the baby tooth became so loose it fell out and the adult tooth straightened it's way into proper place.

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K.A.

answers from San Diego on

Nearly every one of my oldest's adult teeth have been well in before the baby tooth has come out. He's up to 8 lost I think and maybe 1 or 2 the adult tooth didn't come in a good deal before the baby tooth came out. There were times when he had a couple adult teeth broken through and the baby teeth still there but loose. We asked his dentist, he even had one like that for one of his check ups. They said the baby tooth will come out and there is no need to pull it out. It doesn't hurt anything at all. All of his adult teeth are coming in exactly where they should be.Some of the teeth were behind and some of the teeth were in front of the baby tooth, they all worked their way to where they belonged.
He's 10, nearing 11. They just did the full panoramic X Ray they start taking at this age and then every few years to check if there is any need/risk for braces and they said everything looks fine. Don't worry about it. Have your child keep working at it to break it loose and all is good, it'll come out soon enough.
I wanted to add that we go to a pediatric dentist, not a general family dentist, that is also able to care for special needs children. They also have an orthodontics practice in the same office. They are quick to mention if something isn't right. We have genetic problems with a couple of my kids' teeth so we're no stranger there.

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S.K.

answers from Dallas on

Both of our dds had this happen last summer. I called the dentist and they said it is very common and to have them sit and wiggle the loose teeth while they are watching tv or reading books. They did and sure enough the baby teeth were out a couple weeks later. The dentist said that if they weren't getting looser within a few weeks, they could "help"them come out, if I wanted them to. The adult teeth (2 on the bottom in front) seemed to be leaning back but they have moved into place now, thank goodness.

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K.S.

answers from Denver on

I can speak to both sides of this (not medically, just personally). My 11 yo daughter will NOT pull out loose teeth, they hang by a thread and just fall out months after they are loose. So in almost every case, the adult tooth has been WAY in before the baby falls out. They've never had to pull anything. But hers came in more straight underneath, not behind (which I think is what you are describing). My sister's daughter, 5 years old, did have to have a tooth pulled (can't remember the exact circumstances). My sister was nervous, but it turned out to be no big deal at all. They didn't let parents go back with the kids (which I don't like) but even that was fine. I think if you need to prepare her for anything, it is probably the possibility of a shot of novacane and perhaps that you can't be with her the whole time. She shouldn't be in any pain. Good luck.

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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

If it has been loose for a while you should be able to pull it out at home.

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H.M.

answers from Dallas on

It will need to come out weather you pull it or they do. It will cost more for them to pull it. But it needs to come out. We had the problem with my oldest son they said if it didn't come out and that one come in too far it would not come forward where it needs to be. My son's was not even loose and the tooth was coming in. He's got a SMALL mouth and is going to end up in braces. YUCK! If they don't tell you to have it pulled you need to push them to do it.

Good luck and God Bless!

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Yes, it needs to come out so it won't damage the new tooth. I hope you have chosen a pediatric dentist so she'll have a dentist who is an expert in baby teeth and the new ones coming in too. So many family dentists just don't have an idea about baby teeth or the whole process.

V.C.

answers from Dallas on

I so hated having my teeth pulled I didn't tell my parents about one until it became painful. They couldn't get it out because it was jammed to the side. It was not problem at all for the dentist to remove it and it didn't hurt.
Thankfully I found a good dentist as an adult who helped me overcome the phobia!

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M.B.

answers from Washington DC on

Yes, this has happened... a couple of times where we could easily see the new tooth before the old one came out. We STILL waited, and wiggled. We did not get them pulled. All is well, in my opinion.

I THINK the deal is you only go to the dentist if the new tooth is almost fully grown.

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J.R.

answers from Houston on

Our oldest son lost his front baby tooth, the new one came in and then a single tooth grew in behind his permanent tooth. We called it his trac-two mouth. The dentist pulled the extra with no problem. Son took the tooth to school for show-and-tell and one of his friends told everyone it was fake. That was a major crisis.

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L.N.

answers from New York on

my daughter has lost 5 teeth so far (she is 7 years old) and all of the adult teeth came in before the baby teeth were out. our dentist had to pull just one out (top tooth) because it showed no interest in getting loose, otherwise all started tetting looks months after the adult teeth came in. her teeth didn't look alright at first (even with the baby teeth gone) but then they fell into place.

C.C.

answers from San Francisco on

We just came back from the orthodontist for my older daughter, and a little girl there had a "shark teeth" thing going on. She had an adult tooth grown in almost fully behind a loose baby tooth. The orthodontist pulled the baby tooth. Your dentist may do the same. It didn't require surgery or anything crazy. He just yanked it out (it was very loose though).

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D.H.

answers from Louisville on

Yep - dgd ended up having both her bottom front baby teeth pulled since the permanent ones came in way down below where they should've been and were not lining up to help the baby ones break away. One she'd been trying to wiggle, there just wasn't enough room the way it was. The new teeth have since moved into place and are fine. (and I am trying to not have to do braces later!)

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M.N.

answers from Charlotte on

My mom didn't want to hassle with a dentist and it cost me $5,000 and 2 years for the braces. It messed my entire mouth up and gave me TMJ

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