Tooth Loss- Understand The Importance Of Primary Teeth And Space Maintenance

Primary teeth, or baby teeth, are as important to infants and children as permanent teeth are to older children and adults

. A child's first teeth are essential for them to chew and speak. But baby teeth also serve another very important purpose - they save space for your child's future permanent teeth. A baby tooth typically remains in the child's mouth until a permanent tooth underneath is ready to emerge through the gums. If your child loses a primary tooth too soon, the space must be saved. A space maintainer is inserted to take the place of the baby tooth until the permanent tooth is ready to emerge.

Primary Teeth - What is the Importance?

Primary teeth serve as the guide or pathway for permanent teeth. Essentially, primary teeth are the blueprint for the teeth that will come after them. If your child has good primary teeth, he or she will most likely have good permanent teeth. A child's primary teeth also allow them to chew their food properly, allow for clear pronunciation and speech habits, and provide for a healthy smile that promotes good self-esteem.

A baby's primary teeth begin to appear around six months or so. They begin forming in the jawbones even before your baby is born. The two lower front teeth are usually the first to erupt, followed by the upper two. You can expect all 20 primary teeth to erupt by age three. Next, your child's primary teeth will begin to be lost around the age of five or six with the final ones being gone by the age of 12 or 13.

It is very important that primary teeth are kept until they are lost naturally. If primary teeth are prematurely lost, a space maintainer may be necessary to ensure there is enough room for the permanent teeth when they erupt.

What About Tooth Loss?

Tooth loss, or edentulism, is when one or more teeth fall out or are extracted due to injury or disease such as mouth trauma, tooth decay or gum disease. Kids, adults and seniors are all at risk for tooth loss, especially if oral hygiene is not properly practiced. As kids become more active, they are more susceptible to two types of traumatic tooth loss - premature loss of baby teeth or loss of a permanent tooth due to injury or neglect. Children should wear protective mouth guards when playing sports, and parents should consult a dentist immediately in the case of an injury. It is important to keep baby teeth because they maintain the spacing for permanent teeth. Keeping baby teeth in place will also increase the likelihood that permanent teeth come in straight.

What are Space Maintainers?

A space maintainer is an appliance made of metal or plastic that is custom fit to your child's mouth. They are small and unobtrusive in appearance, and many children will easily adjust to them after the first few days. Space maintainers are typically fitted in children when they have lost baby teeth too early. The gap left from losing this tooth needs to be held open fro the permanent tooth to erupt in the correct position.

When a baby tooth is lost before a permanent tooth is ready to erupt, the nearby teeth can shift or drift into the space here the primary tooth use to be creating a lack of space in the jaw for the permanent teeth. The teeth in the other jaw may also move up or down to fill in the gap. Deciding to not place a space maintainer to save this space may cause a crowding condition, which can make it difficult to clean the teeth and may cause chewing difficulty.

Talk to your Annapolis children's dentist for more information on the importance of primary teeth. If your child prematurely looses their baby tooth, visit your dentist immediately for the best solution.

by: Gen Wright

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