I’m wondering if I should make an appointment with a pediatric dentist to have my son’s baby teeth removed. He just turned seven and hasn’t lost a single one yet. For a while, I thought the centermost teeth on the bottom were loose, but if they ever were, they’re not now. My sister’s son is six and he’s already lost four, so I’m starting to get concerned.
Thank you,
Mariana
Dear Mariana,
This is a great question! Let’s dig into it a bit.
It’s Normal to the First Baby Teeth Between Ages 6-7
Your son isn’t off track yet. Most kiddos lose their bottom center teeth first somewhere between ages six and seven and then their top middle teeth shortly thereafter. Even though he hasn’t lost any teeth yet, it’s still too soon to say he isn’t developing perfectly normally.
It’s also worth noting that sometimes baby teeth loosen up and then tighten up again. This usually happens because the adult tooth below pushes on the baby tooth enough to stretch the ligaments (make it loose), but then stops, and the ligaments tighten up again. Some kiddos can go through several rounds of on-again, off-again looseness before a baby tooth finally gives in and goes.
But, Staying on Track is Important
There are some things that can stop kids from losing their baby teeth. For example, if no adult tooth is present, people can retain baby teeth. Sometimes a baby tooth can be particularly stubborn and refuse to let go too. In these cases, it can delay the eruption of the adult tooth or the adult tooth will try to come in anyway, but come in behind or in front of the baby tooth.
There are times when it’s beneficial to have baby teeth removed, especially if the latter is true for your son, but he’ll need an exam and probably some x-rays to be sure.
Your Kiddo Should See a Pediatric Dentist Regardless
Even though he might not be experiencing an issue, your son should be on a regular cleaning and checkup schedule now. That way, the dentist can catch potential issues before they become a problem and provide preventative services like fluoride treatments and sealants to help make sure your son’s teeth stay healthy and cavity-free. It’s important to keep up with these visits regardless because they can save a lot of heartache with little ones in the long run, but if you have dental insurance, these kinds of visits are often totally covered, so you probably won’t have to pay anything out-of-pocket for them either.
You can touch base with your dental insurance company for confirmation and a referral or connect with a local family or pediatric dentist and they’ll usually check into your benefits for you as a courtesy prior to your first visit. Best of luck to you and your little guy!
This blog is sponsored by Dr. Raymond Bolt, an Auburn, AL pediatric dental services provider.