Are Your Child's Permanent Teeth Coming In Behind Their Baby Teeth?

Losing a tooth is a huge milestone in your child’s life! They may also feel lots of excitement, either because they can try out creative ways how to pull the tooth, like the string and door combo, or just because they know they are about to get a visit from the Tooth Fairy.

But sometimes, the excitement takes a backseat because you’ve noticed the child’s permanent teeth are coming in behind the baby teeth.

What should you do?

Why Does This Happen?

Usually, when the permanent tooth starts to grow, they slowly push the baby teeth out. This is mostly why the baby tooth becomes loose in the first place. After the baby tooth falls, it doesn’t take long for the permanent tooth to show up.

That’s how kids get their permanent teeth. But in some cases, instead of the permanent tooth pushing out the baby tooth, it starts to grow behind it. This is commonly referred to as “shark teeth” and while parents can be anxious about it, it’s actually a really common occurrence. Around 10% of kids get shark teeth.

What Should You Do About It?

If you notice the child’s permanent tooth is growing behind the baby one, simply try to wiggle the baby tooth from side to side to make it loose. You’re basically just “helping” the baby tooth to fall out to make room for the adult one. In some cases, the baby tooth might not want to budge so easily. Don’t panic, you can still get it out, but you will need to take your child to a pediatric dentist for more help.

The Permanent Tooth Is Crooked. What Do I Do Now?

Sometimes, the permanent tooth may appear to be crooked right after the stubborn baby tooth falls out. You should know that a lot of the time, the permanent tooth can correct its position on its own as it continues to grow the socket it was meant to.

It can take up to a year to correct the position, and you should take the child to routine visits to the dentist just to be sure.

However, if your child’s permanent teeth are crooked, or they have what’s known as “crowded teeth”, they may need to wear braces for a while. The child can begin to wear braces even if they still have some baby teeth in, but to know for sure if your child needs braces, you should talk to an orthodontist.

Bring Your Child to Marshfield Pediatric Dentistry!

Does your child have a baby tooth that simply won’t budge? Dr. Julie Hantson will gently help remove it and make room for the adult teeth to grow perfectly!