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29 Mar, 2024
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Should Baby Teeth Be Extracted? – Ask Dr. Farooq Sorathia

When & Why Should The Baby Teeth Be Extracted?

Kids visit the dentist with multiple decayed teeth. Some are so decayed that they even develop infections, which cause lots of pain, and sleepless nights for the child, and the parents. Many people think, “…well, these teeth will fall off anyways and another tooth will come in its place, so why save them?” You are probably right. Another tooth will grow, however, some may not be so fortunate to have a succeeding permanent tooth. There are people way into adulthood, who still, have their baby teeth. The reason for this could be the absence of a succeeding permanent tooth, so the roots of the baby teeth are still intact, or the tooth growth is being hindered by some growth, or the tooth is growing in a different direction.

During growth, the permanent teeth make their way to the surface by breaking down the root of the baby teeth in a process called resorption. This makes the baby tooth and it begins to shake. Once the baby teeth have lost most of its root, it would fall off. This process is called exfoliation.

Children need to visit the dentist every 6 months to monitor the pattern of eruption, and also to check for decay. Many parents don’t see the need to fill the baby teeth, as they are transient teeth and will eventually fall off. When a tooth is extracted, the teeth at the back normally move forward. The baby teeth maintain the space required for the permanent tooth to grow in its position. When a baby tooth cannot be saved, it, unfortunately, must be extracted. However, a space maintainer needs to be inserted so that the teeth are kept in their position and don’t drift forward. The best space maintainer is the natural tooth.

Sometimes, the permanent tooth grows in a different direction and this doesn’t follow the path of eruption causing the root of the baby tooth to resorb, therefore keeping it firmly in place. If this is the case, then the baby tooth needs to be extracted to make way for the permanent tooth to grow. It may need to be guided into position with the help of braces. The permanent tooth would erupt in a different direction, either towards the cheek or towards the tongue, and in this case, then braces would be necessary to bring the tooth into its natural position.

Article Written by Dr. Farooq Sorathia (BDS – University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg)

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