Many children get excited about losing their baby teeth and growing in their permanent teeth.  Although everyone is different, this usually happens around 6 years of age.  Many times this process is straight forward, but complications can arise.  For instance, maybe a child’s tooth grows sideways, therefore affecting their surrounding teeth, as well as their bite.  Another possibility is that your child has “shark teeth.”

Shark teeth refers to when permanent teeth grow in behind their primary teeth.  This is called shark teeth because sharks also have several rows of teeth.  Usually, the permanent teeth cause the baby teeth to become loose; if it doesn’t, it grows in behind the baby tooth, which is called an ectopic eruption.  So, what can be done about shark teeth?

The good thing is that shark teeth aren’t dangerous, but they can be uncomfortable.  Ideally, your child can do small things to help their baby tooth come out.  This includes wiggling it a little each day, brushing their teeth more often, eating apples, or anything else that will encourage the tooth to fall out.  If that doesn’t work, the family dentist in Bloomfield NJ may suggest an extraction.  During a dental extraction, the dentist will numb the area and remove the tooth to give space to the permanent tooth.

If the baby tooth isn’t lost or extracted in a timely manner, the gums may attach to the permanent tooth and cause gingival recession, therefore causing your child to need a gum graft in the future.

If your child has one shark tooth, it’s possible that it will happen to the other teeth.  That’s why it’s important for your family dentist in Bloomfield NJ to monitor the growth of your child’s teeth.  If you need to set an appointment, call us at Sparkles Dentistry For Children.