HELP!! Budget Buster--Dentist Related

[hockeyprincess]

So... my 5 year old daughter just informed me tonight that her (very first!) front bottom tooth is loose. I look in her mouth, and her adult tooth has already broken thru the skin, BEHIND (read: no where near symmetrically correct placement) the current loose tooth, and also behind (in relation to teeth and mouths in general, this is pretty far behind) all other current teeth. This tooth is much bigger than her baby teeth... is this going to be a problem, now and in the future, not only the size of the tooth but the placement of it? And it's Friday night, no dentist open on Saturday around here... should I just make an appt with the dentist next week? It's loose enough I assume it will come out at some point this week, but I'm VERY concerned with the placement of the new tooth.

My son's baby teeth all came out before the adult teeth came thru, and all of his are pretty much straight and even so far. (He's 10) She got teeth rather early, so I know the saying goes, they lose them early if they got them early, but do I need to worry about this? Any dentists or hygenists out there? I'm semi-freaking out right now!!

 

[luvmy3jewels]

Two of my kids had something similar in that their front teeth started growing in behind the baby teeth. The pediatric dentist that they see didn't seem overly concerned about it and eventually the baby teeth fell out on their own. I have heard of kids who had to have the baby teeth pulled to make room for the permanent teeth, but I don't really know how their situation differed from my kids (it was the same dentist that we see).

It did look kind of funny to see my kids' permanent teeth behind their baby teeth. I was concerned about how far back the perm. teeth appeared, but when the baby teeth fell out, they just seemed to somehow move into the space where the baby teeth are. (At that age, the permanent teeth appear huge in kids' mouths).

I would just call the dentist on Monday to ask if there might be a problem. It could be that there is nothing to worry about and the baby teeth will eventually be pushed out by the permanent teeth.

 

[Jeninindy]

My daughter's front tooth came in behind the baby tooth - the dentist ended up just helping the baby tooth along and the permanent tooth moved forward into place in a few weeks.

 

[nexttrip4us]

I would definitely call your dentist on Monday, but we had a similar experience...my now 8 year old's two front adult teeth were coming out "the front" of her gums...essentially, the baby teeth weren't falling out, so the adult teeth were forcing themselves out a different way...took her in and they said it isn't uncommon for that to happen...they had us wait about 2 months to see if the teeth would fall out on their own...they didn't, so they ended up pulling her two front baby teeth out. Her two front adult teeth are now fully in and all is well...

Mind you...this is after she TWICE knocked her two front baby teeth loose when she was 2 and 3...lol...she could knock them loose, but they sure didn't want to come out on their own!

Good luck!

 

[pigget74]

This has happened to my daughter and son. My son only had one that did this--both of my daughters did. The dentist pulled the baby teeth on both. He ended up pulling the other font tooth on my son to give the permanent tooth room to move in. For my son that was the only pulling. DD on the other had all but her two top teeth pulled by dentist. He mouth is very small--we knew she would have to get braces later to the ortho told the dentist what to pull and when. Her teeth top two permanent teeth came in like a v and that is when went to the ortho. We did a pre braces plan with him to help minimized braces later on. Before the braces were put on her teeth were somewhat straight--but major overbite.

 

[Liberty Belle]

My son's tooth did this. Actually two of them (the two front bottom teeth) did. I was concerned with the first, but after the baby tooth fell out, the permanent tooth moved right into place. I did not call the dentist because people here on the DIS told me it was quite common and happened to their children.

 

[indimom]

I'm NOT a dentist or hygenist, so take this for what it is worth.

My DS has had teeth come in well behind AND well in front of his baby teeth over the last couple years. (We called them his "shark teeth") He just didn't have enough room in his mouth, and his baby teeth were sooo tightly packed they didn't seem to loosen very easily.
He is now 10 and we are using an appliance to create more space in his mouth, after this step he will get braces.
It will probably make you feel better to run her to the dentist next week, (we took our son in quickly the first time this happened as well. It is a little shocking looking). The dentist gave his opinion and then referred us to an orthodontist. My DS' dentist and orthodontist did not recommend pulling the baby teeth, but let them come out when they were ready.
We waited about three years, and saw the ortho about once a year during that time. When she felt the time was right, she started the work on his teeth. They had to pull one tooth at this point. His process to straight teeth is going to be a bit more involved than some who just need braces for a short time, but it's all "fixable" so I wouldn't stress out too much.

 

[POOHLUV69]

DS has this problem. Everyone of his adult teeth came in infront of his baby teeth. It was so traumatic trying to pull his teeth that we just take him to the dentist to have them pulled. In our experience they just don't get loose enough. He has one more to be pulled out and he's done loosing all his teeth. His teeth are actually pretty perfect and shouldn't need braces.

 

[hockeyprincess]

WHEW! I knew I could count on my DIS buddies to give me good advice, and reassure me, although scary looking, rather normal. I really think the baby tooth is loose enough to fall out yet this weekend, but she's a bit scared herself, being her first loose tooth and all. I'll keep you posted if it comes out! Thanks everyone!

 

[jessica52877]

I am 32 and mine did this when I was little. DS7's also did the same thing. No issues with my teeth, never had one pulled or braces. Dentist said it was perfectly normal. They magically move into place. DH saw it and thought it was odd because he had never encountered it before either.

 

[Blue.Fairy2]

So... my 5 year old daughter just informed me tonight that her (very first!) front bottom tooth is loose. I look in her mouth, and her adult tooth has already broken thru the skin, BEHIND (read: no where near symmetrically correct placement) the current loose tooth, and also behind (in relation to teeth and mouths in general, this is pretty far behind) all other current teeth. This tooth is much bigger than her baby teeth... is this going to be a problem, now and in the future, not only the size of the tooth but the placement of it? And it's Friday night, no dentist open on Saturday around here... should I just make an appt with the dentist next week? It's loose enough I assume it will come out at some point this week, but I'm VERY concerned with the placement of the new tooth.

My son's baby teeth all came out before the adult teeth came thru, and all of his are pretty much straight and even so far. (He's 10) She got teeth rather early, so I know the saying goes, they lose them early if they got them early, but do I need to worry about this? Any dentists or hygenists out there? I'm semi-freaking out right now!!

I am a dental hygienist and you have no need to worry, her jaw still has a lot of growing to do, she will grow into her teeth. I personally think a lot of children get braces way too soon these days. No need to worry right now.

As far as the loose tooth just "wiggle" it and it will come out when ready.

 

[MnMomtoboys]

As others have said this happens to a lot of kids. Have her eat some apples this weekend

 

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

I'm 35 and this happened to me. Unfortunately, my baby teeth didn't loosen and fall out, I had to have them pulled out but the good news is, when they were pulled the adult teeth just somehow moved into place. If her tooth is loose, this is good news because then she won't have to have the dentist pull it.

 

[TaraPA]

As the rest have confirmed (including a professional!) this is very, very common & no reason for alarm. I agree it may look awful for awhile, it's just the natural progression of bigger teeth needing to crowd into a smaller space! We've gone through this with both sons & the dentist (and ortho for one of them) were completely unconcerned. It did all work itself out in the end, and we only needed 2 teeth pulled. So don't panic - it may not cost you as much $$ as you're anticipating. I think we paid around $150 per tooth for the simple extractions, and many dentists/orthos will try not to pull any teeth at all.

Now DS12 with the cavities & rotting teeth & braces...um cha-ching!

 

[mousefan1972]

I am a dental hygienist and you have no need to worry, her jaw still has a lot of growing to do, she will grow into her teeth. I personally think a lot of children get braces way too soon these days. No need to worry right now.

As far as the loose tooth just "wiggle" it and it will come out when ready.

That is refreshing to hear. My daughter is 6, and since the ripe old age of 5 her dentist has been telling me that she will need "early intervention" orthodontics due to crowding and alignment issues. I questioned how braces would help a kid who hasn't lost the majority of her baby teeth yet, and he answered by telling me he would refer us to this great pediatric orthodontist, who happened to be his good friend. I'll be getting a second opinion prior to doing that.

 

[hockeyprincess]

Update for everyone: We went to the dentist yesterday. He did not pull the tooth, but wants to see it come out within 2 weeks. If not out by then, we will need to have it pulled. I'm confident it will be out in 2 weeks.

However, he did say that she's out of room already, 6 year molars coming in are only going to crowd an already small mouth. He said he would recommend an ortho appt and possibly pulling 4 bottom baby teeth to make some room. We have time to play with on this but I'm concerned about this? Her dad did have the same problem (small mouth, having to have several baby teeth pulled because they just would not come out) and now has crooked teeth and needs braces. (His mom did not care enough, I guess, to get them when they would be covered under dental insurance as a child.... ) Sooo..... I better start saving for ortho just in case!

 

[crisi]

Everyone with kids should save for the ortho. If you don't use it, you can take a nice vacation or do some optional work on the house, or buy new furniture or......But even if you have insurance, chances are that you'll still be looking at an ortho bill of thousands.

Then, when the time comes you can get second opinions and make your decisions based off of "do we really think that this is what our kid needs."

 

[Sandi]

(His mom did not care enough, I guess, to get them when they would be covered under dental insurance as a child.... ) Sooo..... I better start saving for ortho just in case!

It's possible that when your DH was little, even if the family had dental insurance, the orthodontia was not covered. My Dad had good dental coverage for us, but orthodontia was excluded. He was a professor at a major university. Mom and Dad paid for 4 kids to get braces. DD15 had to get braces and our insurance covered only a small portion of the expense. It's a good investment, however. She has a beautiful smile now. We constantly have to remind her to wear her retainer -- or she is paying for any ortho redo.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think I would run from a dentist who seems to forget that faces and jaws grow, and that it's best to wait until they are closer to adulthood to make decisions about "small" mouths.

Of course, since most dentists have managed to forget that we grow, I'm going to be running from a lot of dentists!

My mom was taken advantage of with that line when I was 9. Unneeded tooth-pulling, unneeded braces, teeth looking just the same as they would have looked without the braces, but WITH the memories of horrible pain (they even did the palate spread Inquisition device) and the spots on my teeth from where the bands were (they didn't show up for YEARS after, and now I have horizontal lines on my front upper teeth right where the bands were).

I believe orthodontia is something that adults get to choose and pay for on their own, not a choice parents should make for their children. Just one opinion!