Your children can start seeing a pediatric dentist as early as one year old. It will take a few years for their baby teeth to fully develop, but eventually your child will come to you saying, “My tooth is loose!” In order to prepare you for this event, our Michigan pediatric dentistry center will explain when kids lose their baby teeth and what you can expect along the way.
What Age Do Children Start Losing Their Baby Teeth?
Children typically start losing their baby teeth between 5 and 7 years of age, but some will lose their first tooth at 4 years old. As a general rule of thumb, children who start developing teeth earlier than normal tend to lose their teeth more quickly than other children their age. This is not a sign of poor health or development. Every child and every smile is a little different, and all of this is perfectly normal.
If your child is 8 years old and still has not lost any baby teeth, your pediatric dentist can check for issues that may be preventing the teeth from falling out. For instance, there may be overcrowding in certain areas of the mouth that is keeping the teeth lodged in place. Your child’s dentist will come up with a custom care plan specifically for your child.
Which Teeth Will Come Out First?
The first teeth to grow in are usually the first ones to come out. The front bottom teeth will come out first, then the front top teeth, and so on. The teeth will start to loosen when the permanent teeth growing below them start to push upward, forcing the baby teeth out of their sockets. The baby teeth act as a guide for the adult teeth that grow in their place.
What If A Tooth Comes Out Before It’s Supposed To?
In some cases, a tooth will fall out, get broken, or need to be removed before its time. Most pediatric dentists will install a spacer to fill in the gap left by the missing tooth. This prevents the teeth around the hole from shifting out of place, and it maintains the path for the permanent tooth that will grow in. If your child needs a spacer, a tooth pulled, or general oral healthcare from a trusted pediatric dentist in Michigan, contact Clinton Dental Center at [phone_formatted]. We can’t wait to take care of your family!
