Why Fix Baby Teeth?
Baby teeth are not permanent and are just going to fall out eventually. So why bother fixing them at all?
It may be tempting to skip pediatric dentist appointments until your child’s permanent teeth come in, but this could be detrimental to their health. Here are just a few reasons why fixing baby teeth is important:
Baby Teeth Are All Kids Have
Their primary set of teeth is all your child will have for several years until their permanent teeth come in. In fact, molars don’t fall out until around 10-12 years of age. However, tooth decay can start early, before the age of 6.
Problems with your child’s teeth can impair their ability to eat, speak, chew, sleep, sing, learn, play a musical instrument, or smile with confidence. Taking care of their teeth will ensure that they are not at any disadvantage.
Cavities and Infections
Cavities don’t always have symptoms, so regular checkups at the pediatric dentist office are important. If a cavity is left untreated, it can become abscessed. This can cause pain and discomfort for your child, as well as lead to an infection. Untreated infections in baby teeth can affect the developing teeth beneath, so timely treatment is vital. If money is an issue, metal fillings are a cost-effective treatment for cavities in non-permanent baby teeth.
Baby Teeth are Placeholders
Not only is it important to fix cavities and infections, but it is also crucial to fix incorrectly shaped, underdeveloped, or chipped teeth. The health of baby teeth affects the health of the underlying adult teeth. If any of the above issues are left unchecked, teeth may need to be pulled.
Losing baby teeth is harmful to the adult teeth that will later grow in. Think of primary teeth as placeholders or space savers. Pulling teeth early and when it’s unnecessary can lead to overcrowding and impaired jaw growth.
When a tooth is pulled, other baby teeth can drift into the empty space, preventing adult teeth from erupting properly. Primary teeth need to survive until adult teeth can guide them out properly and grow in with enough room.
Sometimes pulling teeth is necessary to prevent gum issues or pain. In special cases like these, we fill the gap with a prosthetic to allow room for the adult tooth to come in.
Fear of the Dentist
Many adults fear going to the dentist still. Often, this is because they had dental problems as a kid that could have been prevented. This leads to bad experiences and a lifelong aversion to necessary dental work.
At Just 4 kiDDS Dentistry For Children, we want your kids to become comfortable with their pediatric dentist. We do our best to calm their fears and make them as comfortable as possible. Going to the dentist doesn’t have to be scary… it can even be fun!
If you live in Idaho Falls or Pocatello, Idaho and you want to help your child have a great experience at the dentist, please read some of our pediatric dentist reviews. If you would like to come tour our Idaho Falls office and see if we would be a good fit for your family, give our Idaho Falls pediatric dentist office a call at (208) 529-2199. If you would like to come tour our Pocatello office and see if we would be a good fit for your family, give our Pocatello pediatric dentist office a call at (208) 237-1883.