Why Remove a Baby Tooth That Doesn’t Hurt?

Sometimes, a baby tooth that seems fine on the surface needs to be removed to keep your child’s smile healthy and straight. Today, our Brisbane paediatric dentist will explain why extracting painless baby teeth might be necessary for their oral health. Let’s explore how this small step can lead to a lifetime of healthy smiles.

Understanding the Natural Process of Losing Baby Teeth

Children typically start losing their baby teeth around the age of six, though it can vary from child to child. The first teeth to go are usually the bottom front teeth, followed by the top front teeth. This process continues, generally following the order in which the teeth first came in.

It’s completely normal for the entire process to take several years, with most children losing all their baby teeth by the age of 12. During this time, the new permanent teeth gradually push out the baby teeth, a natural and healthy part of growing up.

Reasons to Remove a Baby Tooth That Doesn’t Hurt

Removing a baby tooth that doesn’t hurt might seem unnecessary, but it can actually be very important for your child’s long-term oral health. Here’s why:

Preventing Overcrowding

Removing baby teeth in a timely manner prevents overcrowding, as permanent teeth need adequate space to emerge properly. Overcrowding can lead to misalignment, difficulty in cleaning, and a higher risk of dental problems like cavities and gum disease, which might necessitate orthodontic treatment later on.

Ensuring Proper Eruption of Permanent Teeth

Baby teeth serve as guides for the correct positioning of permanent teeth. If a baby tooth remains too long, it can obstruct or misdirect the eruption of the permanent tooth, leading to misalignment and requiring further orthodontic intervention​.

Avoiding Potential Decay and Infection

Decay in a baby tooth can advance to serious infections, which may not initially cause pain but can harm nearby teeth and tissues. Removing a decayed tooth prevents such infections from spreading and protects the developing permanent teeth underneath​.

Supporting Healthy Oral Development

Extracting problematic baby teeth helps maintain proper spacing in the mouth, which is crucial for the health of emerging permanent teeth. This also facilitates effective oral hygiene, reducing the risk of future dental diseases​.

Promoting Proper Speech Development

Proper alignment influenced by timely tooth extraction aids in speech development. Misaligned or overcrowded teeth can impede the correct placement of the tongue, affecting speech clarity and pronunciation​.

Trauma or Injury

Teeth damaged by trauma, such as falls or accidents, may need to be extracted if they are severely cracked, chipped, or otherwise compromised, to prevent future pain and infection.

Gum Disease

In cases of severe gum disease, even if symptoms are not yet visible, tooth extraction might be necessary to prevent further damage to both the affected and adjacent teeth and tissues​.

Impacted or Abnormally Shaped Teeth

Sometimes baby teeth that are misshapen, fused, or extra (supernumerary) need to be removed to prevent disruption in the normal development and alignment of the permanent teeth​.

Orthodontic Reasons

To prepare for or facilitate orthodontic treatment, extracting certain baby teeth can be necessary to avoid complications in dental alignment and to support the optimal positioning of permanent teeth as they emerge​.

These are possible reasons why it’s sometimes necessary to remove a baby tooth that doesn’t seem to be causing any pain. By doing so, you’re setting your child up for a healthier, happier smile in the future.

Signs That a Baby Tooth Should Be Evaluated

It’s important to pay attention to certain signs that might indicate a baby tooth needs to be looked at by a dentist. Here are some key things to watch for:

• Delayed Tooth Loss: Most children start losing their baby teeth around the age of six. If your child is older than seven and hasn’t lost any teeth, or if a baby tooth is still firmly in place long after it should have fallen out, it could be a sign that something isn’t quite right.
• Crooked or Misaligned Emerging Teeth: As permanent teeth begin to come in, they should ideally push out the baby teeth. If you notice that the new teeth are coming in crooked or at odd angles while the baby teeth remain in place, this might mean there’s not enough room for the new teeth to grow properly. This could lead to overcrowding or misalignment.
• Changes in Bite: If your child’s bite seems to be changing, such as difficulty closing their teeth together or noticeable shifting of their teeth, it could be due to a baby tooth that hasn’t fallen out when it should have. This might affect how their permanent teeth come in and can lead to more serious alignment issues later on.
• Discomfort or Swelling: Any signs of pain, discomfort, or swelling around a baby tooth, even if the tooth isn’t loose, could indicate an underlying problem, like an infection or decay. It’s important to get these symptoms checked out as soon as possible.
• Discolouration of the Tooth: If a baby tooth looks darker than usual or has spots that weren’t there before, it could be a sign of decay or damage. Even if the tooth isn’t causing pain, discolouration is a red flag that should be evaluated by a dentist.

These signs are important to catch early, as they can help prevent more serious issues down the line. Regular dental check-ups with an experienced kids’ dentist are also essential in keeping an eye on how your child’s teeth are developing and ensuring any potential problems are addressed promptly.​

The Dentist’s Role in Assessing the Situation

The Role of Regular Dental Check-Ups

Regular dental check-ups are crucial for your child’s overall health and development. These visits help the dentist monitor the growth of your child’s teeth, ensuring everything is progressing as it should. Regular check-ups are not just about cleaning teeth; they’re about catching potential problems early, which can save your child from more extensive treatments later on.

Identifying Issues and Determining the Best Timing

During these visits, the dentist will examine your child’s teeth and gums, looking for signs that a baby tooth might need to be removed. This might be necessary if the baby tooth is not falling out on its own and is blocking the permanent tooth from coming in properly. The dentist will also check for signs of decay or infection that might not be visible to the naked eye but could cause problems if left untreated.

Why Timing Matters

Timing is important when it comes to removing a baby tooth. The dentist uses their expertise to determine the best time to remove a tooth if needed. This decision is based on factors like the development of the underlying permanent tooth and the health of the surrounding teeth and gums. Regular check-ups also help your child become comfortable with the dental environment, making future visits easier and keeping their smile healthy and bright.

The Tooth Extraction Process

When a child needs a tooth extraction, it’s completely normal for both the child and parents to feel a bit nervous. Here’s a step-by-step guide to what happens during the procedure, laid out in simple terms:

Numbing the Area

• The dentist will apply a local anaesthetic to the area around the tooth that needs to be removed. This numbs the area, ensuring that your child won’t feel any pain. They might still sense some pressure or movement, but it shouldn’t be uncomfortable.
• If your child is particularly anxious or has special needs, the dentist might offer mild sedation, such as nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”), to help them relax while staying awake.

Loosening and Removing the Tooth

• Once the area is numb, the dentist uses a tool called an elevator to gently loosen the tooth from its socket.
• After loosening the tooth, it is carefully removed using forceps. In cases where a molar or a permanent tooth is being extracted, a few stitches might be needed to help the area heal properly​.

After the Extraction

• The dentist will place a piece of gauze over the empty socket and ask your child to bite down gently. This helps to stop any bleeding and allows a blood clot to form, which is important for healing.

You will be given instructions for home care, which might include:

• Ice packs to reduce swelling.
• Pain management using prescribed or over-the-counter medication.
• Dietary advice, such as eating soft foods for a few days to avoid irritating the extraction site​.

Common Questions Parents Ask