Children go through many changes and phases. Mental and emotional development starts immediately with attachment to their parents or caregivers, and their brains take off from there. But what about the physical changes? Like teeth. Baby teeth are interesting as they don’t cut through the gums all at the same time. Baby teeth don’t start coming in until around five to seven months of age, and then it’s only a couple teeth at a time. Babies tend to get their bottom middle teeth first, and then cut the top ones. Canines and molars are considered harder on them and might bring out a more difficult teething time. All in all, children don’t have a full set of teeth until they’re about two and a half years old!
In some children, there can be imbedded or impacted teeth. Imbedded teeth refer to when a tooth or set of teeth do not shift downwards as they’re supposed to. These teeth are stuck in the bone and still hidden by gums. Impacted teeth are obstructed. These teeth are either caught on bone or blocked from moving by other teeth around them. Sometimes they shift and a part of the tooth will show through the gum, or they can come in behind or above other teeth. This can happen for baby teeth or for adult teeth when losing those baby teeth.
The main thing to consider is that people are different, and the age varies. Wiggly teeth could start as early as four, and there is nothing wrong with it. Some kids may not lose a tooth by eight, and there is nothing wrong with it. That being said, it’s pretty normal to start losing teeth around the age of six. If you are concerned because you feel like a child is too young to be losing teeth, or because they’re getting older and still haven’t, just talk with their dentist. Your doctor will probably start to urge you to take kids to the dentist around three or four, if not sooner. If they are getting older and there is a worry about impacted or imbedded teeth, they’ll probably take an x-ray to see what’s going on in the bone. From there, your dentist will chat with you regarding what’s happening and the plan to get everything on track.
Teeth can start getting lose as early as four, however once we’ve lost the tooth it can take some time for the adult tooth to pop through. Sometimes, as long as six months can go by before the new tooth comes up. If you’ve hit the six month mark and still no tooth (or teeth) then it’s time to talk with their dentist.
Generally, by twelve, your child will have lost all of their baby teeth and replaced them with the adult teeth. After twelve, they will get another set of molars on both the top and bottom. After this, the only teeth they have to come in will be their wisdom teeth, and these can come anywhere between age seventeen to thirty. Most likely, your dentist will already be keeping an eye on them, as you will have had x-rays done within this time, but it never hurts to ask your dentist about wisdom teeth that have not come through.
The bottom line is that bodies are complex. Biology plays a role in imbedded or impacted teeth, so if there is a history of it in your family, there is a higher chance your children will get it as well. Thankfully, these occurrences are nothing new. We’ve been dealing with problems in teeth and our mouths for years now, and there will already be a plan in place for what’s happening. The best thing to do is keep yourself and your children scheduled for their regular dental appointments, and keep a flow of information between you and their dentist.