By the time your li'l kid is 6-7 months old, the first set of baby teeth should appear on his/her gums. But what if, there are no signs of a single tooth even when the child is of 10 months? Such cases of delayed tooth formation are far from uncommon, and they often give new parents tense, sleepless nights. Confidental Care, Kolkata ensures that moms and dads are spared such undue worries, and cases of delayed teeth growth are properly diagnosed and treated. It's not for nothing that we are the best pediatric dental clinic in India.
Do The Entire Set Of Baby Teeth Erupt At The Same Time?
This is a common misconception among many parents. During our dental consultations in Kolkata, our in-house practitioners explain when the different sections of teeth should ideally appear. The central and lateral incisors are usually the first to grow, while your child will be close to two years old when (s)he gets the first and second molars. We strongly advise parents to bring along children for regular oral check-ups - so that the progress of tooth development can be monitored.
Probable Causes For Delayed Tooth Formation
Abnormal delays in the appearance of teeth (or total non-appearance) generally happen due to any of the following problems:
- Genes with autosomal dominance - Complications in the appearance of baby teeth can be 'inherited' from previous generations. If you or your partner also had problems in tooth formation, there is a fair chance that the eruption of baby teeth in your kid's mouth would be delayed as well. This phenomenon is known in pediatric dental circles as Cleidocranial Dysostosis.
- Problems in the thyroid gland - These are more common in women above a certain age - while kids rarely exhibit such problems. The production of thyroid hormone is insufficient due to hypothyroidism - and this results in either absence of permanent teeth, or loss of teeth.
- Advanced stage of Apert Syndrome - At our Kolkata oral diagnostic center, we have the finest facilities for dental x-rays and other tests/scans. In case Apert Syndrome is diagnosed, chances of timely development of teeth are likely to go for a toss. Certain tried-and-tested medications are prescribed, to ensure that the baby teeth do not go permanently missing.
Among the cases of delayed tooth formation treated at our clinic in Kolkata, Ellis van Creveld Syndrome and Ectodermal Dysplasia have also been identified as relatively common causes.
Note: Baby bottle tooth decay can be a reason for the delayed appearance of permanent teeth, in kids from the 5-7 years age range. There can be associated risks of misalignment of teeth, crowding in the mouth, and abnormally wide teeth too.
Do You Know About The Different Types Of Baby Teeth?
If you aren't, it might become a tough ask to find out whether there are indeed any delays in the formation of teeth in your child's mouth. Child dental care experts divide baby teeth under the following categories:
- Central Incisor - Should appear when your kid is 9 months old (latest).
- Lateral Incisor - Should erupt by the time your child is of 12-13 months (latest).
- Cuspid - Also known as the canine teeth, these form when kids are around one and a half years old.
- First Molar - These should appear when your child reaches the age of 16 months (latest).
- Second Molar - The final set of baby teeth gets formed when a kid is around 26 months of age.
On average, the lower teeth gets formed slightly earlier than the upper teeth. Provided that you bring your infant for regular dental check-ups at our clinic in Kolkata, we will be able to monitor whether there is a case of delayed tooth formation.
How Can Delayed Tooth Formation Problems Be Tackled?
There have been many cases of non-formation of baby teeth treated at our pediatric dentistry clinic. Our oral surgeons generally perform a cosmetic surgery (after dental x-rays and other requisite scans). For general cases of delayed tooth formation, we offer customized orthodontic dentistry solutions. Till date, our surgeons have been successful in ensuring natural appearance of teeth for 98% of the cases.
Did You Know?
An abnormally low body weight can cause delayed tooth formation in kids. You should also seek dental treatment in Kolkata if your child has problems in walking and/or talking properly. A general growth problem includes late or non-appearance of teeth.
Delayed eruption of teeth can lead to multiple dental problems, including teeth malocclusion and wide spacing. Book an appointment at Confidental Care if your child does not get his/her first baby teeth set by the time (s)he is of 9 months. An early diagnosis and treatment would rule out possibilities of graver oral problems in future.