Baby Tooth Extraction

What is Baby Tooth Extraction?

What is Baby Tooth Extraction?

Tooth extraction is a procedure involving the removal of a tooth completely from the mouth. Usually, milk teeth in children exfoliate on their own, as a matter of course, to give space for the permanent teeth to erupt and do not need any intervention. However, in certain conditions, an extraction may be required:-

• In case of Extreme Decay- where a root canal cannot be performed due to severe teeth damage. Molars are usually affected the most as they are more prone to cavities.
• In severe injury or trauma- broken, cracked tooth or fracture involving roots of the teeth which is impossible to repair by other dental options like a filling, pulp therapy, and crowns. Baby teeth are extracted in those cases, followed by a space maintainer till permanent teeth come into the oral cavity.
• Over-retained Baby Teeth- if a baby's teeth are over-retained in the oral cavity, then its normal shedding time may cause alteration or prevent the eruption of permanent teeth. In such cases, tooth extraction is performed to make the space available for permanent ones to erupt and to avoid dental crowding.
• In the Case of Malocclusion- various malocclusions like crowding of teeth require tooth extraction for proper alignment of teeth. An orthodontist can suggest extracting baby teeth to guide the pathway of permanent teeth eruption. 
• Impacted Tooth- a condition where the third molar grows partially or gets blocked in the gums. Tooth extraction is advised to prevent future dental conditions like cavities, gum diseases, and root resorption. 

Faq on Milk Teeth

Faq on Milk Teeth

1. How many milk teeth are present in a child’s mouth?
There are 20 milk teeth present in the oral cavity. They start to appear around 6 months to 1 year of age. All the milk teeth continue to erupt until 3 to 4 years old.

2. What are the problems that occur when milk teeth start erupting?
Children usually experience soreness of gums, increased drooling of saliva, loss of appetite and sleep disturbances when teething starts. Teething may lead to cranky and irritated behavior. A child wants to chew on a toy or put their fingers inside the mouth to get some relief. Chewing on unclean objects/ fingers might lead to diarrhea or fever.

3. When should brushing be introduced on milk teeth?
The sooner you start cleaning milk teeth, the better your oral hygiene is. Brushing twice daily for 2 minutes is the ideal criteria for a healthy mouth. Gum pads should be wiped with a clean damp cloth from birth until the first tooth erupts. Introduce a soft baby brush/ finger brush when teeth start to erupt or by the age of 1 year.

4. Does nursing cause cavities in milk teeth?
When the baby falls asleep while breastfeeding or with the milk bottle in the mouth, the last mouthful of milk is not swallowed by the child and remains in the mouth only. This milk pools around the teeth and causes decay or cavities. The most commonly affected teeth are the upper front teeth and molars.

5. At what age do milk teeth fall out?
Most children begin to lose their teeth from as early as 5 years to around 13 years of age. All the milk teeth fall out as a child reaches the end of the toddler phase of development. The shedding of milk teeth usually occurs in the following order:-

• Incisors – 6 to 8 years old
• First molars – 9 to 11 years old
• Canines – 9 to 12 years old
• Second molars – 10 to 12 years old

6. When should a dentist check milk teeth?
Taking a child to a dentist regularly from an early age not only helps prevent dental diseases but also instills a positive and comfortable rapport with the dentist without any feelings of nervousness or any dental phobias. The first visit with the dentist should begin as soon as the milk teeth erupt in the oral cavity. This will allow the dentist to check if everything is developing normally and prevent future cavities.