Provisional teeth, popularly known as baby teeth, appear at approximately 6 months of age. There are a total of 20 pieces that will accompany us until the age of 12-13 years, coinciding with the eruption of the permanent teeth.
However, it should be noted that some adults continue to keep these temporary pieces, which is a subject we will discuss below.
What are primary teeth?
Temporary teeth play a very important role in oral health.
First of all, they fulfill an esthetic and functional role during childhood, but we should also know that good care of these teeth will have a positive impact on the eruption of the permanent teeth.
On the other hand, if we do not take care of these parts, we may suffer all kinds of problems in the future.
Due to the importance of primary teeth, it is advisable for the child to see a dentist specialized in pediatric dentistry on a regular basis. Currently, there are specialists in the field of pediatric dentistry, professionals known as pediatric dentists who have extensive experience treating this group of patients.
Causes of Baby Teeth in Adults
One of the main reasons why adults have baby teeth is due to dental agnesia, a pathology that is summarized in the absence of the definitive tooth, so the baby tooth will not fall because it does not have a piece to push it.
As a general rule, dental agnesia affects wisdom teeth in the upper jaw and lateral incisors. In the case of wisdom teeth we should know that there is usually no problem since we are talking about pieces that are usually extracted because they do not have a specific function.
However, if agnesia affects the upper jaw or lateral incisors, all kinds of problems are common.
Another reason why there are adults with temporary teeth is due to a lack of space, meaning the permanent tooth does not erupt because there is not enough space in the jaw.
Consequences of Having Baby Teeth in Adults
Temporary teeth in adults can cause all sorts of problems, therefore it is vitally important to regularly visit the dentist to check the condition of our mouth.
One of the most common problems among patients suffering from this situation is dental misalignment, due to the fact that we are talking about smaller teeth that tend to fall out over time.
Once the fall occurs, a space will be created that allows the rest of the teeth to shift, thus causing dental misalignment.
Fortunately, today we have at our disposal a wide variety of techniques and treatments that are focused on correcting any problem related to dental misalignment.
What solutions do we have at our disposal?
Adults who have baby teeth have different solutions available to address this issue, so it is necessary for a specialist to study each case individually with the goal of choosing the option that best suits the patient’s needs.
As a general rule, one of the most common alternatives is to extract the tooth and replace it with a dental implant. It is preferable to bring this process forward instead of waiting for the tooth to fall out, since we run the risk of the rest of the teeth moving and this situation would affect both the esthetics and the functionality of our mouth.
Dental implants are the best alternative when it comes to dental restoration techniques, since this is a process that offers a very natural result and guarantees excellent esthetics and oral functionality.
Considering these advantages, it is not surprising that more and more people are opting for implants in the event of tooth loss, and this trend is expected to continue to grow in the near future.
In summary, we can say that baby teeth in adult patients is a situation more common than it may seem, so specialists have all kinds of alternatives to solve this situation with maximum effectiveness.
This post is purely informational and does not replace a consultation with the dentist in any way. Contact the smile agents team to schedule an appointment with one of the dentists at Smilers Dental Clinic.