I’m an Adult But Still Have One Baby Tooth

Ordinarily, humans develop a first set of teeth, called baby teeth, beginning about one year of age. By the age of five or six, baby teeth start to fall out, making room for adult teeth to grow in and take their place. Nature’s system is ideal, since it allows youngsters to chew food when they’re ready, without crowding the mouth with larger adult teeth. Usually, by the time a human is 18, they will have lost all their baby teeth. However, in rare circumstances, one or more baby teeth still linger after all those years. This is called retained baby teeth, or retained deciduous teeth, as your dentist in Gilbert, AZcan tell you.

Are Retained Baby Teeth Healthy?

Typically, retained baby teeth lose their function over time. Baby teeth aren’t as hard or durable as adult teeth, and they aren’t up to the wear and tear that full-grown jawbones apply during chewing and biting. Often, baby teeth appear to be discolored and weaker than surrounding baby teeth.

What Causes Retained Baby Teeth?

The most common reason for a baby tooth that remains is the lack of an adult tooth coming in behind it. If there is no adult tooth for some reason, then the baby tooth may not fall out on its own. If you have one or more baby teeth as an adult, you can get help from your dentist.

Treatment For Adulthood Baby Teeth

First, your dentist will carefully assess the health of the baby tooth. In some cases, it may be possible to simply keep the baby tooth in place. However, if the baby tooth is decayed or cannot perform its proper function, it may be best to extract it. Then a prosthetic tooth can be put in its place with restorative dentistry in Gilbert, AZ.

Book an appointment with us if you have questions at all about your oral health. We are ready to serve all your dental health needs!