Dental implants can make a smile look fabulous – I know I have them. However, if you are just thinking about getting them, you may have a lot of questions. You may be wondering how smoking affects implants, whether or not wine will stain them, if they can be whitened or other concerns. I also know from experience that it can be intimidating to ask some of these questions to your dentist. In my dental implant blog, I am going to answer the questions that can be hard to ask. I hope you find the info you need in this blog and that it guides you to the right decision about dental implants. Thanks for reading!
-
The Benefits of Visiting a Children's Dentist 6 November 2023
-
Understanding the Role of an Emergency Dental Clinic 26 June 2023
Dental Implants: Stains, Whitenings and Other Considerations
All I Wanted for Christmas Was My Two Front Teeth, but Instead, I got Three!
Isobel Berry
By around the age of eight, most children should have two permanent central incisors in their upper jaw. However, a small percentage of children, as many as 1.9%, according to one study, will have an extra tooth. Extra teeth in children are known as "supernumery" teeth, but the most common of these is the tooth situated between the two central incisors.
The Mesiodens Tooth
The term, mesiodens, coined by the researcher Bolk in 1917, refers to an extra tooth that is present between the two permanent central incisors. This tooth is more common in boys than girls and is often malformed. Sometimes, dentists will notice this extra tooth in the jawbone when children are quite young, before their permanent teeth erupt.
They may then wait until a child is a little older before deciding upon a course of action. In 25% of cases, the tooth will erupt along with the two upper central incisors. However, these teeth can cause problems if not dealt with in a timely manner.
Mesiodens Teeth Create Dental Issues
Dentists don't like to surgically extract mesiodens teeth too early because doing so could damage the tooth buds of the central incisors. It is better to wait until the central incisors are fully formed and ready to erupt before attempting to remove the extra tooth. Timing is crucial since a mesiodens tooth can prevent the central incisors from erupting.
A mesiodens tooth may also create an unnaturally wide gap between the two central incisors, and cause the teeth in the upper jaw to become crowded due to the lack of space. This will lead to the need for braces, to correct the spacing issues. Sometimes, these extra teeth will erupt behind the central incisors, causing little interference. However, they still need to be removed.
Monitor Your Child's Teeth
As a parent, it is important that you monitor the development of your child's dentition. Otherwise, you might not notice when a problem such as an extra tooth occurs. This is an issue that should be caught early and monitored until your dentist is confident that they can safely remove the tooth.
If you spot an extra tooth, don't waste any time in getting to a paediatric dentist. The longer you wait, the higher the risk that the mesiodens tooth will interfere with the eruption of the central incisors. Acting quickly will ensure that your child does not require orthodontic treatment from an early age.
Share