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!
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A Dental Assist for Eruption Cysts: How Your Family Dentist Can Treat Your Child's Eruption Cysts
Isobel Berry
Witnessing your baby go through the discomfort of teething can leave you wishing that you could do more to relieve their suffering. However, as a parent, the best thing you can do is let nature take its course. Within a year or so your baby will have a cute, new set of teeth to enjoy. During that time, before the primary teeth erupt, you may notice bluish lumps appear on your baby's gums.
While uncommon, these lumps are benign and not an indication that something is wrong. Referred to as eruption cysts or eruption hematoma, these lumps may develop on gums prior to the eruption of a new tooth. But what causes them?
Leaking Fluid or Trauma Is the Cause
Although eruption cysts are sometimes found on the gums of teething babies, they are actually more common in children between the ages of 6 to 9 years-old. Between those ages, a child's "six-year molars" erupt. It is during this time that most eruption cysts make their appearance.
Eruption cysts appear for two reasons. Before teeth erupt, they are contained in a protective chamber within the jawbone. On the rare occasions that fluid leaks out of these chambers, a liquid-filled cyst will form in front of the erupting tooth. Gum trauma experienced during chewing, can also cause an eruption cyst to form.
Eruption Cysts Don't Normally Require Intervention
In general, it is normal practice to leave these lumps as they are. What usually happens is that the incoming tooth pierces the eruption cyst and erupts as normal. So, while they look threatening, they are actually quite harmless. Once a tooth has erupted, the fluid will drain and the bruising should heal within a few days.
Your Dentist Can Make a Small Incision
There are, however, some instances where a dentist can intervene. When a cyst causes intense pain and discomfort, or persists for several weeks, a dentist can aid your child by making a small incision in the area of the eruption cyst. This will allow the fluid to drain from the area and provide the tooth with an uninterrupted path of eruption.
If the incision is quite large and there is a risk of infection, your dentist will also provide you with some antibiotics. Painkillers may also be necessary if your child is in pain.
By and large, while they might appear ominous, eruption cysts are ultimately harmless and shouldn't require any intervention. Do not hesitate to pay your dentist a visit, however, should you suspect that something isn't quite right.
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