Pulling baby teeth may be necessary to allow severely crowded permanent teeth to come in at a normal time in a normal location. If the teeth are severely crowded, some permanent teeth will either remain impacted (teeth that should have come in, but have not), or come in to an undesirable position.

In the case of permanent teeth, this is sometimes necessary to provide space for other teeth, either because of severe crowdedness or protrusion of teeth. This is entirely dependent on the specific treatment objectives for the individual patient by the treating orthodontist. You can rest assured that the doctor does not take such a decision lightly and will consider all aspects of treatment very carefully, as well as any other options that might be available as an alternative treatment solution.

Only if your orthodontist cannot save or make enough room for all your teeth. Don't worry, if you have teeth pulled, recovery is about 2 days for most patients. Your orthodontist will close the spaces and no one will even notice.

This varies from patient to patient, and depends on many factors that can be discussed at the initial exam appointment.

Removing baby teeth may be necessary to allow severely crowded permanent teeth to come in at a normal time in a reasonably normal location. If the teeth are severely crowded, it may be that some un-erupted permanent teeth (usually the canine teeth) will either remain impacted (teeth that should come in, but do not), or come in to a highly undesirable position.

A toothbrush will remove plaque bacteria that can lead to decay. Any soft-bristled toothbrush with a small head, preferably one designed specifically for infants, should be used at least once a day at bedtime.

There are many factors which influence the susceptibility of teeth to decay. Some of these factors may be inherited (shape of teeth), others may be influenced by environment (fluoride) or behaviour (brushing). Clean teeth do not decay. Although some people are more immune to decay than others, with good dental care cavities can be prevented. If you have a lot of fillings or even dentures your child can still grow up with healthy teeth.

A soft bristled, small headed toothbrush should be used at least once per day before bedtime. Toothpaste is not necessary for children under 3 years old. The main goal is to remove food residue from your child's teeth. » Return to Top

Some children can be comforted by chewing on a teething biscuit, a piece of toast, or a frozen teething ring. Teething medications can also be applied to the gums to reduce discomfort and are available at your pharmacy. A child may also benefit from occasional use of infant Tylenol or another pain reliever. » Return to Top

Children usually keep their front baby teeth until the ages of six to twelve and their back baby teeth until the ages of nine to twelve. Baby teeth are very important to the child's self-esteem, speech, smile and they also hold a space for the adult teeth to erupt into. Early removal of a baby tooth may lead to serious orthodontic problems. Baby teeth should only be extracted when it is time to do so or when they cannot be restored.

No. You do not need to wean when your baby's teeth come in. Both of my children got their first tooth at 3 months of age but were breastfed more than a year. Biting can occur at the end of feeding, when the baby is no longer hungry, but playful. Simply remove the baby from the breast with a firm "no". If the baby is still hungry, offer the breast again. If the biting continues, remove the baby from the breast for several minutes.

Permanent teeth are normally more yellow than primary teeth. This becomes very apparent when the child is between the ages of seven and ten, where the adult teeth are next to the very white baby teeth. Once the child has lost several more baby teeth, most children appear to have very white smiles. » Return to Top