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.

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. See similar questions...

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

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. See similar questions...

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. See similar questions...

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 See similar questions...

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 See similar questions...

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. See similar questions...

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. See similar questions...

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 See similar questions...

Primary, or "baby," teeth are important for many reasons. Not only do they help children speak clearly and chew naturally, they also aid in forming a path that permanent teeth can follow when they are ready to erupt. See similar questions...

If a primary tooth has a cavity, it can cause the child pain and discomfort. It can also be lost prematurely, which can cause a problem. The primary teeth hold the space in the dental arch for the permanent teeth to erupt, if this space is lost due to premature loss of the primary teeth, the permanent teeth will have no space to erupt and come in crowded. Filling a cavity in a primary tooth permits the tooth to be retained until it is naturally lost. See similar questions...

Even though primary (baby) teeth eventually fall out, they reserve space for your child's permanent teeth. So if a tooth is lost too early, new teeth could grow in crooked. See similar questions...