Retained Baby Teeth

As a dental office that specializes in implants and periodontology, we at the practice of Dr. Martin Urban have seen some unusual conditions. Among those are patients who have retained their baby teeth past puberty. This often results in a need for replacement teeth, so we wanted people to know what options are available for their assistance.

Deciduous teeth, or baby teeth, usually fall out when the incoming adult tooth causes the baby tooth’s root to dissolve. This may not happen if the adult tooth never developed or if it is coming in at an unusual angle. Usually, if a patient has both the adult and deciduous versions of the same teeth, it is the lower central incisors or upper canines that are affected. The upper lateral incisors are the teeth that are likeliest to be missing. Either way, a patient’s teeth are will be jumbled, and they may also be overcrowded or misaligned enough to cause bite problems.

Usually, extracting retained baby teeth is a simple process. Once they are out, a patient may be referred for orthodontic therapy to correct their adult teeth’s alignment. If they need prosthetic adult teeth, the orthodontist will make space for them, and we can place implants in the newly opened gaps.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Martin Urban, call 508-425-9640 or visit us at Martin Urban DDS.

Missing Incisors

Implants are one of our specialties at the dental office of Dr. Martin Urban. Although they are often marketed as replacement teeth, they also work for people whose teeth never came in at all.  This condition is rare, but we still wanted to discuss what kinds of treatments are available.

It is relatively common for the wisdom teeth and upper canines to have trouble erupting, but in about 2% of adults, the upper lateral incisors never come in. (Lateral incisors are the flat teeth on either side of the central ones.) When they are unable to erupt, we can cut away the gum tissue covering them, allowing an orthodontist to attach brackets to them and guide them down with wires. But if the teeth simply never developed, the orthodontist would have to make room for them by opening gaps between the existing teeth.

The circumstances of a patient’s condition will determine whether implants or a partial denture should be used to provide them with incisors. Implants require a bit of jaw bone tissue to work with, but they won’t have to be adjusted as the patient ages. Many people also find them easier to clean. If a patient does get a partial denture, they may still benefit from miniature implants to snap it onto, ensuring that it will remain in place and their jaw tissue will have additional support.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Martin Urban, call 508-425-9640 or visit us at Martin Urban DDS.