O'Fallon Family & Cosmetic Dentist

Video of O’Fallon, MO dentist Dr. Edward Logan answering the question, “When is it too early to lose a baby tooth?” This video was taken at a MOPS meeting with some active children in the background. If you have difficulty hearing Dr. Logan on the video, a summary of his answer appears below.

Many parents wonder when is too early for their children to lose a baby tooth and whether it even matters since it is going to be replaced by a permanent tooth eventually. While there are general time frames in which baby tooth loss and permanent tooth eruption typically occur, there remains quite a bit of variance in timing of eruption for each individual child. Premature tooth loss due to trauma typically occurs in the front teeth since that part of the mouth and face are more likely to be involved in accidents. Back teeth (also known as posterior teeth) are sometimes lost early due to decay. Due to the small size of baby teeth, decay can spread rapidly resulting in the loss of the tooth.

Whether the tooth loss occurs in the front or the back teeth makes a big difference as to treatment. Front teeth typically maintain adequate space for the eruption of permanent teeth, even when they are lost prematurely. Also, front teeth erupt years earlier than back teeth (often as early as age 6) so there is less time to be concerned about crowding development.

When a posterior tooth is lost, it is important for a dentist to closely monitor when eruption may occur by examining x-rays. Depending on when the permanent teeth will be erupting, a temporary space maintainer may be necessary to preserve spacing and give room for the permanent tooth to erupt.

Due to the variability of tooth eruption times, it is difficult to give an exact age at which it is too early to lose a baby tooth, but close monitoring by a dentist can lead to the best results for your child.

Kyle has been a patient of Dr. Edward Logan’s for eight years, first in his University City office, and now in his O’Fallon, MO dental office located in WingHaven.  In this video, Kyle recounts being able to receive same day emergency dental care for a cracked tooth.  Kyle highlights the peaceful environment and Dr. Logan’s ability to set the staff and patients at ease.

This video by O’Fallon dentist, Dr. Edward Logan, highlights steps you can take to save a tooth that has been chipped or knocked out.

Seventy-five percent of all broken, lost, loosened, or chipped teeth occur in children under 15 years of age.  Luckily, recent advances in dentistry make it more likely that these teeth can be repaired or saved.    However, for the best results, parents must act quickly.  Even if no visible tooth damage has occurred, when a child falls or receives a hit to the mouth, soft tissue inside the tooth may be damaged.

Here are some quick tips for dealing with a tooth that has been chipped or knocked out:

• Have your dentist’s number readily available. Add your dentist’s office as a contact in your cell phone.
• Try to find all parts of the tooth.
• Handle the tooth by the top, not the root.
• Gently rinse the tooth root if it is dirty.
• Apply sterile gauze to stop any bleeding.
• Reinsert the tooth if possible.  If not, store the tooth in a cup of water or milk
• See the dentist as soon as possible.  The sooner a dentist can return the tooth to its socket, the greater chance the tooth has of being saved.
• If braces or wires have broken, cover the sharp edges with gauze, cotton, or gum, but do not try to remove any wires that are stuck in the gums, cheek, or tongue.
• Apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth to reduce swelling and discomfort.