You may see charts and tables on your Instagram feed or Pinterest board and worry as a first-time mom if your child is not developing based on what the “textbook” example shows.
But remember every child is different and develops at their own pace and this is still “normal.”
Every child’s teeth can come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Some can even be fused together or have extra anatomy. And this is okay.
Ideally, we would love to see spacing in baby teeth because generally adult teeth are larger and this is an indicator that there can be less crowding in their adult dentition.
However, if your child’s baby teeth touch, this is common and normal.
If the teeth touch, please make sure to start flossing so cavities do not form between the teeth.
As a pediatric dental office, one of our goals is to be an educator.
So a lot of times we post “what to expect” but as a rule of thumb especially on eruption charts let your child vary plus or minus 6 months before you raise concern.
On average, contralateral teeth will come in pairs, the lower teeth will erupt before the upper and there can be a sequence of eruptions.
(see above) If your child is older than 18 months with no teeth erupted or signs of eruption. Then consult your doctor.
It is also very common to see “shark teeth” where the lower adult incisors erupt behind the baby teeth.
In most instances, no treatment is necessary, as the baby teeth fall out the adult teeth will move forward on their own.
If you are at all worried, call our office (949-767-3925) and we can help monitor your child and recommend the best treatment outcomes.
As always, follow us (@socopdo) on Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok and Youtube for more tricks and tips.
