The infantile milk dentition consists of 20 teeth, five per jaw half in the lower and upper jaw, of which two molars, two incisors and between them a canine. The four cuspids owe its name to its position in the dental arch at its clear bend in the jaw. The cuspid is conical and tapering pointed and is distinctive with all mammals. With the human being, however, it reminds only distantly of the strong catch and tusks of the carnivores, nevertheless it is very robust and firmly anchored in the jaw because of its especially long root (the longest of all roots in the entire denture) and therefore serves the holding on and biting of the food.
Eye tooth
The term “eye tooth” is a rather outdated term for the human canine tooth in the upper jaw. Nevertheless, it still has a meaning today, because its position in the jawbone and its particularly long root mean that its tip can reach to the bony eye socket and the lower eye nerve (nervus infraorbitalis). When the upper canine tooth becomes inflamed, it can then spread to the face and be accompanied by swelling, pain and a feeling of pressure, especially in the region of the eye, both in adults and in children and babies, which makes it the least popular tooth with parents. You can find more information about canine teeth here: Canine
When do babies teething?
The baby’s milk teeth in the jawbone break through in a certain order, which is called “first dentition“. This usually begins between the sixth and tenth month of life. Then the beginning of the tooth breakthrough can be recognized by the unevenness in the gums. The four canines in the milk teeth usually appear in the 16th to 20th month after birth.
What to do if the canines do not come?
There are several reasons why milk canines do not break through. However, aplasia, i.e. a non-attachment of teeth, occurs more frequently in permanent teeth and only very rarely in milk teeth. In permanent teeth, the canine is only affected in 9% of cases.
However, if the milk tooth is not attached, this can often be a sign that the permanent tooth will not break through. With milk teeth it is important to know that they have a so-called placeholder function. If the canine teeth are lost prematurely, or if they do not break through at all for the reasons mentioned above, this can lead to deviations in the position of the permanent teeth.
Bite anomalies, language problems, jaw joint problems or aesthetic losses can also be possible. An x-ray can be taken if the permanent canine is expected to erupt (in the upper jaw at the age of 11 years, in the lower jaw at the age of 9 years).
- On the one hand, it is possible that the tooth germ has been damaged by trauma and the tooth does not come out.
- It is also possible that the teeth have an obstacle to break through and remain in the jawbone.
This is the case, for example, if the other teeth break through in the wrong position or there are so-called double systems. This means, for example, that there are more than 4 incisors and the canine has no room to break through.
- In some diseases, such as Down syndrome or children with a cleft lip and palate, the milk canine teeth may also be missing.
If you notice that your baby’s canine tooth does not come out at all, or breaks through in a completely wrong position, there is no harm in going to the dentist early. In most cases, however, you do not have to worry about a delayed eruption of milk teeth. However, if the permanent tooth is not attached, the treatment options can be discussed with the dentist at an early stage. An early clarification can be very helpful here.
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