Most children proudly present their first milk teeth that have fallen out and have been wiggling in their mouths for days or even weeks beforehand. Most children experience the change of teeth as something very special: after a gap is initially left in the mouth, the permanent teeth gradually push through.
What is the change of teeth?
The term tooth change refers to the exchange between the milk teeth that fall out and the permanent teeth. The term tooth change refers to the exchange between the milk teeth that fall out and the permanent teeth. The period of tooth change can be roughly divided into two phases. Phase one begins in children around the age of five to seven. The first permanent teeth are usually the back molars, which erupt without a baby tooth falling out. Only then do the front, usually lower, incisors begin to wiggle. Usually, those baby teeth that erupted first in babyhood fall out first. Once the tooth has fallen out, some time may pass before the adult teeth erupt and close the gap in the mouth. At about eight years of age, this stage is complete and the four upper and lower incisors have been replaced. Usually there is then a break of one to two years. This is followed by the replacement of the canine teeth and finally the molars and deciduous teeth. In most children, the change of teeth is completed at around 13 to 14 years of age. Between the ages of 16 and 25, the four wisdom teeth finally erupt – although not in all people. The permanent dentition now consists of a total of 32 teeth.
Function and task
The 20 baby teeth in a child’s dentition take on a placeholder function for the permanent, so-called replacement teeth. The first teeth erupt during infancy. By the age of four at the latest, children will have their last milk teeth. It is important for development to have teeth: Only in this way can even the youngest children learn to articulate themselves intelligibly and to form correct sounds, words and sentences. Teeth also serve to break down food. Chewing supports optimal development of the jaw and facial skull. Teeth provide ideal support for the upper and lower jaws. Milk teeth are smaller and altogether more delicate than permanent teeth. The enamel is not yet completely mature. They fit ideally into a small child’s dentition. However, as the jawbone grows in contrast to the milk teeth, the previously optimal relationship between number and size of teeth and jaw size no longer fits. The milk teeth are too small for the jaw. As soon as the adult tooth has formed a crown, cells break down the roots of the milk tooth. As a result, it becomes loose and eventually falls out. The permanent tooth can then move in. This is not only larger and harder overall, but also has a deeper root. It also usually has a slightly yellowish color. Often the replacement teeth in the child’s dentition appear too large. At the latest during puberty and as the jaw grows, they then fit perfectly proportionally. Since adult teeth are meant to last a lifetime, thorough dental care and cleaning as well as regular checkups with the dentist are extremely important.
Diseases and complaints
The change of teeth does not normally cause children any discomfort or even pain, as is often the case when milk teeth erupt. The root of the baby tooth simply dissolves painlessly as soon as the second tooth comes in. If teeth wiggle badly but do not yet fall out, this can be unpleasant in the worst case. Brushing teeth is more difficult and should only be done with very light pressure. In addition, when eating, only careful biting and chewing is recommended to avoid pain. A consequence of the change of teeth can be a slight inflammation of the gums, when the loose tooth rubs uncomfortably over the sensitive gums. However, more severe pain can be caused at most if the tooth itself is extracted, as it is usually still attached to the gums with fibers. However, not every child has an unproblematic change of teeth. Negative consequences can be tooth misalignments, which usually have to be corrected by orthodontic treatment. Early loss of milk teeth is a possible complication. Milk teeth may have fallen out as a result of an accident, for example. Or severely decayed teeth had to be extracted already in infancy.From a preventive point of view, optimum oral hygiene is indispensable even in the deciduous dentition, especially since caries bacteria can also be transferred to the adult teeth. If a tooth gap exists for a longer period of time, the neighboring teeth can tip into the gap. In the worst case, the whole bite together is disturbed. In addition, there is no space for the tooth that will grow in later. If, on the other hand, milk teeth do not fall out, this can also cause complications. If the permanent tooth has already grown in behind it, a visit to the dentist is advisable. In order to avoid misalignment of the teeth, the dentist can usually extract the milk tooth painlessly. In exceptional cases, the cause of a milk tooth that does not fall out is a genetically non-established replacement tooth. Therefore, the milk tooth root will not dissolve.
