Posted on
July 2023 Blog - A mom brushing her baby's teeth

The emergence of the first adult tooth for your child can be an exciting milestone. However, if it is erupting behind it's baby tooth predecessor, that can be alarming, especially if the baby tooth is still in place! A consultation at O'Brien Ortho - Dayton (and surrounding Ohio areas) will help you understand why this may have happened and the next steps that you should take to address this dental situation.

Adult tooth coming in behind baby tooth… What's happening?

Dr. O'Brien, one of the top orthodontists in Beavercreek + Englewood, will explain that permanent teeth can typically form behind the primary teeth, and they'll then migrate forward to begin their path of eruption, dissolving the root of the primary tooth as it moves towards the surface.

This situation is likely due to a lack of space for the larger permanent teeth. So, it's important to have an orthodontic specialist evaluation so that early interceptive treatment can be initiated to prevent more complicated bite problems down the line, such as:

  • impacted teeth
  • ectopically erupted teeth
  • permanent tooth extractions
  • and more

This early interceptive treatment is usually of short duration (9-12 months) and because it may prevent further developing complications with the bite, it can make the time in treatment for the second phase of orthodontic treatment (in the permanent dentition) much less as well.

Got any questions, concerns, or want to get in and be seen by one of the top orthodontists covering the Dayton, Beavercreek, & Englewood areas?

Give us a call! 937-438-1770