The permanent teeth start erupting and replacing the baby teeth at the age of 6 years. During the eruption of the adult teeth the root which anchors the baby teeth to the bone is being broken down. But if there is not enough room for the permanent teeth to erupt or permanent teeth are missing then baby teeth may be retained indefinitely. At times there can be extra teeth that can block the eruption of the permanent ones too.
Once the suspicion arises that there is a problem with the eruption of the permanent teeth it is important to come as soon as possible for an examination to see what could be the reason for the delay. With a simple x-ray, Dr. Kaufman can tell you, if there really is a problem or if your child is just developing slowly.
Please don’t hesitate to contact our team for an exam to determine if your child’s teeth are developing normally.