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Ectopically Erupting Teeth

Ectopically Erupting Teeth
Posted on 12/31/2019

Sometimes teeth take a wrong turn as they are forming and get stuck and cannot erupt into a child’s mouth. This most frequently happens with 6-year-old molars and upper canines. If nothing is done early the six-year-old molars will eventually come in but in the wrong place and they will block out other permanent teeth from erupting. It can usually be fixed but can add an additional year to wearing braces during the teenage years when kids hate wearing braces at all. If detected early, the orthodontist can move the 6-year molars back into the correct spot avoiding a big problem later. The best way to spot these teeth is on a panoramic x-ray taken around age 6 years old which is when these teeth start taking their wrong turn.

The upper canines can be even more of a problem if they start going in the wrong direction. Instead of coming straight down the way they are supposed to, they start going sideways and can eat away at the root of the permanent tooth next to them. If this goes on undetected a child can lose the entire root of the adjacent tooth and eventually even lose the tooth. If detected early by the orthodontist, they can avoid damage by removing some baby teeth to help guide the offending tooth into the correct position. Again it is a condition that is picked up on a panoramic x-ray at an early age. Either ask your dentist about it or come see us for a complimentary exam and x-ray and we can tell you if your child has either problem.

King, McCune & Moore Orthodontics

  • King, McCune & Moore Orthodontics - 3401 Northside Pkwy. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30327 Phone: (404) 233-1972

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