FAQs

Parents ask: “They are JUST baby teeth. Why do we need to treat them?”

The first reason is that the primary molars don’t usually fall out on their own until at least age 10 to 12. Because we often see decay in these teeth before the age of 6, we know that even a small cavity can progress and become a problem before the tooth falls out.

Another reason is because one of the functions of the primary teeth is to hold the space for the permanent teeth. When a primary tooth is extracted, there is always going to be some amount of space loss due to drifting of the other teeth. This occurs even when we take special precautions to preserve space with a space maintainer. Restoring and preserving a baby tooth is the best way to prevent unnecessary crowding which can lead to a small airway.

Proper chewing helps to deliver nutrients to their body so a child can grow into a healthy adult.

The last and most important reason to fix baby teeth is to prevent pain and infection.

Dr. Sumalee and her dental team treat each child as an individual, always taking into account the expected age that a child will lose a particular tooth, and will then treat accordingly.