Shark teeth in children.

When baby teeth are loose it is because the permanent tooth underneath is pushing on the root until the root dissolves and the tooth falls out. However, sometimes the permanent tooth does not have enough room or the root is not able to dissolve the root fast enough. The result of this is that the permanent tooth comes up behind the baby teeth. Although, there are multiple reasons why this might happen, it usually resolves itself on it’s own. “Shark teeth, as this is called is not necessarily cause for concern,” suggests Dr. Fuller.  This condition actually impacts approximately one in ten children.

If you discover that the baby tooth is not loose you can schedule an appointment with the dentist and they can extract the tooth. "Once the permanent tooth has come in, if there still is not enough room for the permanent tooth, your child may need to have a procedure called, 'disking,'completed," says Redlands pediatric dentist, Dr. Cameron Fuller. "This procedure slims down the enamel of the other teeth around where the permanent tooth is supposed to come in."

Once the baby tooth either falls out on it’s own or is extracted, the permanent tooth may now move into the correct position. Often times there is nothing more that will need to be done. However, if there is not enough room for the tooth to move into the correct position, it may be recommended that your child wear braces in order to straighten out the teeth.