Q
My son’s adult teeth are coming in, but the baby teeth aren’t falling out! He now has two rows of teeth on the bottom. What can be done about this? Is this an emergency or can I wait until his next dental check-up, which is several months away?
A
This situation is very common. In most cases, an adult tooth grows in directly beneath the root of the baby tooth, which loosens the baby tooth and causes it to fall out on its own.
However, sometimes the adult tooth erupts in a slightly different position—often behind the baby tooth—resulting in both teeth appearing at once, one behind the other.
This appearance is sometimes called “shark teeth” because it resembles how sharks have multiple rows of teeth.
This typically looks alarming, but it’s usually not a problem.
If the baby tooth is loose or moving and you can see the adult tooth coming in, the best approach is often to wait and monitor the situation; many baby teeth will fall out on their own with a little time.
If the baby tooth is firm and both the baby and adult teeth are at about the same height, you should schedule an appointment with your family dentist or a pediatric oral surgeon to evaluate whether extraction is needed. In many cases the dentist will recommend watching the teeth for a while before taking action.
Check periodically to see if the baby tooth becomes wiggly. If it does, routine observation is usually sufficient; if it stays firmly in place and causes crowding or discomfort, seek dental evaluation sooner rather than later.
Hope that helps!
Mark Burhenne DDS
Learn More:What is Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?