When children begin losing their primary (“baby”) teeth, it’s a rite of passage — a sign that childhood is transitioning to future adulthood. And while it’s a normal part of dental development, it does bear watching for abnormalities.

Primary teeth are like deciduous tree leaves in that it’s their nature to shed and give way for new growth. They serve a purpose not only in providing children a means to bite and chew food, but also as guides for the permanent teeth that will soon erupt in their place.

As it reaches the end of its development within the jaw, the permanent tooth will begin to exert pressure on the primary tooth. This stimulates a process known as resorption where the primary’s roots begin to dissolve. This weakens its attachment to the jaw and the tooth becomes loose to the touch. At the end of this process, it doesn’t take much coaxing for the tooth to finally come out of its socket, with occasional minor bleeding and tenderness around the site. You will notice if you look at the bottom of the lost tooth that the roots have completely dissolved, leaving only a small indention.

This natural process, however, can run into complications. In their roles as permanent teeth guides, there’s a natural sequence for the loss of primary teeth; the permanent teeth develop along this sequence, which helps them erupt in the proper position. If a primary tooth is lost early and out of sequence (notably because of decay), the premature space can cause misalignment of the permanent teeth as they erupt.

That’s why it’s important for your child to have regular dental checkups, beginning sometime around their first birthday. This allows us to monitor primary tooth loss to make sure its progressing normally, as well as treat any condition such as tooth decay that could lead to premature loss. Regular checkups along with good oral hygiene practices will help ensure that the transition from primary to permanent teeth goes just as nature intended.

If you would like more information on the process of losing primary teeth in children, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Losing a Baby Tooth.”

Model Christie Brinkley's smile has been a symbol of America's optimism since the seventies. Particularly well known for being the cover model for three consecutive Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editions, Brinkley still has a fresh-faced American girl-next-door beauty that starts with her cheerful smile, which transmits the message that all is well.

Brinkley's modeling career began when she was “discovered” in Paris in the seventies, at the age of 18. As she explained in an interview with Dear Doctor magazine, it was like a fairy tale. She had gone to study art in Paris, where a fashion designer spotted her walking down the street. “He told me later he immediately thought, ‘That's the girl!’” she said.

Brinkley attributes her famous smile to a combination of good genetics (she inherited her mother's “beautiful straight teeth”), combined with the intelligence to practice good oral hygiene and have regular dental appointments. She never needed to have work done to prepare her for the modeling life; but as a teenager, she said, she wished she could wear braces because she thought the “coolest kids had them.”

Although dental restorations were not needed to enhance her beautiful natural smile, she did have two dental implants after she fractured two rear molars in a bad helicopter crash while back-country skiing, and she says she is thankful for dental implant technology because it looks and feels so natural.

Brinkley said that her smile led directly to her assignment as spokesperson for a brand of oral rinse and mouthwash products. She is also concerned about the environment. Her company Christie, Inc. is designing environmentally friendly products.

Her advice to everyone is to smile more. “I think a smile makes EVERYONE beautiful! It's the greatest gift we give each other... It's an expression of friendship, love and peace!”

If you have questions about your smile, contact us today to schedule an appointment. Or you can learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Christie Brinkley's Supermodel Smile.”

Your upper canine teeth are pretty easy to identify — they’re usually longer and more pointed than other front teeth, and are normally positioned just under the eyes (hence their other name, eyeteeth). Besides helping us chew and bite our food, upper canines are part of a normal smile — when they don’t appear in the mouth (erupt) properly, the person’s smile may appear unnatural or “off.”

Unfortunately, upper canines can become impacted, meaning the teeth have grown and developed in positions that prevent them from erupting. Because impacted teeth can develop abscesses and cysts, or damage the roots of neighboring teeth, it’s necessary to treat them.

The first step is a thorough orthodontic evaluation to assess not only the teeth in question, but also how they could affect the position of other teeth in the future. Next, we must locate the exact position of the impacted canines through some form of radiographic examination, either x-rays or 3-D imaging using a cone beam CT scanner (CBCT). This evaluation will determine our treatment options for these teeth.

If the teeth are in a reasonable position, the best option is to expose the impacted tooth and prepare it for movement into proper position. To expose the tooth, a surgeon creates a small, surgical opening or flap in the gum tissue closest to the crown of the tooth. Once gaining access, the surgeon then bonds a small bracket to the crown and attaches a small gold chain to it. The chain can then be looped over orthodontic hardware attached to adjacent teeth, which will pull the impacted tooth over time into the proper position. Although this may sound complicated, coaxing the impacted canine in this manner into a proper eruption is actually quite routine and predictable.

If at all possible, saving impacted upper canine teeth should be the primary treatment goal — extracting them could have an adverse effect on biting and chewing, as well as disrupting your appearance. If they must be removed, however, tooth replacement such as dental implants can help restore any lost form or function.

If you would like more information on impacted teeth, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Exposing Impacted Canines.”