Removal of baby teeth in children: causes, features and indications

Primary teeth are necessary so that, under the influence of occlusal load, a sufficient amount and volume of bone tissue is formed. Otherwise, permanent teeth simply would not be able to take root in the gums. Normally, a child's teeth are replaced in a certain order. As a result, the primary bite is replaced by a permanent one without pathologies.

Removal (extraction) of baby teeth only at first glance seems to be an absolutely simple procedure. If a baby tooth is lost long before a permanent tooth grows in its place, there is a risk of developing pathological changes in the bite. The decision to remove a child’s tooth must be made by a doctor.

Features of tooth extraction in children

Pediatric dentistry is focused on the treatment and prevention of oral diseases. In this case, psychological support for the baby is important. Specialists must act delicately, instilling trust and relieving the child of fears. This is especially important in case of forced tooth extraction. Therefore, there are several unspoken rules of the pediatric dentist.

1. Do not use the word “pain” or the particle “not.” Children do not accept denial and react sharply to unpleasant phrases.
2. Do not discuss the details of the procedure in the office. Medical terms and unfamiliar words frighten the baby.
3. Try to hide dental instruments from the eyes of the small patient. Forceps, packages of syringes and drill attachments can drive even the most courageous tomboy into hysterics.

This procedure requires high professionalism and great care from the doctor. With one careless movement, he can damage the germ of a new tooth and the tissue of the socket, which will cause a delay in eruption and various dentofacial deviations.

General indications for tooth extraction in children

The child’s dentition is formed according to certain patterns: the incisors erupt first, followed by the molars. Then the baby teeth are gradually replaced by permanent teeth. If this process occurs correctly, without deviations from the norm, there is no need to specifically remove baby teeth. However, there are situations when this is necessary:

• advanced caries;
• the last stage of development of a cyst on the gum;
• severe tooth injury;
• a tooth that fails to develop and erupt.

Removing a child’s front tooth is a particularly unpleasant procedure, as the aesthetics of the smile suffers. Usually, surgery is resorted to in the following circumstances:

• exposure of the pulp due to a fracture of the coronal part;
• severe tooth decay with the impossibility of prosthetics;
• inflammatory diseases that cannot be treated.

Most often, children have to part with their teeth in the chewing area. Molars are more susceptible to destruction than premolars and incisors. Removing a child's molars, which are the last in the dentition, is complicated by their inaccessibility and strength: they fit quite tightly to the gums, have wide roots and massive walls.

Sometimes children develop an anomaly such as an extra tooth, which can move the “neighbors” and lead to curvature of the entire row. If it does not interfere with the normal formation of the remaining teeth, you can leave it and try to integrate it into the bite, but most often they resort to removing the supernumerary tooth in the child.

The factors described above are the general and most common indications. Let us consider separately the reasons for the removal of baby and permanent teeth.

Why shouldn't you remove baby teeth yourself?

Removal of a baby tooth is considered premature if more than a year remains before a new one appears. This period is difficult to predict accurately, but you can roughly estimate it using a graph with average indicators.

Premature removal of a baby tooth is dangerous because its neighbors will try to take the vacant space. The roots of permanent teeth that are about to emerge will become crowded. The bite will change, which will take a long time to correct. Moreover, there are several strict contraindications for extracting baby teeth:

• Acute inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity.
• Inflammatory diseases of the throat (ARVI, sore throat, etc.).
• It is not recommended to remove teeth for pathologies of the cardiovascular system, kidneys, central nervous system, blood diseases, vitamin deficiency and nutritional dystrophy.

So when your child's first baby teeth start to loosen, don't disturb them and let them fall out naturally. The child's body knows its business.

When a tooth is already loose, it needs to be cleaned very carefully so as not to rush things. If your child is still in kindergarten and his motor skills are not well developed, help him: take ASEPTA® Baby dental wet wipes and wipe the tooth (as well as its neighbors) from the top and sides.

Removal of baby teeth in children

Milk teeth maintain the gum contour and ensure proper development of the jaw and chewing muscles. Therefore, it is important to wait until they fall out on their own. Unfortunately, this does not always happen, and the dentist is forced to prescribe surgery if there are the following indications for the removal of baby teeth in children:

• the tooth is loose, but has not fallen out for a long time;
• the temporary tooth caused inflammation of the oral tissues;
• The permanent tooth has begun to emerge;
• a fistula has formed on the gum;
• a cyst appeared on the root;
• The tooth has decayed due to caries.

Removal of a child's front milk tooth may be associated with fractures, chips and other injuries, as well as inflammatory processes.

When should a pediatric dentist remove a baby tooth?

There are cases when a baby tooth needs to be removed without waiting for natural loss.

If the tooth is not loose, it CANNOT be removed at home; this can ONLY be done by a pediatric dentist. Temporary teeth have long roots, underneath them there are the rudiments of permanent teeth that can be damaged, and baby teeth themselves are fragile and easy to break. Tooth extraction is a mini-operation, for which you need to contact a specialist.

In what cases does a baby tooth need to be removed?

• The tooth is damaged by 50% or more by caries and cannot be restored.
• Serious complications of caries have led to the fact that the tooth is a source of infection that cannot be cured - periodontitis, periostitis, phlegmon.
• A fistula has formed on the gum next to the tooth.
• A cyst was found on the root of a baby tooth.
• The tooth is injured (severely chipped, twisted by a blow, broken and scratches the mucous membrane)
• The tooth wobbles for a long time, but holds tightly and cannot fall out on its own, which prevents the child from eating.
• The loose tooth became infected and inflammation began.
• A permanent tooth has already erupted next to the milk one, but the milk tooth is not going to fall out.
• If, according to the timing, the baby tooth should have fallen out a long time ago and a permanent one should have grown in its place, but nothing happens. This indicates a delay in root resorption. In order to understand how to proceed, an X-ray diagnosis of the presence of a permanent tooth germ is needed. If there is a germ, then it is better to remove the baby tooth to cause the growth of a permanent one.
• Sometimes a tooth needs to be removed for orthodontic reasons.

Removal of permanent teeth

Removal of a permanent tooth in a child is carried out only in the following situations:

• Caries.
  If the doctor sees that a decayed tooth cannot be treated, most likely he will suggest removing it.
• Fracture.
  A tooth fragment can injure the mucous membrane; it can either be restored or removed.
• Crowding.
  When installing braces or plates, it is sometimes necessary to remove one tooth to allow others to develop freely.
• Complications after treatment.
  Sometimes, after poor-quality dental procedures, problems arise that can only be solved by getting rid of the tooth.

Wisdom tooth removal

Typically, wisdom teeth appear at the age of 20 or older, but in some cases it is recommended to remove their buds. There are the following reasons for the removal of wisdom teeth in children:

• displacement of the follicle of the third molar;
• prerequisites for malocclusion;
• lack of space for wisdom teeth.

A specialist can recommend removal of a child’s wisdom teeth only after a thorough examination and consultation with other specialized doctors. You must first determine what position the molar is in and what place it will later occupy in the jaw.

Anesthesia for tooth extraction

In modern clinics, various types of anesthesia are used to remove teeth for children without pain. The specialist selects the appropriate drug in accordance with the severity of the clinical picture. During the operation, one of the following methods of pain relief is used:

• Sedation is putting you into a sleepy state to reduce anxiety.
• Application anesthesia - treatment of the gums with an anesthetic solution to remove a loose tooth or before injection.
• Local anesthesia is the administration of an anesthetic through an injection.
• Anesthesia is used in difficult cases and when removing teeth for a child under 2 years old.

Care after tooth extraction

What frightens the parents more than the removal procedure is the condition of the baby after the operation, since they have already left the specialist’s office and are left with the problem alone. In this situation, all mothers and fathers have almost the same questions.

What to do after a child’s tooth extraction?

The doctor will give the little patient a cotton pad or gauze pad that needs to be placed in the empty hole to stop the bleeding. Removing a baby tooth does not cause excessive blood flow, so after half an hour you can safely remove the cotton wool, but removing a permanent tooth is accompanied by severe bleeding.

The appearance of a blood clot means that the healing process is going well, as it protects the bone from air and prevents inflammation.

What medications should I take?

If the dentist prescribes an antibiotic after a child’s tooth extraction, follow the recommendations and do not give the child other medications so as not to provoke complications.

How to rinse your child's mouth after tooth extraction?

For three days after surgery, rinsing your mouth is strictly prohibited, so as not to dislodge the blood clot and cause an infection. Three days after tooth extraction, the child can rinse the mouth using any means - strengthening tinctures of tree bark, soothing herbal decoctions or medicinal solutions.

How much can you eat after a child’s tooth extraction?

For the first few days, you should refrain from hot dishes and fermented milk products, eating only soft and liquid foods. It is best to chew on the side opposite the extracted tooth.

When do baby teeth start falling out?

During the first three years of life, a child grows 20 baby teeth. At this time, a temporary bite is formed: it is distinguished by a pronounced anatomical shape, thin enamel, and susceptibility to caries. After the first three years, the roots of baby teeth slowly dissolve, making room for a permanent bite. From the age of 4-5 years, baby teeth begin to fall out, and this continues until the fifth or sixth grade of school.

In most cases, the process occurs calmly and does not require third-party intervention, including medical attention. Dentists strongly advise against rushing things.

Complications after surgery

Do not give in to panic and call the ambulance service at the slightest ailment of the baby. Some consequences of tooth extraction do not harm children's health in any way. The following symptoms are considered normal:

1. The child’s gums ache after tooth extraction - apply ice, this will reduce the discomfort.
2. After tooth extraction, the child has swelling - after the third day it will begin to subside; ice also helps eliminate the discomfort.
3. A swollen cheek after tooth extraction in a child indicates a slight inflammatory process, which will go away on its own after some time.
4. Light bleeding in a child after tooth extraction should also not cause concern; even the next day the saliva may be slightly reddish.
5. A low temperature after tooth extraction in a child is the result of the child’s worries and nervous overstrain; when he calms down, the temperature will drop.

A few words about caries prevention

The appearance of caries in babies can be prevented if you pay close attention to the child’s oral care and nutrition.

1. It is necessary to develop the correct diet for the baby: up to 3-4 years of age, it is recommended to limit the consumption of sweets as much as possible; it is carbohydrates that provoke the development of caries in children. You should include as much dairy products, herbs, fruits, vegetables, and fish in your daily meals.
2. At an early age, it is worth teaching your child to strictly adhere to a diet. You shouldn’t “follow” your beloved baby’s desire to snack on cookies in the middle of the night or drink sweet juice after brushing your teeth in the evening.
3. Your baby should be taught to brush his teeth from the moment his first tooth appears. From the age of 1.5 years you can use a brush, and at an early age you can wipe the oral cavity of the crumbs with gauze swabs and special napkins. Also, on the recommendation of the dentist, you can treat the oral cavity with special anti-caries gels. For these purposes, “ASEPTA baby” wet wipes are perfect for cleaning the baby’s mouth, which will give the baby freshness, prevent the spread of bacteria and reduce discomfort during teething.
4. It is also important for parents to follow the rules of hygiene - you should not lick your child’s spoon or pacifier, or eat from the same plate with him, because cariogenic bacteria from adults can spread to them.

Now you understand how important it is to cure caries of baby teeth at the first stage of development. Keep an eye on your baby’s health, and the problem of the consequences of removing baby teeth will be unfamiliar to you.

Flux, fever and diarrhea after tooth extraction

More serious negative consequences when removing a baby tooth in children can only arise as a result of poor quality work by the doctor or due to infection. If the following signs are detected, parents must immediately contact a specialist.

1. Flux after tooth extraction in a child, preventing swallowing, breathing and muscle movement.
2. Prolonged bleeding.
3. Severe and prolonged pain in the gums that does not go away even after taking painkillers.
4. After tooth extraction, the child’s temperature rose above 38 degrees.
5. Abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea after tooth extraction in a child.

What to do after removal: rules for quick rehabilitation

A photo of a baby tooth extraction shows the remaining socket, which is covered by a blood clot. It protects the wound, and it is important to keep it in place for the first 24 hours after the procedure.

Necessary:

• refuse to eat or drink for 2 hours;
• rinse the mouth carefully to clean and disinfect the wound;
• warn the child not to touch the socket with fingers and tongue;
• create a menu with a predominance of soft products without irritating bright tastes.

Complications after the removal of a baby tooth are extremely rare. If the temperature rises, swelling or redness of the gums develops, you should consult a doctor for a follow-up appointment.

How much does tooth extraction cost?

Many people believe that the cost of the procedure for adults is much higher than for children, and the price for removing a baby tooth in children is lower than for extracting a permanent tooth. This is not entirely true. The amount of payment for the pediatric dentist depends on the complexity of the case, and the cost of removing temporary and permanent teeth is determined by the indications and concomitant diseases. In the table below, we have listed the main problems with which people turn to a pediatric dentist and the prices for tooth extraction for children.

Removal of a milk tooth: price for the service in Moscow

The price of extraction depends on the type of temporary tooth, the degree of its mobility, the use of anesthesia, etc. When searching for the phrase “baby tooth extraction, price, Moscow,” you can find options starting from 900 rubles. However, this applies to the simplest situations (for example, a single-rooted and mobile tooth). If, according to indications, a more complex (for example, early) removal of a baby tooth is required, the price for it in Moscow clinics is slightly higher.

When typing the phrase “baby tooth extraction, price, Moscow” into a search engine, you should also pay attention to the qualifications of the doctors. It also often affects the cost of the service. But this is justified, since extraction in children requires great professionalism, so it is better not only not to carry it out at home, but also to choose a good doctor.

The Novodent clinic also performs milk tooth extraction. The price for the service is indicated in the “Cost” section.

How to prepare a child for tooth extraction

If tooth extraction is unavoidable, try your best to minimize the child’s stress. For example, tell him a fairy tale about how one tooth began to behave badly and interfere with the others, so it needs to be “pulled out.” Before going to the clinic, you can also discuss some pleasant event with your child, be it going to the movies, the circus, or buying a toy, which you will do immediately after removing a capricious tooth. The main thing is not to panic, and then the confident and calm attitude of the parents will certainly give the child the strength to courageously endure this frightening but necessary procedure.

You can avoid tooth extraction surgery in children if you carefully monitor the condition of the oral cavity throughout the entire period of dentition formation, monitor the quality of hygienic procedures and regularly take children to preventive appointments with the dentist.

Is it possible to prepare a child for the procedure?

If you are faced with the need to remove a tooth for your baby, try to make every effort to reduce the psychological burden to a minimum. To do this, you can come up with a fairy tale that one of the teeth needs to go on an important journey, but for this it needs to be pulled out of the mouth. Before you go to the dentist's office, tell your child that after the tooth goes on a trip, you will also go to the park, circus, or buy toys. It will be good if thoughts about this pleasant event distract the child from the upcoming procedure. It is important for parents themselves to remain calm and positive and not to panic. As a rule, this condition is transmitted to the child, who behaves calmly, which greatly facilitates the procedure.