When children lose their first few teeth, it can be a very exciting or painful time for them. They might feel proud to know they’re getting older, or they will have permanent teeth coming soon. Children between age group of 8 to 11 years have chances of getting permanent crooked teeth in the future. However, the good news is that preventive dentistry works best at this age and with minor corrections crooked teeth can be prevented. Know more about children dentition.
Dentition in Children
Baby teeth move into crooked teeth positions because they’re too small to fill the amount of gum space allocated to them. Children at the age of 8-11 yrs are in a phase of mixed dentition. Mixed dentition is a period during which both the milk and permanent teeth are present in the mouth together. The permanent teeth erupting in place of previous milk teeth the successional teeth, whereas those erupting posteriorly to the milk teeth called the accessional teeth.
This phase begins at around 6 yrs with the eruption of 1st permanent molars and last till about 12 yrs of age. This phase is divided into 3 transitional period. However, several physiologic anomalies are present in the mixed dentition period which are self correcting. Hence, in this phase child may exhibit crooked or misaligned teeth.
1st Transitional Period In Children
Emergence of first permanent molars and exchange of deciduous incisors with permanent incisors. A phenomenon known as mesial shift occurs in this phase where the primate space is occupied by the deciduous molar due to the eruption of first permanent molar to establish a class I occlusion. However, many children lack primate space causing crowding of dentition.
Inter-transitional Crooked Teeth in Children
In this period the maxillary and the mandibular arches consist of permanent incisors and permanent molars that sandwich the deciduous canine and molar. This phase last for 1 ½ yrs and is relatively stable. Only a few changes in the morphology of deciduous teeth seen because they undergo attrition.
2nd Transitional Period In Children
This phase characterized by replacement of deciduous molars and canines by premolars and permanent cuspids and the erupting of maxillary lateral incisors and canines. This takes place around 9- 11 yrs of age and is very critical for the alignment of erupting permanent teeth. This self correcting malocclusion is seen around 8-11 yrs or during eruption of canines.
As the permanent canines erupt they displace the roots of maxillary lateral incisors mesially. This force is transmitted to the central incisors and their roots are also displaced mesially. Thus the resulting force causes the distal divergence of the crown in an opposite direction leading to midline spacing. The term ugly duckling stage indicates the unesthetic appearance of child during this stage.
This condition corrects itself after the canines have erupted. The canines after eruption apply pressure on the crowns of incisors thereby causing them to shift back to original position.
No orthodontic treatment should be attempted at this stage as there is a danger of deflecting the canine from its normal path of eruption.
Thus crooked teeth in children is a normal phenomenon at this age and parents need not worry about the same.
To know the answers to these any other questions, continue watching the video below. Dr. Chirag Chamria in this video discusses about Primate Spaces at the age of 9 where the Upper Canine permanent teeth are stuck together. In addition, He discusses about the Ugly Duckling Stage and it corrects itself after the canines have erupted . The canines after eruption apply pressure on the crown of incisors thereby causing them to shift back to original positions. The term ugly duckling stage indicates the unaesthetic appearance of child during this stage.
Dr Chirag Chamria on Crooked Teeth
In another educating video from the series of Cosmetic Smile Makeover by Dr. Chirag Chamria, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon at Royal Dental Clinics, throws light on the topic of avoiding crooked teeth in children and caring for milk teeth. Dr. Chirag Chamria in this video discusses about Primate Spaces at the age of 9 where the Upper Canine permanent teeth are stuck together. After that, He discusses about the Ugly Duckling Stage and it corrects itself after the canines have erupted .
The pivotal role of Milk Teeth
The canines after eruption apply pressure on the crown of incisors thereby causing them to shift back to original positions. The term ugly duckling stage indicates the unaesthetic appearance of child during this stage. There is a misconception among parents that dental treatment of milk teeth is not necessary. Milk teeth play a major role in child’s major health specially to avoid crooked teeth in the future. In conclusion, maintaining oral hygiene is of utmost importance for child’s physical, emotional and social development.
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