Metal Mouth Message Board

I didn't have impacted permanent teeth - I had baby teeth with no permanent teeth behind them! I had one pulled when I was 12 (and the space left room for the rest of my teeth to shift around) and the other was pulled when I was 53, just before my braces went on.

I still have a baby tooth - and I'm 44. It's crowned now and hanging in there.

I lost all my baby teeth then I was in my teens..

I didn't know you could still have them as adults.. you learn something new everyday

2 of my sisters had baby teeth that had to be removed with no adult teeth behind them. They both have bridges now.

It sounds like this is a more common situation than you might think. There are at least two different situations - adults with baby teeth (deciduous teeth) with no permanent teeth behind them and adults with baby teeth and permanent teeth behind them (like impacted teeth). Here's something from Wikipedia on the topic of hypodontia - fewer than the normal number of teeth, which is the first situation:

[quote]In dentistry, hypodontia is the condition of naturally having fewer than the regular number of teeth. In Caucasians, the most commonly missing teeth are the third molars (25-35%), the upper lateral incisors (2%) or the lower second premolars (3%) The congenital absence of all teeth is called anodontia. Hypodontia is often familial, or associated with ectodermal dysplasia or Down syndrome. A similar condition is hyperdontia, in which there are more than the usual number of teeth. Hypodontia explains a situation when there is a missing number of 6 teeth or less. The condition of missing over 6 teeth is called oligodontia.[/quote]

I was in your exact situation. I was 14 when I had the surgery to extract them and pull down the permanent canines. I actually didn't even know I had 3 teeth up in my skull! (found out I had another one later and had to have a second surgery!)

I was born with two bottom teeth and my first tooth was pulled at the dentist when I was 7! Crazy teeth and they have just gotten weirder! But I got my braces off in November and I have a pretty nice smile!

Betty Bat: That was really interesting. Thanks for posting that. I am part of the 2% who are missing their upper lateral incisors. Guess I'm a very special person. Wonder how many of those 2% also have impacted canines!

~hAnnah





Top Braces: April 28, 2004
Bottom braces: November 16, 2005
Retainers: November 8, 2006

hannah164 wrote:IWonder how many of those 2% also have impacted canines!

My son is one. He is missing both his adult upper laterals. His baby laterals and canines had to be pulled because his adult canines were impacted. It took forever for those adult canines to finally make their way down through the skin, but thankfully, they made it on their own (took over a year) with no surgical intervention. Now his braces are moving everything into place to make space for a retainer with false teeth (I've read here these are called flippers ) and eventually implants.

my ortho says that i have got the weirdest teeth that he has ever seen! i am 21 years old and have 3baby teeth left but 2 of the baby teeth dont have permenant teeth behind them-strange and also two teeth on the bottom are missing-????? i am supposed to get braced in just over a month with 4 extractions(i no even though i have missing teeth i still need extractions!) but my ortho still doesnt know which 4 teeth to extract-lol!
So you dont have the weirdest teeth after all! i think i deserve a prize-dont you?? lol

That is amazing, jellybelly. Before my son, I had never heard of missing teeth. I'm suprised that your baby teeth were able to hang in there until now!

I hope you'll take some before and during pics so we can follow your progress.

hi,

I've got three baby teeth with no perment teeth behind them, had 4 but 1 fell out and the three are still healthy and strong and i'm a 31 years old

XD

Hya everyone! its me again and i am finally braced i thought i'd post this on the baby teeth bit because chicklets asked to keep her posted. well all my baby teeth have been pulled and i am still waiting for one of the permanent teeth to grow back. my missing teeth on the bottom have proved quite good because that meant that i only had to remove 1 adult tooth rather than 2 so that my mouth has enough room to adjust, i will put some pictures on sometime i have just been sooooooo bsy with college. its my 2nd adjustment in a few weeks so ill show u my beasties then!

Betty Bat wrote:I didn't have impacted permanent teeth - I had baby teeth with no permanent teeth behind them! I had one pulled when I was 12 (and the space left room for the rest of my teeth to shift around) and the other was pulled when I was 53, just before my braces went on.

Me too!!! UGH. I am still trying to decide what to do in the front. I am missing the tooth on one side next to the canine. Do I just leave it (noone notices) or do I open the space for an inplant (flapper for now). UGH?

This is an excellent thing to discuss with your ortho and/or with your regular dentist. Not sure of the specifics on your spacing, but depending on the overall strategy for your mouth, the ortho can open up the space where the implant will go (or just keep it open while you have your braces) or he/she can close up the space - most likely with powerchains or other elastic-type things.

I went to a regular dentist (I hadn't gone for a while because of dental/needle phobias) for an initial overall discussion. He's really very good and very nice. I got recommendations on an implant specialist, an oral surgeon, and ortho's from him. I went to the implant specialist before my braces went on, just to find out if I was a good candidate for implants (I was), then to the ortho for a general consultation and to find out what was possible (I'm one of the folks who had only one ortho consultation), then to the oral surgeon to get my remaining baby tooth and one wisdom tooth pulled, then to the ortho for my braces.

So, my advice is to talk to your dentist and/or ortho to establish a plan for you.

I had to have my baby teeth yanked when i was young because my adult canines were up in my skull too. Fortunatly after that, they popped out enough to see them, but never fell into line with the rest....

UNTIL NOW WOO HOO ( had to add that in )