What Causes Tooth Eruption Delay in Children?

Most parents will do everything under the sun to ensure their kids are happy and healthy. And looking after their oral health is no exception in that regard. For instance, most parents will follow the guidelines put forth by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, which recommends beginning routine dental visits after the eruption of a child’s first tooth or after their first birthday. This either-or recommendation is because tooth eruption is, unfortunately, delayed in some children. When a parent schedules a dental checkup after their child’s first birthday, even in the absence of tooth eruption, it will allow a dentist the opportunity to inspect the overall health and state of their oral cavity.

What Causes a Tooth Eruption Delay in Children?

Tooth eruption is a dental term that denotes a process whereby a tooth breaks through the gums and becomes visible within the oral cavity. Primary teeth usually erupt around the age of 6 months, so if this has not happened by a child’s first birthday, parents should schedule a dental checkup for their little one as soon as possible. Studies show that numerous things can delay the eruption of a child’s teeth, some of which include the following:

• Malnutrition
• Calcium and vitamin D deficiencies
• Genetics
• Developmental Disorders
• Being underweight

While teeth cleaning and a general inspection for cavities are the primary reasons for scheduling a visit to the dentist, doing so can also sometimes help identify physical health problems.  If a dentist determines that the delay in the eruption of a child’s teeth does not stem from a dental problem, parents can then make an appointment to have their child seen by a pediatrician.

Is It Possible to Treat Teeth That Have Not Yet Erupted?

If a child has an impacted tooth or teeth, meaning one or more teeth have not erupted from the gums, there are a few go-to dental procedures that most dentists will employ. After factoring in age, genetics, delay time, and whether or not other teeth in the oral cavity are affected, a dentist might recommend oral surgery as a way to resolve an impacted tooth.  In cases where a tooth has only partially erupted or becomes crooked after already erupting from the gums, many dentists will recommend orthodontic treatments, which could include braces or clear aligners.

Multiple things can prevent a child’s teeth from erupting when they should.  Fortunately, most can be corrected by scheduling an appointment with our Plantation pediatric dentist and Tamarac pediatric dentist. Contact us today to schedule your next appointment. 

December 20, 2021