My Child Has an Ankylosed Tooth. What Does That Mean?
Posted on 4/1/2024 by Weo Admin
No parent wants to think something is wrong with their child or their teeth. When you hear the term ankylosed tooth, you may be worried that something is seriously wrong. However, ankylosed teeth can be treated, and the teeth will be in excellent shape moving forward. Here is some information about ankylosed teeth and how our dentists treat them.
What Is an Ankylosed Tooth?
Usually, your teeth are connected to your gums and your jawbone with periodontal ligaments (like strings) that keep your tooth in place. However, if you have an ankylosed tooth, you are missing those ligaments, which means your tooth will grow into the surrounding bone and gradually sink further into the gum tissue.
Ankylosed teeth tend to happen more frequently if your family has a genetic predisposition. They tend to happen more frequently to female children rather than males. Usually, the ankylosed teeth are in one of the first sets of molars your child gets.
Should I Worry?
It is uncommon, even rare, for a child to have an ankylosed tooth, but it does happen. Luckily, if the ankylosed tooth is a baby tooth, our dentist can remove it to make way for the permanent tooth that will be coming in. If it will be a while before that permanent tooth comes, the dentist may want to place an appliance in place of the missing tooth so that the other teeth do not shift to fill the space.
The dental procedure is simple when dentists remove an ankylosed tooth. The area where the tooth is will be numbed and the tooth removed. You may need to give your child pain medication or help them place ice packs to relieve pain and swelling. It will not be too long before that tooth is a distant memory.
If you are worried that one of your children has an ankylosed tooth, we can help get you a diagnosis. Why not reach out to us today to set up an appointment?
About Us - Madison, AL | Singing River Dentistry Singing River Dentistry is a patient-centered dental practice, devoted to helping patients of all ages improve their oral and overall health. Call us! Singing River Dentistry Madison, 7559 Hwy 72 W, Suite 105, Madison, AL 35758 • 256 - 562 - 4001 • madison.singingriverdentistry.com • 11/28/2024 • Tags: dentist Madison AL •
No parent wants to think something is wrong with their child or their teeth. When you hear the term ankylosed tooth, you may be worried that something is seriously wrong. However, ankylosed teeth can be treated, and the teeth will be in excellent shape moving forward. Here is some information about ankylosed teeth and how our dentists treat them.