Tuesday, July 30, 2019

What is Ogliodontia...or Absent Teeth?

This may not be as uncommon as you think!  This malady affects between 1.5 and 10 percent of the population. For clarification, a single missing adult tooth is called agenesis.  Multiple missing teeth - ogliodontia, and when a child is missing his complete set of adult teeth it is called anodontia.  Sometimes this is hereditary, sometimes it is spontaneous.

Baby teeth can begin to fall out as early as age 4, or as late as age 9.  Typically, a child loses his first tooth around age 6.  Permanent teeth begin to appear within a few months.  In some cases, however, a permanent tooth doesn't appear in it's place.  This is why it is so important to take a child for a dental visit and x-rays by age 3 or 4.  X-rays will tell a dentist whether permanent teeth are forming in the jaw normally.  Most kids will  have all of their permanent teeth by age 15.

There are options for kids with missing adult teeth such as orthodontics, implants or even space maintainers if a tooth is forming but not fully erupted. If your child is missing any of his adult teeth,  check with your pediatric dentist to find out the best treatment option.

As always, Keep Smiling!

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