# Four year old front tooth extraction. Questions... help!



## ck1 (Mar 21, 2007)

We just found out that our near 4 year old has to have one of his front teeth removed. He was having his regular dental appointment when they found an abbess on his gum above his tooth. They showed me it was wiggling, loose, and dying. I almost cried . . . and would have had my son not been in the room. I remember a year and half ago when he fell on the playground equipment and hit his lip/front tooth.

Anyway, my question is for those who have experience with this:

*Did your child's new tooth come in faster or slower in the missing spot?*

*How long did it take for their new tooth to come in?* I'm thinking 2-3 maybe 4 years before he get a tooth there. Why oh why did it have to be his front tooth? (Retorical question, no response required







). I know, thank goodness it's nothing more serious, but he has the cutest toothy smile, and now it will be a holey-toothy-smile









*Has anyone waited for the tooth to just fall out on its own after dying like this?* I know we kind of need to remove it because it's infected, but we start antibiotics tomorrow for two weeks, and I'm wondering if the infection goes away if we can just leave it. Not thinking we should do this for obvious reasons (we're leaning toward the extraction), but wondered if anyone has done this?

Thanks so much!


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## mama amie (Jul 3, 2011)

Hey there ! I feel your pain. It will take some getting used to, but that hokey smile grows on you. My son broke his front tooth's root this year (age 4), and had to have an extraction.

If it weren't for the abscess/infection, you might be able to wait, but if your dentist isn't comfortable waiting it out, please go ahead with extraction.

It was a quick process that wasn't at all traumatic. DS did briefly dislike his tooth hole, but was encouraged by reading stories and seeing pictures of other kids who have missing teeth.

To my understanding, early tooth loss does not bring the adult replacement sooner. We were told to expect the new tooth sometime between 6-8 years of age.

Sorry you're dealing with this, but try to find enjoyment in that cute grin and slight lisp. It really is quite cute!


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## mama amie (Jul 3, 2011)

.


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## pbjmama (Sep 20, 2007)

*Did your child's new tooth come in faster or slower in the missing spot?*

*How long did it take for their new tooth to come in?*

Its going to come in at the same rate and same time as it would have otherwise. Its different for each child. If you have an older child I would look for it to come in approx the same time.


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

Two of DD1's front teeth were extracted at age 3 after a mouth injury. For her, it seemed that those teeth came in even later then they would of normally and when they did, it was painful compared to her other adult teeth. After 4.5-5 years without teeth, her gums were rock hard in those spots. I know one family that had this same thing happen, abscess, antibiotics, dead tooth, they elected not to do the extraction. About a year later, another abscess developed and it turned more severe, they had to remove the tooth right then during the infection due to the severity.


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## ck1 (Mar 21, 2007)

Thank you! I really appreciate everyone's response. I'm not looking forward to it, but I think we've accepted it's going to need to be removed







.

*Did you do anything to prepare your child?*

Our dentist told us not to say anything until after it's done, because he's too little to understand and it may scare him. But we always talk about things. Just taking our kids to the dentist we read books to them. I would feel more comfortable at least talking about it a little as the date approaches, but not making it into a big deal.

I wish he was a little bit older, that way he didn't have to wait so long before his permanent teeth came in.


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## pbjmama (Sep 20, 2007)

My case was extraction but accident so no prep but at 3 I would probably tell my child the day of the procedure. Just a basic prep of what is going to happen, for example, we are going to the dentist today, they will clean your teeth and then remove your front tooth because it has an infection, they will give you medicine that you will breath in so it won't hurt you. I will be with you the whole time. Adjust for your situation. Then open for questions.


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## rachelsmama (Jun 20, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ck1*
> 
> Thank you! I really appreciate everyone's response. I'm not looking forward to it, but I think we've accepted it's going to need to be removed
> 
> ...


From what I've seen and heard, adult teeth take a little longer to come through if the baby tooth was extracted, because they have to come through the bone again. It sounds like a bigger deal than it is though.

Ds had an abcessed molar extracted just before his fourth birthday. Me and the dentist explained what was happening, and why, and I held him while she worked, and it went fine. My particular kid would have been far more freaked out if it wasn't explained to him. It helped that he had the extraction done in the chair, the same day the abcess was found, so there wasn't a lot of time to build up anticipation.


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## lmk1 (Sep 21, 2007)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pbjmama*
> 
> My case was extraction but accident so no prep but at 3 I would probably tell my child the day of the procedure. Just a basic prep of what is going to happen, for example, we are going to the dentist today, they will clean your teeth and then remove your front tooth because it has an infection, they will give you medicine that you will breath in so it won't hurt you. I will be with you the whole time. Adjust for your situation. Then open for questions.


We've had to do some fillings, no extractions ... and I do think you should say something to your child, but pick your words carefully...I wouldn't say "so it won't hurt you" - since it won't hurt, just saying the word "hurt" conveys no new information that the child needs to know, but may scare them. If you're doing nitrous oxide, then I'd say you'll breathe in some air through a little mask that may make you feel silly...if it's going to be a local injection, say "you'll just feel a little pinch" (most kids would freak out over the word shot). And you could say then you'll get a big grown up tooth after some time.

From the dental work my son got, the numbness he felt from the injection was by far the worst of it...especially the first time...it just felt too weird. As soon as that wore off, he was fine. It is hard for us as parents to think that our child's smile isn't perfect, but our kids will get plenty of scrapes and bruises growing up, and this is just a very temporary situation...you'll get used to his new smile, and see how cute it is.


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## rachelsmama (Jun 20, 2005)

When my kids ask if dental work will hurt, I just tell them casually "yes, but you can handle it, and it's worth it." And as the pp said, the needle, and the weird feeling from that is the worst part. And the needle hurts, don't lie to the kid and say it will only pinch, it's going to hurt.


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## lmk1 (Sep 21, 2007)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rachelsmama*
> 
> When my kids ask if dental work will hurt, I just tell them casually "yes, but you can handle it, and it's worth it." And as the pp said, the needle, and the weird feeling from that is the worst part. And the needle hurts, don't lie to the kid and say it will only pinch, it's going to hurt.


Actually when my ds got a filling last February, after everything was done, he said "So when am I going to feel the pinch?"...so it never hurt, and he didn't even realize it happened. So it doesn't always hurt, just lot getting a shot anywhere else doesn't always hurt nor does everyone have the same perception of pain...however, being told that it will hurt almost always guarantees a screaming 3 year old who may be scared to even go into the dentist's office.

The dentist that did my son's filling is awesome, he would tell him what he was doing, but he would talk in a funny voice and just call the instruments silly mirror or silly water sprayer and between that and watching a movie, my son didn't even realize that it was over and done. If I had told him it would hurt, I'm sure he would've freaked out. I personally have never thought that shots really hurt all that much more than a pinch...Obviously everyone will experience it as different, but you don't know how they will experience it ahead of time. I've been plenty of times to the dentist's office w/ and without novacaine, and I don't have any memories of pain...discomfort, yes...pain, no.


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## rachelsmama (Jun 20, 2005)

And if you tell a kid that the needle isn't going to hurt, how do you think they're going to react when it does? I'm pretty sure most people with dentist phobia were told that it would only pinch. When my kids ask if something is going to hurt, what they usually want to know is whether it will be all right. If I reassure them that yes, it will be all right, it will only hurt for a little bit, and all that, then yes, they do go into the dentist's office even though I admitted that it will hurt. And if it doesn't end up hurting, bonus! I'd rather they confront their fear before the dentist sticks the pointy objects in their mouths than have them freak out because they find themselves in pain unexpectedly.


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## intentionalmama (Aug 23, 2008)

Oh, this thread brings back memories. When my son was around 4 he also had a playground accident, where he ended up coming down on the metal handle bar on a teeter totter and bashed some of his front teeth up into his gums. It was terrible. I was really hoping some of the teeth would be ok, but after awhile, we were told by a specialist that four of the front teeth, would have to be removed. I was very stressed about it. We did tell our son, that this would happen.. On the day of the procedure, I was to sit in the chair with him, while they gave him some gas to knock him out. I was surprised he didn't want me to sit with him, just be beside him and hold his hand. They had him count - I think. After he was out, the dentist had me leave the room. At first, I didn't want to go, but I think it was the best thing. What I remember most is after they were finished, they called me. He was out but wrestling in the dentists arms. As soon as they gave him to me, he immediately settled down. The dentist said something like "that happens." I was told I could have him lie down and just sit beside him. I wanted to hold him, which I did till he woke up. To this day, I am a bit nervous about teeter totters and he is 10 now.


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## astroaurora (Jul 28, 2013)

To all the mamas on this thread who had to have their childs teeth extracted... did you use antibiotics before the procedure? was the tooth abscessed? i am struggling with the idea of giving my son abx before extracting his front 2 teeth. he has gi issues


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## mama amie (Jul 3, 2011)

Astroaurora, It never occurred to me to use abx. Our case was not abscessed, but a broken root that would likely become that way if we didn't extract. We opted to go ahead and extract rather than waiting for an inevitable infection. It healed beautifully and quickly. He was eating regular food the next day.


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## rachelsmama (Jun 20, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *astroaurora*
> 
> To all the mamas on this thread who had to have their childs teeth extracted... did you use antibiotics before the procedure? was the tooth abscessed? i am struggling with the idea of giving my son abx before extracting his front 2 teeth. he has gi issues


No, my kids have never had antibiotics for tooth extractions. In the one case where there was an abscess, the extraction was done the day it was discovered with the rationale that extracting it before it got any worse would make antibiotics unnecessary; it worked.


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## kayleesmom (Dec 16, 2004)

Sending hugs to you and your son.


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