“I’ve taken my kids here for years. I highly recommend this place. The staff are very friendly and always make you feel welcomed. It’s a relaxing atmosphere. Dr. Joe and his team are the best around in my opinion.”

— Kat

What is the best way to keep your child healthy? Regular exams and check-ups.

Dental exams help you keep track of your child’s developing teeth, and stop small problems from becoming big ones. We recommend that most children come for an appointment twice a year. Schedule an appointment easily online!

Treating Early Adult Tooth Growth at Children’s Dentistry of Charlottesville

Your child’s first set of teeth should appear around six to twelve months of age, while the permanent teeth begin emerging around six years of age. Normally, the adult teeth would grow under the baby teeth, thus pushing them up and out of the way for the new teeth.

But that isn’t always what happens. Early adult tooth growth means that your child’s permanent tooth begins erupting before the baby tooth has fallen out. When this happens, the permanent tooth may come in crooked or misplaced, ending up in front of, behind, or alongside the existing tooth. This may lead to crowding or abnormal baby teeth retention, which makes keeping teeth clean and healthy rather challenging.

When you notice signs of early adult tooth growth, such as a new tooth appearing behind your child’s baby tooth, it’s time to let your dentist know and see what treatment options are available for you and your child.

Charlottesville Early Adult Tooth Growth Treatment

Our friendly, professional dentists would monitor your child’s teeth, and carefully determine whether and when any dental treatments are needed for the early adult tooth. Often, no procedures would be necessary unless other symptoms develop, such as a bad bite or ongoing pain. In more serious cases, a dentist may recommend extracting the tooth and replacing it with a dental implant.

We Accept Most Insurance & Medicaid

We believe every child should have access to the best dental care possible. We proudly accept Medicaid and many other insurance plans, including those from:

• Anthem
• Metlife
• Guardian
• United Concordia
• Delta Dental
• Cigna

Meet Our Doctors & Staff

Our dentists are compassionate, caring, gentle, empathetic, and sensitive to the needs of every child.

Call (434) 817-1817 to Schedule An Appointment For Your Child

Early Adult Tooth Growth FAQs

What will happen if I leave my child’s early adult tooth untreated?

More often than not, early adult teeth do not lead to any serious health issues, and may not need more treatment than a regular check-up at the dentist. Your dentist would monitor your child’s permanent teeth eruption to ensure your child’s oral and dental health.

Do early adult teeth need to be removed?

Each instance of early adult tooth growth would be examined on a case-by-case basis; but generally speaking, the need for an adult tooth extraction is low.

How is my child’s health affected by early adult tooth growth?

We have good news! Early eruption of adult teeth isn’t a “dental problem sentence” for the rest of your child’s life. If these early adult teeth cause problems, we can perform simple, straightforward dental procedures to fix the issue and restore your child’s dental health.

My child has Special Needs and has trouble at the dentist. Can you still treat their early adult tooth growth?

In most cases, we can perform basic dental x-rays, exams, and cleanings for children who have Special Needs. Our Charlottesville cavity dentists are experienced and enjoy working with kids who have Special Needs, including kids with Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, children on the Autism Spectrum, and children who deal with dental anxiety.

We’ll do our best to help your child relax so they can receive the dental care they need. In some cases, we will recommend nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or other sedation dentistry options.

Call (434) 817-1817 to Schedule An Appointment For Your Child