Congenitally Missing Teeth

Congenitally missing teeth is a condition where the lateral incisor teeth do not come in. These teeth are the ones on either side of the upper front two teeth. Congenitally means that they have been missing since birth. You may be wondering what you should do about congenitally missing teeth, and this article will show you.

What are congenitally missing teeth?

Congenitally missing teeth is something that affects more than 20 percent of people. It is not an uncommon thing at all. The main thing about congenitally missing teeth is that it is genetic. This means that the condition is inherited and it is likely that someone else in the family has this problem as well.

Studies have shown that in several different cases, there have been many environmental and genetic factors that can act together in order to make this happen. The importance of the genealogy of it is notable in the sense that there are often cases of it in “familial clusters.” This means that there have been reported clusters of this condition among family members. It is more prevalent in identical twins; it is not as prevalent in those who are not identical twins.It is also likely that lateral incisors can be seen as peg shaped or misshapen if they end up developing with this condition as well.

What do you do about it?

This begs the question: what can be done about it? The better question is, what is the best thing to do? There are a number of paths to take. Each tooth kind in both upper and lower sets of teeth has a dedicated function. When a certain type of a tooth is missing, it can mess up the order and pattern of the other teeth.

It can also mess up the arch. Think about it to be like removing a brick in an arch that is built out of them. You will be able to see that the rest of the arch will shorten. At the most, it will collapse entirely. The same goes here. When the upper lateral incisors are not there, it is common for the canine teeth, which can also be called the eye teeth, to move. They often move toward the central incisors. They do this in order to close the gap.

It is something that even non-dental professionals can look at and see that it simply does not look right. This is something that is clear to see because there are only four teeth there where the mind knows there should be six. The lower and upper canine teeth do not cover one another in the right way. This makes it so that they do not function in the way that they should. This means, for instance, that they cannot grasp onto food in the right way.

The most common way to treat this is to move the teeth. It is usually done by moving the teeth in the jaw into the right position. This is done through braces. Then, the teeth that are missing are replaced artificially. This is the best way to replace them as they look like authentic teeth. Dental implants are great for this as well because they won’t damage the other teeth.

If you take this option, you can use a removable apparatus like a partial denture or a retainer to keep teeth in place while waiting for the implant. Artificial lateral incisors being replaced can also be attached to the retainer. This will allow the set of teeth to look natural while you await the implant or implants.

When should you take action?

There are a number of things to consider when you are thinking about getting dental implants for congenitally missing teeth. It is important that, if you are thinking about doing this for a child, that you are considering their growth. It is important that the child’s jaw is complete before the implants can be placed.

This is because if the jaw is not fully formed, the crowns of these artificial teeth, which make a connection with the implants, may look like they are sinking. This happens as the jawbone finishes growing and usually happens around the age of 18. This generally happens later in boys than it does in girls. That is because they usually don’t have a completely formed jaw until their late teens. Sometimes it can take as long as their early 20s.

Diagnosis of this issue, along with the positioning of the teeth and the restorations and replacements all need to be considered if you want to get these things done. These things are important for long-term results that are successful and complete. Just like a lot of other things when it comes to dental work, it is important that you have the right people on your team to make it work.

You need to be sure your dentist is bringing you in the right direction by involving those other dental surgeons that work with implants. While there are other ways that you can get these congenitally missing teeth replaced, implants are the best option. They are being regarded today as the best treatment for issues like this when it is possible. They can be a bit expensive but they offer long-lasting results that can withstand a lifetime.

The orthodontist will work to ensure that the teeth are correctly positioned and then the dental surgeon can begin the work. You will likely be seeing a periodontist as well to ensure that the work gets done right. This is because the area along the gum and implants is their specialty.

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed what to do about congenitally missing teeth. Have you ever had experience with these sorts of teeth? What did you have done about it? We want to know. Tell us all about it in the comments found below.