Childrens’ teeth typically erupt in a certain sequence and position, but sometimes they like to throw us pediatric dentists a curveball. One of these times is what’s affectionately called “shark teeth.”
Shark teeth are when a child has new permanent teeth at the same time the baby teeth they should be replacing haven’t yet fallen out. The double row resembles a shark’s mouth, hence the nickname.
On a technical level these are caused by ectopic eruption. As dentists, we mostly recommend letting the situation resolve itself, especially when it occurs on the lower teeth. Have your child continue to wiggle the baby teeth that need to come out. If shark teeth occur on the upper teeth, we may ask for you to bring your child in for an appointment. In rare cases, we may intervene, but most of the time we simply monitor the situation.
Raising children is full of odd and wondrous surprises, isn’t it? When it comes to your children’s dental health, we’re here to help guide you and keep you all smiling.
Brought to you by:
treehousekidsdental.com
1611 J street Springfield, OR
541-515-6631
office@treehousekidsdental.com
Dr. Erin Estep is a board-certified pediatric dentist who owns Treehouse Kids Dentist in Springfield. She and her staff are committed to making sure your child has an amazing, safe, memorable dental experience.