Why is it important for me to bring my child in to see a dentist and do cleanings, fluoride applications, fillings, maybe baby root canals and silver caps, etc. on baby teeth if they are just going to fall out?
                  -Concerned Parent

Dear Concerned Parent

That is a great question.  Yes, baby teeth fall out, however, some baby teeth need to be
present anywhere from 10-12 years in the child’s mouth!  This is plenty of time for them to decay which can lead to pain and infection.  We also look for problems other than cavities, such as proper eruption and jaw development. Teeth serve important functions such as maintaining proper space proportions so adult teeth erupt in their proper place and they serve to keep the bite stable throughout growth.  Losing baby teeth prematurely due to dental disease affects the eruption of adult teeth.  

Depending on the situation, it can either speed up or delay the eruption of adult teeth, which may not be ideal.  Lastly, when baby teeth remain as long as they should, the child has better speech development, chewing function and a happier mouth. 

-Dr. Crist