When a Baby Tooth Will Not Fall Out
The permanent tooth came in behind it and the baby tooth is still there. Usually this resolves on its own.
You may notice a permanent tooth coming in behind or beside a baby tooth that has not budged — most often the lower front teeth, somewhere around age six or seven. Parents sometimes call this "shark teeth." It looks alarming and it is usually fine.
Why it happens
Normally, the permanent tooth pushes straight up underneath the baby tooth, dissolving its root as it goes, until the baby tooth loosens and falls out. If the permanent tooth comes up slightly behind instead, it never presses on that root — so the baby tooth stays firmly anchored while the permanent one arrives next to it.
What usually happens next
In most cases the baby tooth loosens and comes out on its own within a couple of months, and the tongue naturally nudges the permanent tooth forward into the right position. No treatment needed.
Encourage your child to wiggle the baby tooth — with clean hands, as often as they like. It is the safest and most effective thing you can do, and it gives your child something to be in charge of.
When we step in
If the baby tooth is still solidly in place after about two months, or the permanent tooth is clearly being crowded out of position, we may recommend removing it. It is a quick procedure and it clears the way for the permanent tooth to settle where it belongs.
Either way, send us a photo or bring it up at your next visit — we would rather take a look than have you wonder.
Call us if…
- The baby tooth has not loosened after about two months
- The permanent tooth is coming in noticeably off to one side
- Your child has pain, or the gum is red and swollen
- The baby tooth is loose but painful to wiggle
Coastal Kids Dentistry & Orthodontics · (619) 562-5437 · coastalkidsdo.com/handouts/baby-teeth-that-wont-fall-out
Sources & standards
This guidance is aligned with the standards of care of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: AAPD Oral Health Policies & Recommendations