In response to my dental blog, the most common question I have received is when to extract an extra permanent tooth. My experience is that the sooner the extra permanent tooth is extracted, the better. The main reason for this is to allow the affected dental arch (bone) and dentition (teeth) to develop as normally as possible.
My 6 year old grandson was recently diagnosed with and extra front permanent tooth. It was confirmed with an X-ray. It was determined that the extra tooth was causing one of his central incisors (front teeth) to rotate and become misaligned. We extracted the extra tooth and will now monitor the eruption of the front teeth to insure proper alignment. Waiting would have only complicated an already bad situation.
Since every patient presents with different problems, you should have your child evaluated by a dentist/oral surgeon to properly diagnose the problem and recommend the best treatment for your child. If you have any specific questions for me, please contact me at drmax@drmaxwood.com.
