Smoking during pregnancy has also been found to carry an increased risk of other facial defects including cleft palate and cleft lip.
New research from New Zealand has found that moms who smoke more than ten cigarettes a day while pregnant are more at risk of having babies with dental abnormalities. Smoking moms are more at risk of having children who will fail to develop all their adult teeth.
This condition is called hypodontia and generally means that children will not develop up to six of their permanent adult teeth. Usually, the teeth that are involved are the premolars and lateral incisors (next to the two front teeth).
In very rare cases, hypodontia can mean that multiple adult teeth are missing. The researchers found a connection between the number of cigarettes smoked during pregnancy and the likelihood of hypodontia.
Hypodontia Isn’t Just Due to Smoking
Hypodontia can also be due to other causes and may develop in children whose mothers have never smoked. It could be as a result of trauma and there is speculation hypodontia could have a lot to do with genetics as it can often run in families. Hypodontia is quite common, with around 5% of the population being affected to some degree or another. Most often, just one or two teeth will be missing.
What Does Hypodontia Mean for My Kid?
With hypodontia, a child’s baby teeth may remain in place well past normal. Generally, a baby tooth will not survive much beyond the teenage years, particularly incisors. If hypodontia effects the canines and molars, then these baby teeth could last considerably longer, possibly into the twenties or thirties. This largely depends on the health of these baby teeth and the condition of their tooth roots.
One of the problems with trying to help baby teeth last longer is that their tooth roots tend to be much shorter than an adult tooth. This is because these teeth are only really meant to last a few years before the tooth root is absorbed. The adult tooth underneath begins to develop in readiness for its emergence through the gums.
What Treatment is Available If Your Kid Has Hypodontia?
If your child has hypodontia, your pediatric dentist may recommend the most suitable treatment. To do this, they will need to carry out diagnostic tests including dental x-rays which will show the number and position of adult teeth that have yet to make an appearance. This will allow your kid’s dentist to determine exactly how many teeth are missing so they can plan the most suitable treatment. There are several options available.
Do Nothing
Sometimes it might be better to accept the space left by a congenitally missing tooth. This might be the case if the tooth is right at the back of the mouth or where the space is not visible.
Use Dental Restorations to Change the Appearance of Baby Teeth
If a baby tooth is quite strong but is simply too small or strangely shaped, one possible treatment is to change its shape. The easiest way to do this is with tooth colored composite resin that is applied directly to the tooth surface before being shaped and polished.
You may also hear of this treatment is called dental bonding. It uses the same material as used to invisibly mend cavities in teeth. The advantage of this treatment is that it is very quick and affordable, plus, the results should last for several years.
Another possibility is to fit porcelain veneers or crowns over baby teeth. This solution will be a bit more expensive as these restorations are made from porcelain. The results will last longer and the very latest porcelain crowns and veneers can look wonderful.
This might be a great choice for a child who is particularly self-conscious about their appearance or where aesthetics is a particular concern.
Use Orthodontics to Reposition Teeth
Orthodontics, using fixed braces to reposition teeth can be a good choice. A good orthodontist will be able to reposition teeth so there is the right amount of space for a replacement tooth. They could use braces to close or minimize spaces. Once the spaces are closed, dental restorations such as crowns and veneers could be used to reshape teeth so it appears if the correct tooth is in the right space.
Replacing Teeth
Choosing to replace teeth may offer a more permanent solution. Especially if your child’s baby teeth are likely to fail or have already failed, leaving behind an unsightly gap. There are two or three options for replacing teeth as listed below, depending on the age of your child.
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures can be a quick and effective solution. Especially when a child’s teeth and jaws are still developing and when it would be quite difficult to use a more permanent solution. A flipper or one tooth denture might be all that is needed and can be worn until your child’s jaws have finished growing. At this stage, your pediatric dentist will be able to discuss longer-term options.
Dental Bridges
Dental bridges can be temporary and made from resin, or more permanent and made from porcelain. Where a front tooth is missing, it might be possible to replace it with a Maryland bridge. It has two wings that are bonded onto the inner surfaces of the teeth adjacent to the gap. They are attached to the replacement tooth, filling in the gap.
Another option is to have a more conventional bridge where the teeth adjacent to the gap are ground down and crowned so theses can be attached to the replacement tooth.
Dental Implants
This is probably the best long-term solution for congenitally missing teeth but can only be used once a child has finished growing. For this reason, dental implants are generally not recommended before a child is eighteen or older.
Treatment involves a short surgical procedure so an implant post can be inserted into the jawbone, replacing the missing tooth root. This is then used to support a brand-new replacement tooth and can provide excellent results.
It is ideal for anyone looking for the very best and most aesthetically pleasing treatment. The new implant crown will emerge from the gums and it would be nearly impossible for most people to tell it wasn’t natural.