Question
My son is nearly 8 years old, and he hasn’t replaced any teeth yet?
Answer
Generally, permanent incisors emerge between the ages of 6 to 10. Delayed eruption of permanent teeth may be caused by regional factors, such as infant tooth inflammation, early loss, or retention. Commonly, the upper central incisors may be delayed in erupting, due to the premature shedding of the upper deciduous incisors, habitual gingival chewing, which leads to regional gingival keratinization fibrosis, making the gums tough and thick, thus making tooth eruption difficult. Extra teeth, dental cysts, and tumors may also act as obstacles. Abnormal growth and development of permanent teeth, root curvature, early loss of deciduous molars and canine teeth can also lead to narrowed spaces and difficulty in tooth eruption. It’s also important to supplement calcium during the tooth replacement period for children; they can take some calcium supplements suitable for this stage.