It’s always exciting when your child’s first tooth falls out. They get to tuck it under their pillow…and (hopefully) the tooth fairy visits in the dead of night. Typically, as adult teeth begin to erupt, they absorb the root of the baby tooth. This causes the tooth to become loose and eventually fall out. Problems may occur when the permanent teeth do not absorb the root of the baby teeth.

It isn’t uncommon for parents to notice that adult teeth are growing in behind their child’s baby teeth. This condition is formally known as “lingually erupting mandibular incisors” -- more commonly “shark teeth.”

In some cases, the baby teeth will eventually come out on their own. If this doesn’t happen, parents should consider a visit to the dentist for a tooth extraction. If the baby teeth stay in too long, adult teeth will not be able to move into place. This can result in a condition known as “crowding ” -- and the possibility of lasting bite problems (“malocclusion”). With crowded baby teeth out of the way, adult teeth should naturally shift comfortably into the proper aligned position.