Development and Function of Deciduous Teeth
- Primary teeth start forming during the embryonic phase, specifically at the sixth week of tooth development.
- The development of primary teeth begins with the dental lamina and spreads to the posterior region.
- By the eighth week, there are ten buds on the upper and lower arches that will become the primary dentition.
- The eruption of primary teeth typically starts around six months and continues until 25-33 months of age.
- Primary teeth help maintain the arch length within the jaw and guide the eruption pathway of permanent teeth.
- The muscles and jaw bones depend on primary teeth to maintain proper spacing for permanent teeth.
- The roots of primary teeth provide a pathway for the eruption of permanent teeth.
- Primary teeth play a role in the development of a child's speech, smile, and chewing of food.
- Even if primary teeth are removed, children can still eat and chew to a certain extent.
Caries in Deciduous Teeth
- Dental caries, also known as tooth decay and cavities, is a prevalent chronic disease among children worldwide.
- Extensive tooth decay is the most common dental disease in primary dentition.
- An extensive carious lesion affects at least half of a tooth and may involve the pulp.
- Bacterial infection demineralizes and destroys tooth tissues in dental caries.
- Primary teeth are susceptible to caries due to factors like improper oral hygiene and diet.
Treatment for Caries in Deciduous Teeth
- In cases of extensive tooth decay, the pulp must be treated to maintain the health of the tooth and supporting tissues.
- Pulp therapy involves removing decay and infected pulp tissue, then sealing the pulp with medicaments.
- Treatment options for caries in primary teeth include indirect pulp capping, direct pulp capping, pulpotomy, and pulpectomy.
- Indirect pulp capping leaves the deepest carious dentin undisrupted to avoid exposing the pulp.
- Direct pulp capping is performed when a small pulp exposure occurs after carious dentin removal.
Preformed Crowns
- Decayed primary teeth can be restored with preformed crowns made from various materials.
- A common type is the preformed metal crown (PMC), which is pressed over a decayed tooth without any preparation or caries removal.
- Studies have shown that dental practitioners prefer conventional fillings over PMCs.
- However, PMCs have shown lower risks of major and minor failures and pain in the long term compared to conventional restorations.
- Patients fitted with crowns using the Hall technique experienced less discomfort during the procedure.
Recommendations for Pulp Treatment Medicaments and Treatment Recommendations
- Direct pulp capping: No superior medicament identified.
- Pulpotomy: MTA and formocresol are effective, calcium hydroxide is more likely to fail.
- Toxicity concerns: No reports of toxicity related to formocresol use in children.
- Undesirable effect of MTA: Grey discoloration of treated teeth, purely esthetic and doesn't affect success.
- Pulpectomy: No superior medicament identified, zinc oxide eugenol (ZOE) may be the best choice, effective and safe for children.
- No direct comparison of effectiveness between different pulp therapies.
- Similar success rates among various therapies.
- Choice of therapy based on caries removal, pulp exposure, adverse effects, clinical expertise, and patient preference.
Society and Culture
- Primary teeth called baby teeth or milk teeth in most European languages.
- Different emotions experienced during tooth loss influenced by socio-cultural factors.
- Various customs associated with tooth loss, such as the tooth fairy tradition.
- Different traditions for throwing shed teeth, including onto the roof or burying them.
- Cultural customs in different countries, such as offering teeth to the sun or to a visiting relative.
Deciduous teeth or primary teeth, also informally known as baby teeth, milk teeth, or temporary teeth, are the first set of teeth in the growth and development of humans and other diphyodonts, which include most mammals but not elephants, kangaroos, or manatees, which are polyphyodonts. Deciduous teeth develop during the embryonic stage of development and erupt (break through the gums and become visible in the mouth) during infancy. They are usually lost and replaced by permanent teeth, but in the absence of their permanent replacements, they can remain functional for many years into adulthood.
| Deciduous teeth | |
|---|---|
 Cross-section of upper and lower jaws with permanent teeth located above and below the deciduous teeth prior to their exfoliation. The deciduous mandibular central incisors have already been exfoliated. | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | dentes decidui |
| MeSH | D014094 |
| TA98 | A05.1.03.076 |
| TA2 | 912 |
| FMA | 75151 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
