Advice and Suggestions For Retained Baby Teeth

[carriej]

Hi there,

I am a 25 year old female, and I have 2 retained baby teeth. I believe they are called pre-molars on the bottom jaw, the exact same spot on each side. They are the teeth right before my two molars.

They have started becoming extremely sensitive and bothering me all the time. They have each been repaired multiple times, and regardless of my excellent oral hygiene I guess it's time for them to come out. They look fine and seem solid in there, but since they are bugging me he said its the best idea.

However I have a problem. I have a disease called Wegener's Granulomatosis, so I don't have any insurance. I am extremely immune compromised (another reason he wants to take them out) I can afford to have the teeth removed, but the replacement options are crazily priced. I am sure it is worth it, but the price I was quoted on for implants was about $9000. I simply can't justify it.

I know I will not wear a denture, so it's not even an option.

Will there be any major concerns of just pulling them out and having a space? I am very upset to do that.. But I really don't see how there is any other option that will work for me.

I am hoping someone can come on and tell me a magical solution... But I know that that's unlikely.

 

[Dr. Garrett Fiorenza]

Pulling them and leaving a space has pros and cons. The pro is you get these teeth out that are starting to give you some fits. The con is you will have a gap in the position where the teeth used to be. This gap will allow the teeth behind these teeth to drift forward.

In my opinion, if you can't afford implants, get the teeth out and see how you do with having a gap. You will either not even notice the gap, or you will be annoyed by the space and look into saving up for the more expensive implants. Either way I think it is best to remove these teeth since they are becoming sensitive to you. Hope this helps,

Garrett Fiorenza, DDS
www.fiorenzadentalgroup.com
Greenwood, IN

 

[carriej]

Thank you for the response!

I guess I will just have them pulled. Funnily enough, they have been bearable so I am less likely to part with them until after the holidays.

Will there be a soft spot there that will be jarred when eating hard food (nuts, crackers, etc), or will it be fine?

My dentist led me to believe that the implants must be placed on tooth removal, and that I would not be able to get them down the road if I decided to.

I guess we will see what happens.

 

[Dr. Garrett Fiorenza]

The area will be soft at first, but the gum will harden and you won't hurt it by eating. Without seeing xrays it's hard for me to comment, but you should be able to get implants down the road. As long as your bone looks fine now and you aren't waiting 30 years to get the implants.

Garrett Fiorenza, DDS
www.fiorenzadentalgroup.com