Why worry about “baby” teeth if they are going to be lost?
Primary teeth are very important to your child’s development of healthy permanent teeth, and, certainly, to your child’s general health. Primary teeth provide for proper consumption of food by biting and chewing, proper development of bones and muscles of the face, proper speech, and proper development and positioning of permanent teeth. Neglect of the primary teeth not only compromises these functions, but may even provide a source for disease or infection capable of spreading throughout the body. Ideally, the front four primary teeth (of the upper and lower jaws) are maintained until replaced by the permanent teeth, between 6 to 7 years of age. The remaining teeth (cuspids, 1st and 2nd molars) should then be maintained until replaced, between 10 to 13 years of age.
