The teeth you’re born with are not fit for purpose as you start to grow up, and that’s why our baby teeth fall out by the age of 12 or 13. They’re replaced with permanent teeth that slowly push the baby teeth out of the way.

But what happens if those baby teeth don’t all fall out by the age of 13? As a parent, is that something that you should be concerned about? These are all legitimate questions and common concerns that parents have. We’re going to cover all of the most important things to understand from a parent’s perspective, so read on to find out more.

So how many baby teeth should a 13 year old have?

As stated above, it’s usually the case that a child’s baby teeth will have all fallen out by the age of 13.

For many kids, this process will have been completed by the age of 12. This is when the original 20 baby teeth should be gone and the 28 permanent teeth will be coming through and replacing them.

Although 28 teeth is not the total amount of teeth, they won’t have a complete set for a while because the 4 wisdom teeth appear between the ages of 17 and 25.

Reasons why your 13 year old has more Baby Teeth Than They Should

There are various reasons why your 13-year-old son or daughter might still have some baby teeth, even if this is the age by which children have usually lost theirs.

By understanding what could be causing the problem, you can help ensure they get the treatment they need. Here are some of the potential dental challenges that might be present.

1. The baby tooth is stuck to the bone

There is a common problem that’s called ankylosis; it’s when the baby tooth effectively gets stuck to the bone.

When this occurs, the baby tooth may fall out on it’s or sometimes can’t fall out on its own and the only way around the problem is to have the tooth extracted.

If this is the reason why your child’s baby tooth hasn’t fallen out, it’s important to see an orthodontist at the soonest opportunity because extraction will be necessary.

2. The baby tooth is physically blocked from falling out.

It might also be the case that the baby tooth can’t fall out because it’s being blocked in one way or the other.

The most common reason for this is that the side teeth might be crowding it out and stopping it from falling out naturally.

If you or your child are over the age of 13 and still have a baby tooth, it is important to have an orthodontic examination with an orthodontist as soon as possible.

It’s a problem that can be fixed by an orthodontist, but it might not remedy itself on its own if the right kind of action isn’t taken by a professional.

Braces are often used to fix the crowding problem and the baby tooth is then allowed to fall out or can be extracted.

3. The permanent tooth below is crooked

If the permanent tooth below the baby tooth is crooked or malpositioned in some way, it’s going to struggle to move up and push the baby tooth out of its way.

This is one of the most common reasons why a baby tooth doesn’t fall out.

There has to be that movement beneath it from the permanent tooth in order to shift it out of the way and cause it to fall out.

But that’s not possible when there’s some kind of restriction of the permanent tooth.

4. The permanent tooth is missing

In some instances, it’s the case that the permanent tooth that’s meant to be below the baby tooth is simply missing.

This is called tooth agenesis and means that the tooth is missing for congenital reasons. If that’s the case, the baby tooth can be maintained for as long as possible.

The baby teeth do not have full life expectancy, meaning they do not last as long in the adult mouth as actual adult teeth do.  

There are a number of solutions when having a missing adult tooth that an Orthodontist can discuss with you.

What You Can do About it with the Help of an Orthodontist

Seeing an Orthodontist is vital if your child still has baby teeth at the age of 13.

They can then assess the situation and find out what the reason is for the dental challenge. In some instances, no action might be the case.

But that can’t be known for certain until an Orthodontic Specialist takes a closer look.

They’ll be able to find out if any of the problems mentioned above are present.

It’s important to ensure your child gets the treatment they need now so that they can avoid problems with their teeth later in life.

It’s best getting Orthodontic intervention earlier in life and understanding how to treat missing teeth, in some cases seeking treatment early will avoid having to replace missing teeth with implants or bridges later in life.

So, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at Wilkinson Orthodontics if you want to book an appointment for your child.