Dentists this way please!

[Gaaaah]

My ds lost his right lateral incisor when he was around 7ish. He's now approaching his 10th birthday and the adult tooth still hasn't made an appearance. The gum seems flat, I can't feel a tooth there at all. He has regular 6 monthly check ups with the dentist.

Some time ago the dentist mentioned its absence. At the next visit a different dentist (same practice) mentioned it again and said it was unusual. Fast forward to 6 months ago and they said at the next visit they would want to start making investigations as it's been too long, is the adult tooth even there etc etc and also said they would start thinking about a referral for braces because he does have quite a lot of gapping. All the time that tooth isn't coming down his other teeth seem to shift more and more.

Anyway, he's just been seen and they said they are not concerned and will continue to give it time. But recently he's complained a couple of times about some pain in the gum although i still cant see any hint of a tooth. The dentist said it's fine. But it's not fine that he's in pain is It?

Is this length of time between the loss of baby tooth and adult tooth coming through normal? He lost the left hand side tooth last year and it was through very quickly.

[dementedpixie]

Have they never xrayed to see if the adult tooth is there?

[Gaaaah]

No. I've asked them if they will do one especially after the other dentist said he'd like to investigate the next time they saw him but the lady dentist he saw today said they need to give it more time. I told her what he said but she said it was unnecessary.