I'm worried my DD may be congenitally missing a front tooth

[jaychops]

DD is almost 8. She's lost one of her upper central incisors and the adult tooth has grown. Both lateral incisors have also fallen out and adult teeth started to come through. The other upper front tooth is still a baby tooth and not even wobbly!

Dentist check up is due in the next couple of months. Last time, she said 'oh its probably nothing to worry about as the lateral incisors haven't fallen out yet (they have now) but if it still hasn't come out next time we will x Ray to see if there is an adult tooth in the gum'.

Dr Google says it's very rare to be congenitally missing a front tooth but I suppose it could still happen. I'm worried about what this could mean for her in terms of treatment/confidence/bullying etc.

Has anyone else's child been through similar? If its not missing, why might it not be coming through?

My dd had one that took ages to come through. Although it was right at the front.
They xrayed her and could see the tooth was there so they took out her baby tooth to encourage it to move down and it did.
Fingers crossed your dd just has a slow mover too.

It would be very unusual! There are other reasons for delayed eruption, did she ever knock her front teeth when she was younger? Other reasons include a wee extra tooth which is in the way or variations in the size of the hole in the bone behind the front teeth which lets the nerve through - can become a cyst.

Dentist will be able to feel for the tooth under the gum and take an x ray to check where it’s got to.

DC had a missing front tooth and we loads of trouble because the NHS orthodontist refused preventative treatment to keep the rest of the teeth in place. It was much more lengthy in terms of treatment because if this.

If your DD dies have a missing tooth, I'd recommend that you get early intervention for a retainer to keep all of her teeth in place (they should be able to put a tooth coloured putty in the 'gap' tooth so it's not that noticeable. I imagine that you will have to go private for this unless NHS dentistry has got dramatically better

Long term the choices were a) a bridge or b) bone graft, implant and crown.

DS’s front tooth didn’t come down. He had an operation and a weird gold chain set up to pull the tooth down. He had to have braces as a teenager. He has lovely teeth now

DC is missing both lateral incisors. He will have a plate until he can get implants when he's older. He is 12 now and has braces.
It will be costing a fair amount to get it sorted but it can be done.

And I must add that he understands his situation and is pretty chilled with it. Like you I was worried, but many kids have braces etc so its not really a thing to worry about for him if you see what I mean.

I only have 3 bottom incisors. Funnily enough I think that it is a good thing - I have beautiful, straight, uncrowded teeth. If I had an extra one then I think that my mouth would have been over crowded. It has never been a problem at all - the only person who knows is my husband and only because I told him and got him to count them.

My brother is missing his two outer upper incisors. Also not a hugely big deal for him - his front teeth are a bit spread out but not in an unusual way. (Think Eve Myles.)

It is only whilst writing this that it has occurred to me that maybe these two things are connected.

And also made me wonder if I should be concerned about my son’s teeth. (Age 10 and still has mainly baby teeth.)

I'm missing one, bit as it got lost it never pushed out my milk tooth. I've seen it on xrays sitting side on. Still have a milk tooth in my late 40s.
Dd is 7 and still has all her milk teeth. Dentist not worried and said later the better as more room.

DH is missing both second incisors and had to have several other teeth pulled down from his gums as a child. He had his canines filed down so he doesn't look like a vampire! The teeth moved around and filled the gaps. They look fine now.

My son is missing an adult front tooth and my sister never grew the same one. My son has had a course of braces to open up the gap and now will have a bridge and later an implant to fill it. My sister had no treatment and her front teeth are crooked and the middle gap is off centre. Braces are not a big deal at school at all. Much better to deal with it before adulthood (especially as was all on NHS!)

Can you make a dental appointment for sooner if you're worried? An x-ray should show what's going on.

She's only 8 so I really wouldn't worry yet. My 12 year old still has several baby teeth and my older kids have all got to 14 and still have baby teeth, the longer they last the better.
My 15 year old has 9 missing adult teeth! Although not at the front. Luckily she's under the hospital orthodontist and maxilofacial and they have put braces on to make decent gaps and when she's 18 she will get implants, all on nhs as her treatment started before she was 18 and you can't get an implant until you stop growing so likely about 18

Dd started losing her baby teeth really early then didn’t lose anymore until 8 when she lost her incisor. It hasn’t come through yet and it’s been a year but we’ve seen the dentist last week for an X-ray and it’s there. They said they take ages to come through so they are not worried.

These are the most common congenitally missing teeth (possibly similar incidence to wisdom teeth but no-one gets upset when they don’t arrive!!).

Thanks for all the replies. I've just been for a check up myself, so had a quick chat whilst she wasn't there. My dentist thinks it's unlikely that there are no issues and it could be that it's missing. I am a worrier and I'm scared for her. Her check up is due in the next month or so, so I'll just wait for that.