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Original poster

teeth without enamel

25 replies

southeastastra · 14/05/2008 15:28

my ds(6)has one tooth that is coming through without enamel. Has anyone else's child had this? it's worrying me a bit. can they do anything?

OP posts:

WendyWeber · 14/05/2008 15:36

DS2's molars have very poor enamel, sea - I wouldn't say none, but it is thin and patchy - but they are strong and, surprisingly, not sensitive. (The enamel on his front teeth is fine and he can't eat ice-cream/lollies unless he has a dish and a spoon )

They are yellow though, which doesn't matter at the back of course - is DS's a front one?

Remotew · 14/05/2008 15:36

Not sure what you mean, without enamel. Sorry I'm not a dentist. DD's two bottom teeth, first adults ones to appear, looked mottled, the rest are fine. Is this similar.

Dentist said it was due to trauma at or before birth and the only thing are crowns if she wants them when she is older.

Original poster

southeastastra · 14/05/2008 15:46

it's one molar at the back wendy, it's weird never really heard of it before. i suppose it's patchy too but can't tell yet as it's just erupting.

weird isn't it!

OP posts:

lailasmum · 14/05/2008 15:46

I had an enamel problem as a child, logically I still do, same teeth obviously. I have had to have several out because they seem to decay badly (and were often in the wrong place)but I didn't loose many and the ones that I have left are ok apart from one front tooth that is more worn down, they are slightly crazed looking and a bit yellower than the rest of my family who annoyingly all have perfect white straight teeth.

KerryMum · 14/05/2008 15:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

whoops · 14/05/2008 15:48

ds's baby teeth had no enamel on (I think)
The dentist painted a coating over them not sure what it was though, sorry for not being much help!

Original poster

southeastastra · 14/05/2008 15:49

that interesting lailasmum, he had to have four milk teeth taken out yesterday because they were decayed. i can't work out why they got so decayed i try to do everything right.

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lailasmum · 14/05/2008 15:54

I would have veneers If I could afford them, but these days its mostly just a cosmetic thing and they are fine as long as I look after them properly now. I think the worst ones went years ago. I think just keep on top of cleaning but don't over clean cos that can be just as bad. Oh and don't clean teeth after meals especially breakfast, do it before, all the acids from foods and drinks just get rubbed in if you clean after meals whereas if you do it before its just the saliva.

WendyWeber · 14/05/2008 15:54

Also DS2 has no wisdom teeth - they are just not there - I don't know if this fact is related or not.

(When he was having orthodontic treatment & needed extractions to make space, the orthodontist considered extracting the enamel-less molars instead of the usual pre-molars, so that the wisdom teeth could take their place later, so she x-rayed to see what condition they were in and was a bit stunned to see that they don't exist )

yorkshirepudding · 14/05/2008 15:54

Message withdrawn

ingles2 · 14/05/2008 15:55

I think dentistry has come on leaps and bounds in the last decade or two, but when my adult teeth came through with no enamel I was in big trouble and still am. I'm on my 16th set of crowns now and my dentist bills are absolutely enormous. ds's teeth aren't fantastic either for enamel.

All we can do really is avoid sugary drinks, loads of fruit, ,& sultanas, brush teeth well and no milk at bedtime.
Sorry

Original poster

southeastastra · 14/05/2008 16:02

ouch poor you ingles. that's alot of crowns

wonder if son has wisdom teeth!

thanks this thread has made me feel a bit less worried.

OP posts:

summer111 · 14/05/2008 16:59

I'm not sure if this is the same but when my ds's molars came through, they were not properly calcified - they looked patchy in colour ie milky with yello stains. I asked my dentist to him to the Dental Hospital where they applied a protective coating over them plus a sealant. It has done its job as my dentist keeps an eye on them and so far so good. I was told by the paediatric dental consultant that if left untreated, it would be a case of crowns and potential extraction later on.
They have no definitive idea of what causes it - suggestions they bandied around were something interfering with the dental development when in the womb, an illness as a baby when those teeth were developing or prolongued anti-biotic use. The only thing I could identify was chicken pox at 12 months!

He can eat all manner of foods and drinks - nothing has been banned, although we don't have fizzy drinks at home.

summer111 · 14/05/2008 17:01

oops, that should read 'I asked my dentist to refer him to the dental hospital'

WendyWeber · 14/05/2008 17:10

I think that might well be the same thing, summer - the description sounds like DS2's teeth.

One of our dentists tried to put fissure sealant on the top of his when he was about 9, but he could not sit still with his mouth open long enough for the surface to dry out - and it was a new young dentist, not good with kids, she kept snapping at him. So that was a dead loss. (Did yours manage OK or was a GA required? )

Anyway DS2 is 15 now and has only needed 1 tiny filling in one of the defective ones so far, even without the sealant.

Original poster

southeastastra · 14/05/2008 17:18

son didn't have any illnesses or ab's neither did i. he did have chicken pox at about 9 months though, quite badly.

OP posts:

yorkshirepudding · 14/05/2008 17:18

Message withdrawn

Original poster

southeastastra · 14/05/2008 17:30

very strange

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hippipotami · 14/05/2008 17:36

Dd has one of her milk front teeth which has a patch of enamel missing. The dentist said it was caused by a virus/flu I had arount the time her body was 'laying enamel' when she was in the womb.

It does not bother her, has never got worse, the tooth is not sensitive.
And as it is her milk-tooth the dentist advised to ignore it and he does not think her adult tooth will be affected.
He said if it were affected by lack of enamel he would 'coat' it. Not sure with what, but am sure your dentist will know.

Original poster

southeastastra · 14/05/2008 17:54

it maybe could be caused by chicken pox then i had a bit of a google for enamel hypoplasia (lack of enamel) and chicken pox and there did seem to be some link but it was like wading through treacle to find something concrete. i'm like a dog with a bone

OP posts:

WendyWeber · 14/05/2008 18:00

DS2 didn't have cp until he was nearly 4

I don't think they know what causes it tbh.

nightcat · 14/05/2008 18:24

Lack of enamel is mainly caused by poor absorption of nutrients, in my ds case it was gluten that was causing malabsorption. It can also be a sign of celiac (lack of enamel is one of the classic symptoms) or digestive enzyme deficiencies (eg taking antacids for reflux). It's only once the enamel is poorly developed, sugar & bacteria find the way in and make it worse.

pointydog · 14/05/2008 18:28

dd2 has two baby molars like this.

You;re probably talking about adult teeth though - I;ll read on

pointydog · 14/05/2008 18:31

dd2 also had lots of antibiotics when seven months old due to chicken pox/eczema probelsm. We were told lots of abs could have caused this poor tooth development.

WendyWeber · 14/05/2008 20:42

A friend's DD (also DC4, as is DS2) was born with a streak of white hair on the R side, and a tooth with poor enamel on the matching part of her head. AFAIK no CP or ABs at any significant part of her development either.

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