Primary (baby) teeth are important for your child’s eating, proper chewing and speaking, as well as their appearance. These primary teeth set up the framework for adult teeth to develop. Without healthy primary teeth, the adult teeth don’t have adequate space to grow into the correct position.

Won’t the baby teeth just fall out anyway?

The front baby teeth will shed (fall out) between the ages of 6-8 years, while the back baby teeth shed between 10-13 years. Untreated decay (cavities/holes) on baby teeth can damage the developing adult tooth,
or adjacent adult teeth already in the mouth. It is best to restore baby teeth to stop or slow the progression of decay, preventing early loss of primary teeth.

Why do you pull baby teeth out?

Removal of a baby tooth may be required when decay has damaged the baby tooth beyond repair, or is causing an infection in the surrounding bone. Early loss of a baby tooth may result in a loss of space for the adult teeth to grow into their normal position and result in crowded teeth. This increases the chance of needing orthodontic treatment with “braces”.

See the chart below for when the primary teeth erupt (come through) and shed (fall out).