Babies Born with Teeth
Most people don’t know one in 2-3,000 babies can be born with a tooth or two! These teeth are known as natal teeth. Though rare, in some cases, babies are born with a front tooth dangling from a piece of soft tissue. To reduce the risk of choking, the tissue is clipped and the tooth removed at the hospital, before the baby goes home. Even rarer, some infants have two front teeth when they’re born. If the teeth are solidly anchored, they are left in place. While this early development sounds harmless enough, teeth during infancy can cause problems with feedings, as well as mouth ulcers for the baby.
People with 5 Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth are clinically known as third molars. Most humans develop four wisdom teeth during their late teens or early twenties. The four molars erupt on the very back of the upper and lower arches. In some cases, people develop only three molars, and the fourth isn’t impacted, it simply did not develop. Still others have the unfortunate experience of growing five wisdom teeth. Like our appendix, wisdom teeth aren’t necessary parts of human anatomy. These big teeth are difficult to keep clean, often incur cavities, commonly become impacted prior to eruption, and can move other teeth out of alignment. For these reasons, many people opt to have their wisdom teeth extracted.
Normal Dental Anatomy
Everyone is unique. Even if you have just 32 teeth, your body chemistry and oral health is a bit different from everyone else. Dr. Calcagno respects individuality and sets aside ample time to talk with her patients and perform a comprehensive oral evaluation. She’ll work with you to develop a treatment plan, if necessary, to take great care of your teeth, so you can smile for life!
If you live in the Red Wing, St. Charles, Winona, or Farmington communities, visit our Rochester dental office today. Call 507-281-3659 to schedule your appointment with Dr. Calcagno, a 55902 dentist.
