Berkeley Parents Network: Baby Teeth

Berkeley Parents Network

Baby Teeth

Berkeley Parents Network > Advice > Advice about Health > Baby Teeth

Big gap between 8-mo-old's two new front teeth

Sept 2003

My eigth month old recently got his 2 front upper teeth; I am concerned because of the excessive gap between the two teeth. The gap is big enough to house a third tooth! Should I at all be concerned? First Time Mom

My daughter didn't have the gap and now at 7 she is having orthodontic work as there wasn't enough space for her large adult teeth to come in. The dentist said that my son's gap was great as it would allow the adult teeth to come in without moving the other teeth. You might want to schedule a visit to the dentist just for reassuance and to see how your child's teeth are coming in. It is a good time for your child to begin seeing a dentist and learning about good oral care. lopez

Not to belabor the obvious, but have you asked your pediatrician or called a pediatric dentist. I know there's a lot of talk about early orthodontic intervention these days, but kids' teeth move around a lot and the next ones to come in may push those front teeth together. So ... take a deep breath, calm down, and ask the doctor what to do. Smile! Gap toothed as a kid

My son also had a gap between his front teeth when those teeth first came in. By the time a few more appeared--just a few months--the gap closed. Perhaps that will happen for your child, too. Carolyn

Don't worry about it! According to my pediatric dentist, more room is better in the early years -- the major cause of braces is crowding of teeth. Plus the adult teeth are SO much bigger than the baby teeth. susan

I would say it’s too early to worry about her teeth. As the other’s come in there will be some shifting. You might not even know how her permanent teeth will come in until her baby teeth fall out around 7 or 8.

New teeth coming in one-at-a-time, not in pairs

Nov 2003

I have a son who is almost 8 months old. Last weekend, one bottom tooth finally broke through. My question is: is it common to have each tooth come in one by one? I thought that babies get the two bottom teeth at the same time, the two top teeth at the same time, etc., but it looks as though my son only has one bottom tooth coming in. Curious new mom

My son got his third bottom tooth at around 8 months, and his fourth one (the matching one on the other side) almost 6 months later -- after he had got some of his molars. I had given up on it and decided it would never come in , when it finally showed up. Karen

they usually come in one at a time. suzie

Hi, I don't think it's common but it happens. Our oldest had one bottom teeth for a couple of months. Then they others painfully came after. My only advice, take a lot of pictures!!! m

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