State-of-the-Art Pediatric Dental Care MANHATTAN PEDIATRIC
DENTAL GROUP, PC
     
 
  Parent Information  
 
The Importance of Baby Teeth
 
   
 

It is extremely important that the primary teeth be kept healthy until they are lost naturally. They serve some extremely important functions e.g.:
 
  • They maintain good nutrition by permitting your child to chew properly.
  • They are important in allowing good pronunciation and speech habits.
  • They help your child feel good about the way he/she looks to others.
  • They help guide the proper eruption of the permanent teeth.
  • They hold the space that eventually will be occupied by the permanent teeth.

In some cases when primary teeth are lost too early, the space that is left may need to be maintained by a "space maintainer" to ensure there will be enough room for the permanent teeth.