Give a dentist two teeth of the same type and size, and there may be a
way that the dentist can tell you if they’re a 12-year old’s or an
adult’s. What gives it away? The presence of mamelons, which are rounded
bumps on the edges of newly erupted teeth.
Not all irregular edges are due to mamelons,
a natural appearance to a child’s teeth. Sometimes, jagged teeth are
related to chipping. Keep reading to find out how dentists can address
jagged teeth in all ages.
Will they go away in kids?
You’ll usually start to see your child’s first permanent teeth come
in at around 7 years old with most teeth — other than wisdom teeth —
coming in before 12 years old.
However, you’ll likely notice
these teeth will look quite different from your front teeth.
Specifically, they often appear disproportionately larger and also have
bumpy-like projections on the top.
Mamelons usually occur in permanent or adult teeth. They are most noticeable up until you’re 10 years old, according to a 2020 study. The study also reported that mamelons typically go away when you’re about 25 years old.
So,
what happens to mamelons? Dentists believe these jagged areas simply
wear down with time. Your efforts when eating and just all-around using
your teeth makes mamelons less noticeable as you age.
It’s true
that some people do retain mamelons for a longer time period. This tends
to be true for people who don’t have a normal bite occlusion, but have
more of an open bite occlusion.
People
who retain mamelons for a longer time tend to have a bite where their
upper and lower front teeth do not overlap. This makes it harder for
teeth to rub against each other or bite food effectively, so the
mamelons don’t wear down as they usually would.
How to fix
In children
Because mamelons will likely become less noticeable as your child gets older, you may wish to hold off on any intervention.
You
can consult your child’s dentist to ask about the likelihood that
mamelons will lessen with time — especially if your child is under 20
years old.
However, cosmetic dentists can usually adjust the mamelons with one of several cosmetic approaches. These include:
- Bonding. This process involves applying a special resin to the child’s teeth, which helps to shape the teeth. Dentists use bonding to correct irregularly shaped teeth and short teeth.
- Contouring.
This process involves removing a portion of the dental enamel to shape
and smooth the teeth’s appearance. Dentists also call this procedure
enameloplasty.
If your child has an open bite occlusion, there are treatments available, according to a
Treatments
for open bite occlusions depend upon the underlying cause of an open
bite. For example, some people have very short front teeth that don’t
touch while others have alterations in their back teeth that keep them
from touching.
A dentist should carefully evaluate the potential underlying causes before recommending treatments. Some treatments may include:
- reshaping the teeth so they meet
- teeth bonding to promote tooth contact
- orthodontic treatments, such as braces, to correct a person’s bite
- extracting teeth, sometimes replacing these with dental implants
In
rare cases, a doctor may recommend surgery called orthognathic (jaw)
surgery to correct bite abnormalities. This would usually only occur if a
person’s jaw position was causing:
- pain
- problems eating
- severe cosmetic concerns
In adults
Jagged teeth in adults are usually the result of chipping related to:
- trauma
- wear and tear
- improper dental health
It’s
important not to ignore a cracked or chipped tooth because if left
untreated, the cracked tooth can further weaken and expose the inner,
soft layers of the tooth. This can result in:
- pain
- irritation
- potentially infection
Treatments for chipped or jagged-appearing teeth in adults are a bit different compared to treatments for young people.
- bonding
- dental crown
- veneers
Each
of these interventions can improve the cosmetic appearance of the
teeth. Your dentist can evaluate your teeth and make recommendations as
to what interventions can help improve and strengthen your teeth’s
appearance.