Ithaca Dentistry

This sunshine is making all of us smile at Ithaca Dentistry! Call if you need more confidence with your smile. 😃
607-272-2033

Baby teeth are temporary.
The damage from their cavities is not.

Inside a child’s jaw, permanent teeth begin forming years before they erupt. Their enamel is developing. Their crown shape is being built. Their structure is forming layer by layer.

When a cavity in a primary tooth progresses deep into the pulp, the infection does not remain isolated. The root tips of baby teeth sit very close to the developing permanent tooth germ. Inflammatory by-products and bacteria can disrupt normal enamel formation and crown development.

The damage may only become visible years later:

• Enamel hypoplasia
• White, yellow, or brown discoloration
• Weak enamel more prone to decay
• Crown malformation
• Altered eruption patterns

Primary teeth are biological placeholders. They guide eruption, preserve arch space, support jaw growth, and protect the tissues where permanent teeth are forming.

Early childhood caries is not a minor issue. It is an active infectious process within a developing craniofacial system.

What protects the permanent dentition?

• First dental visit between age 1-3: often best if child accompanies a parent to their hygiene visits a few times first.
• Early caries risk assessment
• Age-appropriate fluoride exposure
• Timely treatment of cavities
• Immediate evaluation of swelling or pain

Preventing decay in baby teeth is preventive care for the adult smile.

Temporary teeth. Permanent consequences.

Ithaca Dentistry wishes you a healthy and happy 2026! If your smile isn’t what you want it to be, give us a call this year! 607-272-2033