Expert: Joel S. Teig, DMD, Diplomate ABOMS, retired - 11/4/2009

Question
My child is 4 yrs she has lost one middle tooth and due to what we thought was adult tooth emerging. a tooth can be seen. The next middle tooth was lose saw tooth appearing behind baby tooth now a tooth has appeared in front of this tooth quite low down and is bigger than the others. i keep taking her to the dentist. we have seen three different ones due to how dental services work. i am fed up. i knew something was wrong but kept getting everything is normal. my child looks like large 7yr old tall well built but not obese. solid. Educationally very bright. age 7 reading but social skills are poor. she has spasms still undiagnosed, griping even now at this age bowel problems. i love her very much.  I know i am not a paranoid parent. My other child has none of these difficulties.

Answer
Amanda -  From your description of what your child has developed in the mouth with teeth seemingly developing all over the place up from in the mouth, it sounds like your child has developed a condition of supernumary.  These are actually extra teeth beyond the normal ones. You don't say this, but did the dentists take xrays.  An xray evaluation to determine what actually exists in the area is important.  I don't know if you are able to do this, but if you could, I would suggest that you have your child examined by a pedodontist (child dental specialist).  That would be the proper doctor to evaluate what is actually going on.  Otherwise, if you are unable to have your child seen by pedodontist, have your child exmained by a different dentist.  That is all I can really suggest.  The most important thing is for a proper xray evaluation to determine what is actually going on up there.