A loose baby molar with a loose cap. Is it a big deal if the cap comes off before the baby tooth comes out?

Question

My 8 year old grandson had caps put on his baby molars. Now the first of the baby molars has become loose and the cap is loose, as well. If the cap comes off before the baby tooth comes out, is it a big deal or can we just let the cap come off and the tooth come out on its own when it is ready.

David M. Schertzer, DDS · Answer

It would be best to have the tooth/crown evaluated by his dentist.  If the tooth is loose and will be coming out soon then the crown popping off (as long as there is no pain) is most likely not a huge issue.  However, the primary (baby) molars typically do not come out until around age 10 and sometimes as late as 12-13 years old.  If the dentist determines that the tooth will be in for a while longer then it would be best to either recement the crown if possible or have a new crown put on.

Desiree Yazdan, DDS · Answer

It is never ideal to leave a tooth uncovered, however, I do suspect that the tooth and crown will come off at the same time.  If the crown comes off prematurely, have a dentist take a look to determine if it's okay to leave it.

Joseph F. DelPrete, DMD · Answer

It depends on how loose the baby tooth i.  Typically the baby molar is lost around age 10 but can be lost earlier ,  I would have a dentist look at it to determine if it is ok to leave as is.  Leaving tooth uncovered for 1-2 years could be a problem

A loose baby molar with a loose cap. Is it a big deal if the cap comes off before the baby tooth comes out?

Answers (3)