Most parents ask dentists whether deciduous teeth require restorative procedures, considering their natural exfoliation. They also ask whether they can have decayed deciduous teeth extracted or not and whether spending money on deciduous teeth is justifiable or not.
It should be pointed out in response to these questions that each deciduous tooth is responsible for preserving a space for its succedaneous permanent tooth. Canine teeth and posterior deciduous teeth should be preserved until 11-12 years of age. If these teeth are lost prematurely, the posterior teeth move forward, decreasing the dental arch length; therefore, there will not be adequate space for the eruption of permanent teeth in their proper position. As a result, the permanent teeth either erupt maligned or in the wrong direction or remain impacted in the jaw. These conditions lead to complicated orthodontic and surgical treatments with high costs and long treatment times for the parents and patients.
