The hidden culprit behind crowded front teeth
A 13-year-old presented with mild crowding and a stubborn baby molar that sat lower than its neighbors. Percussion produced a “metallic” sound—classic ankylosis. The family saw it as one big Shrewsbury case because spacing was closing, chewing felt awkward, and they’d heard mixed advice online.
Why ankylosed teeth are sneaky
When a primary molar fuses to bone, it stops erupting while neighbors keep moving. That traps space and can distort the bite. As the Shrewsbury child case dentist, Dr. Rizwan Baig focused on two goals: preserve implant-worthy bone and protect arch length.
Sequenced plan: release, preserve, replace (at the right time)
Phase 1: Controlled extraction & ridge preservation.
The ankylosed molar was gently removed; particulate graft with a collagen membrane preserved the ridge. A space maintainer held alignment while healing occurred.
Phase 2: Aligner-based space management (13–16).
Light arch development and rotation correction aligned teeth without bulky hardware. A small temporary tooth on the retainer maintained the smile for school photos.
Phase 3: Implant at skeletal maturity (17–18+).
Once growth stabilized, CBCT planning guided a narrow-diameter implant in the healed ridge. A custom abutment and zirconia crown matched contacts and shade precisely.
What parents loved
- No “gap years”—the retainer-pontic looked natural throughout
- Short check-ins; sports and instruments were never interrupted
- A final crown that chewed like a real tooth—without tipping neighbors or trapping food
Long-term stability
Nighttime retainer wear and a slim occlusal guard preserved the bite. Annual X-rays monitored bone levels around the implant—stable at the two-year mark.
Takeaway
If your search includes Dentist case Shrewsbury and ankylosed baby teeth—or you’re literally typing “is one big dentist Shrewsbury for teen implants”—Dr. Rizwan Baig delivers a growth-smart plan: remove what’s stuck, save bone, keep the smile complete, and place the implant when biology agrees.
