Ankylosed baby tooth

[GirlwiththeCurl]

I guess this is really a question for those of you whose kids deal with AS. We found out at the dentist that L has an ankylosed baby tooth. The dentist was very offhand about it, but after I looked it up I was concerned (it can lead to impaction of the permanent tooth or even bone loss and facial deformation--though I believe that's rare). Also, it's not really understood what causes it, though general inflammatory processes are thought to be involved and one thing I read said there can be a disposition towards other ankylosing diseases. Has anyone heard anything about ankylosed teeth and other problems?

 

[my little penguin]

Tagging Maya142

Never had that issue with Ds
Hugs

Has she seen a rheumatologist?
Maybe add that to your list

 

[Maya142]

I looked it up and there weren't many articles on AS and dental ankylosis. My guess is that it's unrelated.

It's something you can and should discuss with your daughter's GI and if she/he is concerned I'd guess she/he would order a consult with a rheumatologist and further testing.

For what it is worth, TMJ involvement in AS is quite rare - 5% of all AS sufferers have TMJ involvement. And TMJ ankylosis is even rarer...And I have to say, in all the JIA mom groups I've been in in, all the studies we've ben in and the Arthritis Foundation events we have gone to, I've never ever heard dental ankylosis even discussed. Not even once!

 

[GirlwiththeCurl]

Thanks, MLP and Maya. I'll mention it, I think, but I feel reassured that this is probably a separate issue altogether.

 

[Maya142]

I would only be concerned if she is complaining of symptoms - does she have painful joints? Is she stiff in the morning? Pain or swelling in her knees, ankles or heels? Those joints are very commonly affected in kids but it can really be any joint.

 

[Jabee]

I work in a pediatric dental office and children do get baby teeth that becomes ankylosed with no other conditions? Our dentist typically wants to remove them so the permanent tooth will have room to erupt; extracting the tooth would probably require a space maintainer until the permanent tooth begins to descend. A good pediatric dentist should be talking with you about doing this.