Smiles For Tomorrow
Natal Teeth

Natal teeth (present at birth), or neonatal teeth (erupting shortly after birth), are prematurely erupted teeth. In 85% of the cases, natal or neonatal teeth are normal primary teeth and should be allowed to remain in place unless they are quite mobile.

Riga-Fede disease is an ulcer on the ventral surface of the tongue that is caused by the tongue moving over the sharp edges of natal or neonatal teeth. The infant may experience pain that discourages feeding. The treatment of Riga-Fede disease consists of smoothing the sharp edges of the teeth or removing the teeth as a last resort. The ulcers then heal spontaneously.