Stages Of Tooth Development

Posted September 1, 2015

When your little one’s smile is in the process of developing, watching each stage is amazing and exciting. However, when you’re not sure what to expect you can find yourself worrying about whether the developmental process is normal or if you should schedule a visit to see us. We are, of course, always happy to see your child for a dental checkup, particularly if it has been longer than six months or you think something is wrong. Rather than leaving you with a great mystery, we are happy to provide you with details about what to expect from tooth development. Now you can relax and simply enjoy watching your little one grow.

Primary Teeth

You may call these primary teeth or “baby teeth.” They are the first teeth that will develop in your child’s smile. Though development varies slightly from child to child, you will usually see these teeth show up between the ages of six months and 12 months. For the most part, the first teeth to develop are the bottom incisors, followed by the top incisors. Once the primary teeth have developed, you should be able to count a total of 20 teeth.

Permanent Teeth

Baby teeth will begin falling out around the time your child is six years old. This process will usually continue until your child is around 12 years old. Permanent teeth will develop typically in the same order as the baby teeth did. Once the replacement adult teeth and 12-year molars develop, your child should have 28 teeth in his or her mouth.

Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are a final set of molars that develop once an individual reaches his or her late teens or 20s. These molars develop behind existing teeth and often require removal. The final number of teeth in the human mouth is 32.