Tooth Eruption – When Do They Happen?

January 21, 2009 | Posted by admin

Tooth eruption is a part and parcel of growing up, at least for the first 15 years of each and everyone of us. This is especially important for parents to note these dates for your child, so that you can ensure that your child is undergoing a normal phase. Let us first explore the different tooth names and their positions.

Baby Teeth

Permanent Teeth

No teeth are visible in the mouth at birth. It is important to note that eruption times vary from child to child just as the individual growth rates between children vary. Some babies are born with an erupted incisor (neonatal tooth), but these are not the true teeth and lost soon after birth. At about 6 months of age the first baby teeth to erupt are the lower two front incisors (mandibular central insicor) and 4 upper front teeth followed. The remaining child’s teeth will appear periodically in pairs on each side of the jaw until all baby teeth have come in about 2.5 years of age. The last teeth to emerge are the top two molars (maxillary second molars at 30 months). The complete set of baby teeth came out from 2 years to 5.5 or 6 years of age (when no permanent teeth are present.) Shortly after 4 years of age your child jaw and facial bones will begin to grow creating spacesbetween their teeth. This is a natural process to necessary to provide larger space for permanent teeth to emerge.

A good rule of thumb concerning baby teeth is that for every 6 months, approximately 4 teeth will erupt. Baby teeth play a vital role in reserving space for their permanent counterparts and for children social development. Missing or decayed baby teeth often cause children to reject foods that are difficult to chew. Decay and infection in baby teeth can cause dark spots on the permanent tooth developing beneath it. The deciduous second molars are particularly important and should be preserved until their normal time of exfoliation. This prevents the first permanent molars from moving the empty spaces left behind by the removal of the deciduous second molars. The primary are crucial to your child’s normal facial appearance and the formulation of clear speech.

Parents should note that without the benefit of a full dental examination, including a review of medical history, dental x-rays, and diagnostic aids, no attempt can be made to provide specific diagnosis or recommended coursesof treatment.

Baby Eruption Patterns

• teeth tend to erupt in pairs
• lower teeth usually erupt before the upper teeth
• girls generally preceded boys in tooth eruption
• the teeth in both jaws usually erupt in pairs – one on the right and one on the left
• by the time the child reaches the age of two to three years, all the deciduous (baby) teeth should have erupted

Eruption Dates for Baby Teeth

Tooth                             Lower                        Upper

Central Incisor               6 1/2 months            7 1/2 months

Lateral Incisor                7 months                   8 months

First Molar                      12-16 months          12-16 months       

Canine                            16-20 months          16-20 months

Second Molar                  20-30 months          20-30 months

Permanent Teeth

At about 6 years of age, the first permanent molars (upper and lower) and lower permanent incisorsbegin to erupt. Between the age of approximately 6 and 12 years, children have a mixture of permanent and deciduous teeth. This is known as the mixed dentition stage. By the age of 12 most children have all their permanent teeth, except for their wisdom teeth.

Eruption Dates for Permanent Teeth

Tooth                             Lower                        Upper

Central Incisor               6-7 years                  7-8 years

Lateral Incisor                7-8 years                 8-9 years     

Canine                            9-10 years               11-12 years

1st Premolar                   10-12 years             10-12 years

2nd Premolar                  11-12 years             10-12 years

1st Molar                        6-7 years                  6-7 years

2nd Molar                       11-13 years              12-13 years

3rd Molar                        17-21 years              17-21 years

Categories: Oral care, Uncategorized | Tags: canine, deciduous teeth, incisor, lateral incisor, molar, permanent teeth, premolar, tooth eruption | 6 Comments »

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