Permanent Teeth Eruption: What Should You Expect? (A Parent’s Guide)
How long does it take for permanent teeth eruption to take place? After all, the primary teeth finish growing in, when should parents expect their children to have their permanent teeth eruption? This article will talk about primary teeth, permanent teeth and when to expect them. After reading, you can visit this site for more articles relating to teeth and oral health.
Primary Teeth
What are the primary teeth? These are often referred to as “baby” teeth and are the first set of teeth that babies have. They usually erupt when the baby is around six months old. Either the two central incisors on the upper jaw or the two front incisors on the lower jaw are the first primary teeth to erupt (although more commonly, the central incisors on the upper jaw are the first to erupt). After the first central incisors appear, the surrounding teeth will soon grow in.
Primary teeth are smaller in size in comparison to permanent teeth, This is because the jaws of babies are smaller than adult jaws. Most children have 10 primary teeth on their upper jaw and another set of 10 primary teeth on their lower jaw.
Permanent Teeth Eruption
What about permanent teeth, you ask? These permanent teeth usually erupt when a child starts losing their primary teeth. The primary teeth usually start falling out when a child reaches six years of age.
Central Incisors
Similar to the primary teeth, the permanent central incisors that will be the first to fall out. These primary central incisors for both the upper and lower jaws usually fall out when a child is around six or seven years old.
Lateral Incisors
The next set of primary teeth to be replaced are the lateral incisors. These primary teeth grow in when a baby is around 9 to 13 months and they fall out, ready to be replaced by permanent teeth when a child is seven to eight years old for both the upper and lower jaws.
Canine Teeth
These are the teeth that have a sharp fang shape and help people chew and bite food. In the primary tooth stage, these teeth erupt when a baby is 16 to 22 months old. The permanent versions grow in when a child reaches nine to 12 years of age. It is more common for the lower canine teeth to grow in first, followed by the canine teeth on the upper jaw.
First Molars
The primary set of first molars will erupt when a baby is 13 to 19 months old. This will happen at the time when the baby will be ready to eat solid foods. The primary teeth will fall out an the permanent teeth will grow in by the time the child is nine to 11 years old.
Second Molars
These are usually the last set of teeth to grow in, for both the primary teeth and permanent set of teeth. They will usually grow when babies are 23 to 31 months old and get replaced by permanent teeth when a child is 10 to 12 years old.
Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth are the teeth that are farthest to the back and will grow after much time has passed after the permanent set of second molars have grown in. These teeth tend to cause a lot of problems, because they do not erupt properly and can cause pain for many people.
Dentists are able to foresee if wisdom teeth may cause trouble down the line by using dental x-rays, visual examinations and other techniques and recommend that the wisdom teeth be extracted.
Why Should Primary Teeth Be Taken Care Of?
Taking care of teeth should start from childhood. It is crucial to have children develop good oral hygiene habits at a young age. Many people think that it is alright to not take care of primary teeth because they will eventually be replaced with permanent teeth anyway. This is a wrong notion that needs to be changed.
Children who are taught good oral health habits when they are young will more likely carry those habits into adulthood. Children who are taught early on how to brush their teeth and take care of their oral health will be less likely to have oral problems with their permanent teeth later in life.
Taking Care Of Permanent Teeth
Once permanent teeth eruption starts, it is important to practice good oral health habits to ensure that the teeth will always remain healthy and strong. Keep in mind that permanent teeth will no longer grow back in should they ever fall out. They will have to be replaced by artificial teeth. Replacements for teeth that have fallen out are most of the time very expensive and sometimes very painful. This is why it is of extreme importance that permanent teeth are taken care of.
It isn’t hard to take care of permanent teeth. Good oral hygiene habits just need to be done consistently. Brushing, flossing and regular visits to the dentist are some ways to keep your oral health at an optimal level. As soon as children are allowed to eat solid food, they will need to take care of their teeth. It is a good idea to remind them that taking care of their teeth is important, whether those be primary or permanent teeth. Cavities and tooth decay may still happen even in primary teeth.
Final Thoughts
By the time a child is around 13 or 14 years of age, they will have most of their permanent teeth already. There should be 28 teeth in place by this time. Visiting a dentist at least once a year while permanent teeth are erupting will help dentists determine if there will be problems down the line when it comes to the alignment of teeth.
If dentists foresee that potential problems may arise because of tooth malocclusion or other types of tooth overcrowding, they will be able to prevent the potential problems before they happen. This is why it is important to see a dentist periodically, so that they can make sure that any problems will be averted.
Should you have any questions about permanent teeth eruption, how your child may be affected by it, talk to your dentist about it. Dentists will be able to give you advice about what to do to soothe your baby’s sore gums while they are teething. Dentists will also be able to give new parents an idea of what to expect as their child will enter the teething stage. Later on, dentists will be also able to advise you about permanent teeth eruption and monitor your teeth as they grow in.
If you’re looking for a trusted dental clinic that can help you maintain peak oral health, you can visit a nearby dentist and schedule an appointment.