As a first time mom of a 5-month-old, I’m anxiously waiting for my son’s first tooth to appear. At the end of this month, he will be 6-months-old, which is usually when the first baby tooth starts to show up. I am curious if he will have an adorable baby tooth popping through for the New Year!
In most cases your child’s teeth will erupt and exfoliate when they are ready. Generally, the lower two front teeth are the first to erupt in both the primary and permanent dentition. The primary dentition (baby teeth) consists of 20 teeth and they are lettered A-T. “A” starts on the upper right back tooth. Moving across to the left, each tooth coincides with the alphabet ending with “J” on the upper left. Directly below “J” on the lower arch you will find tooth letter “K”. Then moving back over to the right side finally ending with tooth “T.”
Teeth A, J, K, and T are all primary molars. Around 6 years old, permanent molars will start to erupt behind (not below) these primary molars. We often refer to these teeth as “6 year molars” or “First molars.” When your child reaches the age of 12, he or she will again get permanent molars, and they are located directly behind the 6 year molars. These teeth are their “12-year molars” or “Second molars.” Lastly, “Third molars” or “wisdom teeth” start to erupt around the ages of 17-21. In a complete permanent dentition, there are 32 teeth. All 20 primary teeth are exfoliated and replaced by permanent teeth. In addition to those that are exfoliated and replaced, there are 12 permanent molars.
Below is a guideline of when to expect teeth to appear and fall out. Remember, every child is different and may not follow this exact pattern. In some cases, children can be congenitally missing teeth or may need help “wiggling” teeth out to make room for their permanent teeth. If you have any concerns, your child should visit their dentist for an exam and possibly x-rays to evaluate their mouth.
Contributor Jenn Musselman, Registered Dental Hygienist at Prairie Dental Group
