When Do Permanent Teeth Come In?
As a parent you will have watched your baby’s early developmental milestones and seen their first teeth develop. Between the ages of six months and three years, all twenty of their primary teeth will be on show.
At the age of six, the process starts again, this time the baby teeth will fall out and a permanent set erupts. The permanent teeth take far longer to establish, it may well be a decade or more until the final one arrives.
What are permanent teeth?
Permanent teeth replace a child’s primary teeth and as a child grows the jaw lengthens to create space for these new teeth. The jaw grows to accommodate these extra teeth, children only have 20 baby teeth, whereas as an adult they’ll have 32 (including 4 wisdom teeth).
How do they develop?
Permanent teeth are growing beneath the gums in the jawbone, underneath a child’s baby teeth. As time passes, the root of a primary tooth dissolves and the top of the incoming permanent tooth arrives into that space. As the new tooth forms, the baby tooth becomes loose and falls out.
These permanent teeth come through darker in colour than baby teeth and look yellow in colour because they have a greater amount of dentin to make them strong.
Which arrive first?
The incisors, at the front of the mouth, which are often called the ‘front teeth’ typically come in first at the age of six. They are the top two front teeth and the two bottom teeth. Their main purpose is to be able cut and tear food into small chewable pieces, so they have a sharp biting surface.
The next to arrive are the first molars which come through at a similar age. Two are on the bottom row of teeth and two are on the top. These teeth aren’t replacing primary teeth and are tough teeth. They are flat teeth located mid-way towards back of the mouth. Although they vary in size and shape, they are the largest teeth in the mouth.
Teeth arriving from age ten onwards
The two pointy canine teeth on the bottom row next to the incisors come through next around the age of ten and twelve. Premolars, also called bicuspids are next on the top and the bottom, these are the two teeth next to the canine teeth.
Then it’s time for the two canine teeth on the top to erupt and by age of thirteen, the second molars have usually erupted on the top and bottom and at the back of the mouth. The third molars, otherwise known as wisdom teeth, right at the back of the mouth, usually appear between the ages of 17 and 25.
Your genes play a part in how your teeth erupt, if you have naturally straight teeth, chances are that your child’s teeth will come in straight. If you’ve experienced a mouth with overcrowded teeth, then your child could also have overcrowding issues.
If you’re concerned about the eruption of your child’s permanent teeth, then come and speak to one of our experienced dentists. We have five clinics throughout Perth and offer competitively priced dental services and dental implants, so give us a call today.
