Teeth are necessary for chewing food as well as for being able to speak clearly. Each tooth has a specific function, according to the Kids Health website. Your incisors--the four front teeth and the teeth on either side of them--are shaped like small chisels for cutting and chopping food. The pointy teeth beside the incisors, the canines, also are sharp and useful for tearing food. The premolars and molars in the back of your mouth are big, strong and ridged, making them effective for crushing and grinding food.
Baby Teeth Development
Primary teeth are often called baby teeth. A baby’s teeth begin developing even before he is born, although they do not become visible until his first year of life. The four front teeth appear first, at about 6 months of age. By the age of 3, most children have a set of 20 baby teeth, 10 in the upper jaw and 10 in the lower jaw. Baby teeth are important because they maintain space for the permanent teeth, which are developing beneath the gum.
Losing Baby Teeth
Most children begin losing their baby teeth around the age of 6, at the same time their permanent teeth erupt. By the time they reach 13, most children have shed all of their baby teeth and have 28 of their permanent teeth: four central incisors, four lateral incisors, four canines, eight premolars and eight molars. The age at which children develop and shed teeth is determined by heredity and other factors, according to the American Dental Association.
Permanent Teeth
The first permanent molars, which are often called the six-year molars, appear between the ages of 6 and 7. Because they do not replace existing teeth, they are sometimes mistaken for baby teeth. They are important because they affect the shape of a child’s jawline and determine the positioning of his other teeth as they appear.
Wisdom Teeth
The last of the permanent teeth, the third molars, erupt through the gum when a person is between 17 and 21. With the arrival of these four third molars, sometimes called the “wisdom” teeth, a young adult has 32 teeth. The third molars are so far back in the mouth that they are not always necessary for chewing. If your wisdom teeth are impacted, meaning there is no space for them, they can be painful or cause infection. Impacted wisdom teeth are more likely to create problems as a person ages, according to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and for this reason your dentist might recommend their removal.
Problems
Dental specialists called orthodontists use custom-fit dental appliances and braces to treat problems that can occur as permanent teeth develop. A child might be treated by an orthondontist for conditions such as crowded, protruding or poorly spaced teeth, or a jaw with an overbite or underbite. Orthodontic treatment not only creates an attractive smile, it also can correct abnormal wear on the teeth and help make teeth easier to clean, according to the American Association of Orthodontists.
