Your baby's teeth serve as much more than space savers for his permanent teeth -- they are important to the health of his gums and adult teeth. In addition, your baby's first set of teeth affect the growth of his face, jaw and how he speaks. Knowing what to expect as your baby's teeth emerge lays the groundwork for maintaining his oral health for years to come.
When Teething Begins
Your baby's teeth begin to erupt at about 6 to 7 months of age, but some babies teethe earlier and some much later. This teething pattern runs in families -- if you were an early teether, your baby is likely to be one as well, notes Boston pediatrician Karen Sadler. Some babies get their teeth in rapid succession, while others teethe at a slower pace. Your baby will get his teeth on his own timetable, which may be different from other children. Make an appointment with a pediatric dentist soon after your child's first teeth emerge and follow up every six months so your dentist can monitor his progress.
Typical Eruption Sequence
Your baby's teeth usually arrive in twos, with the lower two central teeth coming in first, followed about two months later by the top four front teeth. Within eight more weeks, two more bottom incisors fill in next to his front teeth. His upper and lower first molars should come in before he turns 18 months. His lower and upper canines emerge before he reaches his second birthday. His upper and lower second molars should come in by his second birthday. If you have any questions about the order in which your baby's teeth are coming in, talk to your dentist. He may decide to take X-rays to see if your baby is missing any teeth. If a baby tooth does not come in, it can affect the placement of a permanent tooth.
Importance of Baby Teeth
The teething process, from first baby tooth to last, takes 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 years. Your child should have all 20 of his baby teeth by the time he is 3 years old. These teeth are much more than place holders for his adult teeth; they help maintain the health of his gums and the structure for his permanent teeth. If something causes the loss of one of his baby teeth, such as decay or an accident, it can jeopardize the health and placement of the permanent tooth. If your child must have a decayed baby tooth pulled, the surrounding teeth move closer together, crowding out the permanent tooth. As subsequent permanent teeth come in, they too may be misaligned.
When Baby Teeth Fall Out
Beginning at about age 6, your child starts losing his baby teeth as his permanent teeth come in. He loses the baby teeth in the same order as they came in -- from the center to the back of his mouth. By age 9, your child may still have about 12 baby teeth, but by age 11 or 12 he should have lost them all, giving way to his permanent teeth. If your child's baby teeth have not fallen out when they should, his dentist may take an X-ray to see how much of the baby tooth's root remains. Sometimes permanent teeth begin emerging while the baby teeth are still in place; this can affect the placement of the new tooth. In this case, the dentist may need to extract the baby teeth.
References
- BabyZone; How Common Is It for a Baby to Have the Majority of His Teeth Come in at Once; Dr. Karen Sadler
- MyPediatricDentist.com: Baby Teeth
- BabyZone; Caring for Your Child's Teeth: 10 Common Questions Answered; Tracy B. McGinnis
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: Frequently Asked Questions
- International Association of Paediatric Dentistry: Let Me Ask You, Doc (for Children 6-9 Years)
- American Dental Association: Eruption Charts (Tooth Eruption Charts)
