Baby Teeth and Permanent Teeth

By Michael K. Davis, MD
July 10, 2009

So when will your baby get some teeth?  The eruption of teeth occur at different ages for different children.  Some newborns are born with one or more teeth, however these “neonatal teeth” typically fall out in a few days.  Your doctor may wish to remove the neonatal teeth so they don’t fall out and enter your child’s airway.  “Baby teeth” (called the primary dentition) begin to erupt at about 6 months of age.  The bottom front teeth (central incisors of the mandible) are typically the first to erupt.  The front four upper teeth are typically the next to erupt (central and lateral incisors of the maxilla). 

The mandible is the chin bone and the maxilla is the skull bone that holds the upper teeth.  The rest of your child’s teeth will erupt over the next two years.  The first permanent teeth (the molars closest to the front) begin to erupt at about 6 years of age.  Your child will have both permanent and baby teeth at the same time.  Your child will start to lose baby teeth at about 6 or 7 years of age.  The first teeth to fall out are the incisors (typically a bottom tooth is the first to go!).  Your child will likely have all the permanent teeth (and no baby teeth!) except for the wisdom teeth by about 12 years of age. 

 

 

 Source: Dr. Tummy

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