As a parent, you may wonder when your child’s primary teeth or baby teeth will fall out and be replaced by permanent teeth. Knowing the timeline for these milestones can help you ensure your child’s dental health.
Let’s take a closer look at the common age at which baby teeth fall out and permanent teeth come in.
When Do Baby Teeth Start to Fall Out?
Usually, children start losing their baby teeth around the age of six or seven years. However, this can vary widely, and some children may start losing baby teeth as early as four or as late as eight years old.
This process typically continues until the age of twelve or thirteen, when all baby teeth are replaced by permanent teeth.
What Is the Order of Baby Teeth Loss?
The order in which baby teeth are lost can also vary. Typically, the top two front teeth are the first to fall out, followed by the bottom two front teeth.
After that, the lateral incisors are next to go, followed by the first molars, then the canines, and finally, the second molars. However, again this order can vary as each child is unique in their dental development, so some children may lose teeth in a different order.
When Do Permanent Teeth Come In?
Permanent teeth start to replace baby teeth as early as age six or seven, and the final set of molars (wisdom teeth) come in around the ages of 17–21. Most children will have all of their permanent teeth by the age of 13.
What Is the Order of Permanent Teeth Eruption?
The order of permanent teeth eruption generally follows the same pattern for most people, but there is some variation. The first permanent teeth to erupt are the lower molars, followed by the upper molars.
Next come the lower central incisors, upper central incisors, lateral incisors, first premolars, canines, second premolars, and finally, the third molars or wisdom teeth.
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What Happens If Baby Teeth Fall Out Too Early?
If a child loses a baby tooth too early (before its permanent replacement is ready to come in), it can cause other teeth to shift and create dental problems such as crowding or bite issues.
In some cases, the dentist may use an appliance to hold the space until the permanent tooth is ready to take its place.
What Happens If Baby Teeth Don’t Fall Out?
If baby teeth don’t fall out on their own, it can cause problems with the eruption of the permanent teeth. The dentist may need to extract the baby tooth to ensure proper growth and development of the permanent teeth.
How to Encourage Healthy Teeth
Good dental hygiene is vital to maintaining healthy baby teeth and permanent teeth. Encourage your child to:.
- brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste
- floss daily
- avoid sugary foods and drinks
- attend regular dental check-ups
When to See a Dentist
If your child has not lost any baby teeth by the age of seven or if permanent teeth are coming in before the baby teeth have fallen out, schedule a visit with the dentist.
Your dentist can help you understand your child’s individual path of tooth development and ensure that everything is progressing as it should.
Conclusion
Although each child’s tooth development may be slightly different, the general timeline for baby teeth loss and permanent tooth eruption can help parents understand what to expect.
Encouraging good dental hygiene habits and staying in touch with your child’s dentist can help ensure that your child has a healthy and happy smile for life.
