Looking for the best pediatric dentist for your child? You’ve come to the right place. Marigold Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics provides the highest quality care in a fun and friendly setting.
Your child’s teeth from birth to adulthood
Your child’s teeth and jaw will undergo many changes from the time they’re born until they reach full maturity as adults. Here’s a look at the stages of dental development.
Babies are born with 20 primary teeth situated just under their gums. These teeth, like adult chompers, vary in shape, size, and location. Their differences all work together for a purpose — to help kids chew comfortably, speak clearly, and smile happily. They also help form and shape the mouth, jaw, and face.
Baby teeth begin to erupt at around 6 months of age and sprout over the next few years until all 20 (10 upper and 10 lower) have made an appearance. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends children start going to the dentist by age 1 or within 6 months of their first tooth.
Most often, children will begin to lose their primary teeth around age 6, but it can happen any time between the ages of 4 and 7.
Typically, the first baby teeth to fall out are the two bottom front teeth. These are called the lower central incisors. Usually the upper central incisors, lateral incisors, first molars, canines, and second molars follow. You can expect your child to get their first permanent molars (all the way in the back!) around age 6.
The second permanent molars emerge around age 12. By age 21, your adult child should have a full set of 32 permanent teeth. Four of those teeth are the wisdom teeth, which usually erupt between ages 17 and 21.
Before Your First Visit:
To save you time on your visit, you can view several forms (add hyperlink) and fill them out in advance. That allows us to get to your child’s dental exam quickly.