Primary teeth / First Baby Teeth / Primary dentition
Primary teeth or baby teeth or deciduous teeth are called the first baby teeth of a child
(sometimes also called milk teeth).
The number of baby teeth is 20 (ten at every jaw), much less than the number of the adult teeth.
The primary teeth will be replaced at a baby's later age by a set of 32 permanent teeth.
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The first baby teeth to erupt are usually the
two lower front teeth. The order of primary teeth eruption (teething age) is as shown in the following baby teeth chart :
1. central incisors
2. Lateral incisors
3. Canines
4. First molars
5. Second molars
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Primary teeth eruption (Teething) - Baby teeth chart
Around the 8th week after conception, oval-shaped tooth buds start to form and harden in the embryo's mouth.
Although the baby teeth aren't visible when a child is born, both the primary and permanent teeth are partially formed below the gums.
The tooth crown develops first and after it is fully grown, the root begins to develop.
Then
between about six months and 1 year old, the deciduous teeth begin to push through the gums.
This process is called baby teeth eruption or teething.
A child gets his first complete set of primary teeth by the age of 3.
The baby teeth chart shows the average age that each primary tooth is expected to erupt.
But not all baby teeth follow these rules.
Some infants may have their first primary tooth (usually one of the bottom middle teeth) erupted as early as 3 months.
Others may reach their first birthday or more without getting their first deciduous tooth.
If there is no sign of teething by this age you should ask for a pediatrician's advise.
That kind of late development of primary teeth is more common in premature babies.
In some rare cases (1 every 2.000) infants are born with one or more teeth (called natal teeth) or may have teeth emerge within the first month (called neonatal teeth).
A dentist should evaluate the teeth's condition, as they could be loose, interfere with feeding or irritate the baby's tongue.
The eruption of the first primary tooth marks the starting point for your child's oral hygiene.
Baby teeth are susceptible to tooth decay as soon as they appear. The main dental problems related with primary teeth are :
baby bottle tooth decay,
thumb sucking and
the early loss of primary teeth before the eruption of permanent teeth.
Tooth numbering charts - How are teeth numbered? - Dentists use special tooth numbering systems for uniquely identifying and referring to a specific tooth.
Learn more about the tooth numbering systems for primary / baby teeth...
The total cost of several dental treatments is significant and you may not afford it without dental insurance coverage.
Learn how to choose a dental insurance plan that will help you provide the best dental treatment to your family.
TOOTH MORPHOLOGY OF PRIMARY TEETH
The primary teeth are 20 : ten at every jaw
8 incisors,
4 canines and
8 primary molars
The deciduous teeth of the primary dentition are smaller than the teeth of the same type in the permanent dentition,
but they generally resemble in form.
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- Primary teeth chart -
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