Just as the eruption of the baby teeth follows a general schedule, the secondary teeth also usually erupt through the gums in a predictable order. Secondary teeth, which are more commonly referred to as adult teeth or permanent teeth, replace the twenty-baby teeth that a child gets during the first few years of life. In addition to the twenty replacements, children eventually get twelve additional teeth for a total of thirty-two permanent teeth. But with these new teeth, there may also be new problems.
Misalignment of teeth could be a result of improper uprooting in the case of children. Though plucking of teeth can be done both professionally and at home, it might be better to seek a professional to do the job. This may be because improper plucking methods could damage the gums and thereby cause misalignment of teeth in the future. Brands like Invisalign might help to ensure aligned growth of teeth in the case of children, and even with adults! On the other hand, when we are talking about permanent teeth in general, they will come in for most children during the following age ranges:
- 6 to 7 years: First molars, two lower central incisors (replacement)
- 7 to 8 years: Two upper central incisors (replacement), two lower lateral incisors (replacement)
- 8 to 9 years: Two upper lateral incisors (replacement)
- 9 to 10 years: Two lower cuspids (replacement)
- 10 to 11 years: Two upper first bicuspids (partial replacement)
- 10 to 12 years: Two lower first bicuspids (partial replacement), two upper second bicuspids (partial replacement)
- 11 to 12 years: Two upper cuspids (replacement), two lower second bicuspids (partial replacement)
- 11 to 13 years: Lower second molars
- 12 to 13 years: Upper second molars
- 17 to 21 years: Third molars (wisdom teeth)
The exact order and timing of the eruption of the permanent teeth may vary depending on the particular child. However, the permanent teeth eruption schedule is a general guide that parents can use to predict the order in which a child will get his or her adult teeth.
After a child’s permanent teeth erupt, it seems to be of the utmost importance that oral hygiene is properly maintained. Due to the fact that decay in permanent teeth can lead to their loss, it is absolutely essential that children are provided with foods that do not have an excessive amount of sugar in them. Although it’s easy to find a nearby dental implant specialist to replace a decayed tooth, it is still imperative to take care of children’s permanent teeth.
Also see my Baby Teething Schedule for a general timeline of primary, or baby, teeth.
References
Ages When Baby Teeth Come In and Fall Out: http://children.webmd.com/primary-baby-teeth-eruption-sequence
Image Credits
Permanent Teeth Eruption Schedule: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rawhead/3467959819/ (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) and https://www.flickr.com/photos/ephramjames/6668073535/ (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Permanent and Deciduous Teeth: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2410_Permanent_and_Deciduous_TeethN.jpg
