We’ve all heard of babies being born with teeth – a mum’s worst nightmare if you’re hoping to breastfeed. On the other hand, you may have heard of kids that don’t get any teeth until they’re toddlers.
But, what is the normal age for baby teeth to come through, and when do they start losing them for the adult teeth?
Dental Milestones:
- 6 months First tooth appears
- 2.5 years All 20 baby teeth are through – 10 at the top, 10 at the bottom
- 5.5 years First baby tooth falls out – usually a lower front tooth
- 9 years All adult teeth are visible on an Xray
- 12-13 years All baby teeth have fallen out, and all adult teeth through except wisdom teeth
- 16-25 years Wisdom teeth come through
Of course, these figures are averages and there can be large variations between children.
It’s best not to be too concerned with the age at which teeth come through or fall out, but rather to watch the mirror image tooth comes in or falls out within 6 months. So, if the lower left incisor falls out at 5.5 years, make sure the lower right incisor falls out by 6 years. And same goes for teeth coming through.
In the typical child the tooth fairy makes her first visit between 5-6 years old. You should expect 8 visits from the tooth fairy over the next 2 years! This is because the baby incisors are being replaced by the adult incisors (4 at the top, 4 at the bottom).
However, what you may not notice is the appearance of the 6 year-old molars at the back of the mouth. These are the big adult teeth that come in behind the baby molars, and they do not push out any baby teeth, so you may not notice them coming through.
Once all the adult incisors are through by around 8 years old, there is a 2 year period of relative inactivity in the mouth, and you may be wondering where the tooth fairy has gone all of a sudden. But, there is a lot of activity under the surface! Remember, your kid has only lost 8 of her 20 baby teeth, so there are 12 more visits from the tooth fairy still to come!
The next burst of activity happens around 10 years old, when the baby molars begin to get loose as the adult premolars and canines begin to push through.
By 12-13 years old, the last of the baby molars have fallen out near the back of the mouth, and your kid has completed her 6 year transition from the baby dentition, through the mixed dentition, into the full adult dentition. In all, we develop 32 adult teeth.
If you’re concerned about your child’s teeth be sure to see a dental health professional to put your mind at ease. If you have questions surrounding the topic of braces or looking for an excellent orthodontist, get in touch with the team at Sunbird Orthodontics today.
