About Teeth

Your child’s first baby tooth should erupt around the age of 6-8 months. The full complement of primary teeth should be present by the time the child is 3 years old. The first permanent molar erupts behind the last primary molars around the age of six. This often surprises parents because no baby teeth are shed in exchange for the eruption of these molars. Also during this time, your child will begin to lose some of his primary incisors. The chart below will help you understand the sequence of eruption and exfoliation.

Primary teeth are important not only for chewing your food but also to help guide the permanent teeth into the proper position when it is time. It is important to address any problems associated with the baby teeth because this could lead to problems in the child’s bite and also in the way the permanent teeth develop.