Your Child's Teeth: Development Chart and Eruption Schedule

Dental Health and Your Child's Teeth

The following chart shows when your child's primary teeth (also called baby teeth or deciduous teeth) should erupt and shed. Eruption times vary from child to child.

As seen from the chart, the first teeth begin to break through the gums at about 6 months of age. Usually, the first two teeth to erupt are the two bottom central incisors (the two bottom front teeth). Next, the top four front teeth emerge. After that, other teeth slowly begin to fill in, usually in pairs -- one each side of the upper or lower jaw -- until all 20 teeth (10 in the upper jaw and 10 in the lower jaw) have come in by the time the child is 2 ½ to 3 years old. The complete set of primary teeth is in the mouth from the age of 2 ½ to 3 years of age to 6 to 7 years of age.

Primary Teeth Development Chart

Upper Teeth

When tooth emerges

When tooth falls out

Central incisor

8 to 12 months

6 to 7 years

Lateral incisor

9 to 13 months

7 to 8 years

Canine (cuspid)

16 to 22 months

10 to 12 years

First molar

13 to 19 months

9 to 11 years

Second molar

25 to 33 months

10 to 12 years

Lower Teeth

Second molar

23 to 31 months

10 to 12 years

First molar

14 to 18 months

9 to 11 years

Canine (cuspid)

17 to 23 months

9 to 12 years

Lateral incisor

10 to 16 months

7 to 8 years

Central incisor

6 to 10 months

6 to 7 years

Other primary tooth eruption facts:

A general rule of thumb is that for every 6 months of life, approximately 4 teeth will erupt.

Girls generally precede boys in tooth eruption.

Lower teeth usually erupt before upper teeth.

Teeth in both jaws usually erupt in pairs -- one on the right and one on the left.

Primary teeth are smaller in size and whiter in color than the permanent teeth that will follow.

By the time a child is 2 to 3 years of age, all primary teeth should have erupted.

Shortly after age 4, the jaw and facial bones of the child begin to grow, creating spaces between the primary teeth. This is a perfectly natural growth process that provides the necessary space for the larger permanent teeth to emerge. Between the ages of 6 and 12, a mixture of both primary teeth and permanent teeth reside in the mouth.

Why Is it Important to Care for Baby Teeth?

While it's true that baby teeth are only in the mouth a short period of time, they play a vital role. Baby teeth:

Reserve space for their permanent counterparts

Give the face its normal appearance.

Aid in the development of clear speech.

Help attain good nutrition (missing or decayed teeth make it difficult to chew, causing children to reject foods)

Help give a healthy start to the permanent teeth (decay and infection in baby teeth can cause damage to the permanent teeth developing beneath them)

To understand the problems that decaying baby teeth can cause in permanent teeth, see Oral Health Problems in Children.

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Only 18.5% of Americans never floss. You are missing out on a simple way to make a big difference in the health of your mouth. Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Floss removes food trapped between the teeth and removes the film of bacteria that forms there before it turns to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Try flossing just one tooth to get started.

You are one of 31% of Americans who don't floss daily. You are missing out on a simple way to make a big difference in the health of your mouth. Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Flossing removes up to 80% of the film that hardens to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Aim for 3 more days!

You are one of 31% of Americans who don't floss daily, but you're well on your way to making a positive impact on your teeth and gums. Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Flossing removes up to 80% of the film that hardens to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Aim for all 7 days!

Only 50.5% of Americans floss daily, and good for you that you are one of them! Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Flossing removes up to 80% of the film that hardens to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Congratulations on your good oral health habit!

SOURCES:

American Dental Association, Healthy People 2010

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