Dental Development Throughout Childhood: What to Expect at Each Stage

Whether you’re a new parent and are preparing yourself to enter the world of the tooth fairy and nightly brushing routine, or your little one has already started losing baby teeth and you’re wondering what comes next, we hope this piece will serve as your one-stop shop for navigating the exciting (and sometimes messy) world of your child’s oral development.

From those first tiny chompers to navigating braces and adult teeth, we’ll break down what to expect at each stage.

With that said, let’s get right down to business explaining what each stage of dental development is called and what it involves as well as how to help your toddler, teen, or young adult through each stage.

Early & Middle Childhood

Pregnancy

At around six weeks of age, the basic substance of the tooth begins to form. By 3-4 months of gestation, the hard tissue that surrounds the teeth is formed. It’s not until after the child is actually born, however, that teeth begin to protrude from the gums.

What You Can Do: During this stage, it’s important for pregnant mothers to practice good oral hygiene habits and eat a healthy, balanced diet to ensure their child’s optimal overall and oral development.

Teething to 24 Months

The process of teeth breaking through the gums, or odontiasis, is more commonly known as teething.

Teething babies experience a great deal of pain and discomfort, but odontiasis is a necessary part of kids’ oral development.

Teething normally begins around the 6-month-old-mark, but may happen a month or two earlier or in some cases several months after. It usually continues through age 2 or even up to age 3.

When Do Baby Teeth Come In?

Here is the usual range for baby teeth eruption by age.

Upper Teeth

• Central incisor: 8-12 months
• Lateral incisor: 9-13 months
• Canine (cuspid): 16-22 months
• First molar: 13-19 months
• Second molar: 25-33 months

Lower Teeth

• Second molar: 23-31 months
• First molar: 14-18 months
• Canine (cuspid): 17-23 months
• Lateral incisor: 10-16 months
• Central incisor: 6-10 months

As you can see, babies teethe for almost two years, from around 6 months old to almost 2-3 years old. This is about two full years of teething time.

What You Can Do: The “terrible twos” as they’re often known are marked by many a kid’s toothache and more than a few associated tantrums. When it comes to making your toddler more comfortable during this time, there are several steps you can take:

• Try to be as patient as possible with teething discomfort (we know, easier said than done!)
• Schedule your little one’s first dental appointment around the 12-month mark
• Start establishing healthy oral habits such as brushing babies’ teeth right away with safe, effective, and fun oral care products like finger brushes
• Offer safe teething toys to mitigate any discomfort

Ages 2 to 5

From ages 2-5, for most kids, teething will have ended and all primary (baby) teeth will have erupted.

This time is one of great change and development on many levels for most kids, who are learning to manage feelings. They’re also developing linguistically, creatively, and physically, with increased sensory and motor skills. Additionally, the oral microbiome, which is the collection of billions of microbes—both good and bad—in the mouth, evolves and matures at this stage. e oral microbiome (collection of all the billions of microbes – both good and bad – in the mouth) evolves and matures at this stage.

What You Can Do: Capitalize on your little one’s developing body and brain by teaching them foundational oral care skills. Emphasize the importance of regular brushing and flossing by establishing routines, and try to make it fun with age-appropriate products so your little one is invested in taking care of their teeth and gums.

Later Childhood & Adolescence

Ages 6 to 12

During ages 6-12, kids begin to lose their baby teeth as they transition from primary teeth to permanent teeth. Here’so adult teeth come in, you ask? During the same time period! Here’s an overview of when most kids will shed their baby teeth vs grow adult teeth.

When Do Kids Lose Their Baby Teeth?

Here is the usual range for baby teeth shedding by age.

Upper Teeth

• Central incisor: 6-7 years old
• Lateral incisor: 7-8 years old
• Canine (cuspid): 10-12 years old
• First molar: 9-11 years old
• Second molar: 10-12 years old

Lower Teeth

• Second molar: 10-12 years old
• First molar: 9-11 years old
• Canine (cuspid): 9-12 years old
• Lateral incisor: 7-8 years old
• Central incisor: 6-7 years old

When Do Adult Teeth Come In?

Here is the usual range for adult teeth eruption by age.

Upper Teeth

• Central incisor: 7-8 years old
• Lateral incisor: 8-9 years old
• Canine (cuspid): 11-12 years old
• First premolar (first bicuspid): 10-11 years old
• Second premolar (second bicuspid): 10-12 years old
• First molar: 6-7 years old
• Second molar: 12-13 years old

Lower Teeth

• Second molar: 11-13 years old
• First molar: 6-7 years old
• Second premolar (second bicuspid): 11-12 years old
• First premolar (first bicuspid): 10-12 years old
• Canine (cuspid): 9-10 years old
• Lateral incisor: 7-8 years old
• Central incisor: 6-7 years old

When to Get Braces: Kids typically get braces between ages 8 and 14, once most of their permanent teeth have erupted. However, orthodontists may recommend earlier treatment for jaw alignment, airway issues, or psychological factors like low self-esteem. That’s why it’s recommended that every child has an orthodontic consultation no later than age 7 to assess their individual needs.

What You Can Do:

Continue to encourage your child to regularly brush and floss. During this stage, helping them establish independence is important, though during the earlier years (around 6-8) you should continue to supervise your little one to ensure proper technique.

Consider scheduling an orthodontic consultation.

Teens & Adults

All adult teeth should be in place by this time, except the upper and lower third molars, also known as the wisdom teeth. These usually come in around ages 17-21 and often must be removed due to overcrowding.

In addition to having wisdom teeth removed, teens may also undergo orthodontic treatments during this period to correct misalignments and bite issues.

What You Can Do: This period is critical for maintaining dental health through regular check-ups and cleanings and for checking if wisdom teeth must be removed.

It’s also may be a good time to use fluoridated toothpaste and mouthwash if tooth decay is present.

When to See a Pediatric Dentist vs. General Dentist

There is no set pediatric dentist age limit, so many children visit the pediatric dentist from infancy through late teens or early twenties. Young adults start seeing a general dentist past teens. The Super Dentists provide all the specialties including pediatric dentistry and orthodontics, along with teen & adult dentistry in the same place.

Learn More

Check out our blog post “Dentistry Throughout Childhood” for additional tips and information about what to do during each stage of dental development.

Did you know that we offer a variety of dentistry services at the Super Dentists? From pediatric dentistry to orthodontics and more, we’ve got you covered for all ages and stages.

Give us a call today to learn more about how we might be able to help you or your child take care of your pearly whites and overall oral health.