Childhood Dental Milestones

At Pleasanton Children’s Dentistry and Braces, our team is uniquely equipped and prepared to address the oral healthcare needs of children. We do all we can to help children feel safe and comfortable throughout their visit with us. Additionally, we have ample experience teaching children and their parents about healthy oral development and dental hygiene.

In this blog post, we give an overview of the major dental milestones your child will be reaching as they get older!

Teething & Their First Dental Visit

An infant’s baby teeth (also called “primary teeth”, “milk teeth”, and “deciduous teeth”) typically begin to emerge around 6 months of age, but the timing and speed of growth can vary. Their front teeth will be the first to erupt, and their molars will be the last (and probably the most uncomfortable). We recommend bringing in your child for their first dental visit by the time they are one year old or when their first tooth erupts. If your child is in this stage, check out our blog post with tips to relieve your child’s teething discomfort.

Full Set of 20 Baby Teeth

By age three, your children should have a full set of baby teeth, typically 10 on the top and 10 on the bottom. If they don’t have all their teeth by this time, you should definitely bring them in for a visit if we aren’t already seeing them. Baby teeth are important for the development of your child’s speech, for eating, and as placeholders for their underlying “adult teeth”, “permanent teeth”, or “secondary teeth”.

Losing Baby Teeth

Children usually start losing their baby teeth around 6 years old. For the next few years, baby teeth will fall out when the underlying permanent teeth are ready to emerge. There is often some discomfort, but because the gums already have the necessary space, adult teeth grow in without nearly as much pain as when the baby teeth grew in. Do not pull out baby teeth before they are ready. It’s usually best to wait until they fall out. This prevents unnecessary trauma to your child’s mouth. If your child has a loose baby tooth, encourage them to gently wiggle it with a clean finger or tissue.

If your child participates in sports or physical activities around this age, it’s a good idea to get them a mouthguard to protect both their baby teeth and any emerging adult teeth.

Orthodontic Consultation

Schedule an orthodontic consultation for your child around age 7 to determine if they would benefit from early orthodontic intervention. Even if they don’t yet need braces, you can get a better idea of when they would and how much to budget for their future treatment.

Full Set of Adult Teeth

By age 12-13, kids should have a full set of 28 permanent teeth: 4 central incisors, 4 lateral incisors, 4 canines, 8 premolars, and 8 molars. When your child is between 17 and 25 years old, their wisdom teeth may emerge. These are also called “third molars” and you can have anywhere from 1-4, or none at all! These sometimes need to be removed to prevent complications such as crowding, cysts, and infection.

Your Neighborhood Children’s Dentist in Pleasanton, TX

From teething to losing baby teeth to growing in permanent teeth, our team at Pleasanton Children’s Dentistry and Braces wants to be there for all your child’s dental milestones. So if you’re looking for a children’s dentist in Pleasanton, TX, please contact us to make an appointment!

Categorised in: Oral Health

This post was written by Pleasanton Children’s Dentistry & Braces