Humans develop our dentition, or tooth growth, in three stages: the primary dentitionknown as the “baby teeth” stage, the “milk teeth” stage, the mixed dentitionstage in which the baby teeth and permanent teeth come together at the same time, and the permanent dentition, stage of growth of the permanent teeth after the ‘baby teeth’ have fallen out.
When do the teething stages develop?
The different stages of dentition usually develop at the following ages:
- Temporary dentition: the growth of the first teeth begins at 6 months of age and ends at 25 months.
- Permanent dentition: the milk teeth remain in the mouth until 5 – 6 years of age, when they begin to fall out and make way for the permanent teeth, which begin to grow. For a few months the period of mixed dentition will be established, which is the loss of the milk teeth and the growth of the permanent teeth. Normally from the age of 12 years the child will have all the definitive dental pieces.
Differences between primary and permanent dentition
The main characteristics that differentiate the primary and permanent dentition are the number of teeth and their size and color. While the primary dentition is made up of 20 milk teeth (10 in the upper arch and 10 in the lower arch), the permanent dentition is made up of 32 permanent teeth (16 in each arch).
As for the size and color of the teeth, primary teeth are smaller and look whiter, while permanent teeth are larger and have a more translucent appearance.
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Temporary dentition: functions and care
The primary dentition is the first dentition that humans have and will be responsible for developing the functions of chewing and communication or phonation.
A good follow-up of the development of the dentition will allow pediatric dentists to prevent possible dental pathologies and even avoid orthodontic treatments and future surgeries. Care should begin before the first teeth start to grow, since they must grow in a healthy mouth without infections to avoid the first cavities already in their milk teeth. It is very important to prevent and treat early childhood caries in order to ensure that the permanent teeth grow favorably.
Problems in the primary dentition that you should know about
These are some of the anomalies that can occur in the primary and permanent dentition of children:
- Connatal or neonatal teeth: in some cases babies are already born with some teeth (connatal teeth) or appear prematurely during the first month of age (neonatal teeth). This phenomenon can cause problems in sucking or ingestion by the baby if they become detached, so we recommend removing them to avoid risks.
- Microdontia: occurs when teeth grow smaller than they should be. This anomaly will affect the functionality and harmony of the dentition. We recommend a visit to a pediatric dentist to assess the most appropriate treatment.
- Hypodontia: Hypodontia or dental agenesis is the congenital absence of a dental piece. It will be oligodontia when more than 6 teeth are missing. The most frequent is in the upper lateral incisors. This pathology requires a treatment focused on each particular case, which can range from a correction of the spaces with orthodontics, to a replacement of the missing pieces with dental implants in the adult phase.
- Supernumerary teeth: this phenomenon occurs when too many teeth erupt, which are not part of the primary or permanent dentition. We recommend a visit to the pediatric dentist to decide how to proceed, since each particular case will require a personalized treatment.
- Alveolodental ankylosis: This occurs when a tooth remains attached to the alveolar bone, which causes other teeth to erupt with very different heights or not at all, resulting in severe occlusion problems. In these cases, the pediatric dentist and orthodontist will have to perform a study through 3D digital diagnostic tests to determine the most appropriate treatment and subsequent follow-up.
- Ectopic teeth: Occurs when teeth grow out of their correct position. It usually occurs with primary molars and permanent canines. This may affect the growth of other teeth. In these cases it is important to detect the problem early so that the pediatric dentist can treat the pathology in the most appropriate way.
- Amelogenesis imperfecta: This pathology affects the enamel of the teeth, which will be thinner, more yellowish, darker or grayish in color and more prone to caries and dental hypersensitivity. In these cases the pediatric dentist will recommend a personalized treatment depending on the teeth affected and the intensity of the problem.
- Shark teeth: This occurs when the permanent teeth begin to erupt behind the primary teeth without the primary teeth having fallen out. Normally the baby teeth will eventually fall out, but if this does not happen they will have to be extracted to ensure the correct position of the permanent teeth.
During the teething stages of children it is very important that parents educate them in oral hygiene habits. They should also pay special attention if their children have tendencies such as thumb sucking, constant grimacing or lip or tongue biting, as these can lead to malocclusions and may require future orthodontic treatment. However, we would help you with orthodontic treatment with the best specialists.
Finally, it is important to emphasize the importance of maintaining regular visits to a pediatric dentist or dental clinic during childhood so that they can monitor the development of the jaws and dental growth and prevent childhood caries with personalized prevention programs.
