Tooth Eruption Guide

Understanding when and how your child’s teeth develop can help you better support their oral health at every stage. From baby teeth to permanent teeth and into young adulthood, each phase plays an important role in building a healthy, confident smile.

At Great Outdoors Pediatric Dentistry, we provide guidance and monitoring as part of our comprehensive children’s dental care in New Hampshire. Regular visits to a pediatric dentist in New Hampshire help ensure your child’s teeth are developing properly and allow us to identify any concerns early.

Baby Teeth Eruption Guide

Baby teeth, also called primary teeth, typically begin to appear around 6 months of age. These early teeth are essential for chewing, speech development, and holding space for future permanent teeth.

Most children will have a full set of 20 baby teeth by age 3.

Typical baby tooth eruption timeline:

• Central Incisors: 6 to 12 months
• Lateral Incisors: 9 to 16 months
• First Molars: 13 to 19 months
• Canines: 16 to 23 months
• Second Molars: 23 to 33 months

Even at this early stage, proper oral hygiene and routine visits to a kids dentist are important for preventing early tooth decay and establishing healthy habits.

Child Eruption Guide and Mixed Dentition Stage

Around age 6, children begin the transition from baby teeth to permanent teeth. This phase is known as the mixed dentition stage, where both baby and adult teeth are present at the same time.

During this stage, baby teeth loosen and fall out as permanent teeth erupt into place.

Typical permanent tooth eruption timeline:

• Central Incisors: 6 to 8 years
• Lateral Incisors: 6.5 to 9 years
• Canines: 8.5 to 12.5 years
• First Premolars: 8 to 12 years
• Second Premolars: 8.5 to 13 years

It is important to note that not all permanent teeth replace baby teeth. First molars, which usually erupt around age 6, and second molars, which come in between ages 10 and 14, develop behind the existing teeth. Because no baby tooth falls out beforehand, these molars can sometimes go unnoticed.

As a pediatric dentist in New Hampshire, we closely monitor this stage to ensure proper spacing, alignment, and development. Parents often ask whether they should help remove loose baby teeth. In most cases, it is best to allow teeth to fall out naturally, but we are happy to provide guidance based on your child’s specific situation.

Young Adult Tooth Development

By ages 12 to 13, most children will have all of their permanent teeth in place, except for wisdom teeth. At this point, the focus shifts to maintaining alignment, monitoring bite development, and preventing long term issues.

Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, typically emerge between ages 17 and 25. Not all individuals will develop wisdom teeth, and in some cases, they may need to be monitored or removed depending on spacing and alignment.

During the later stages of development, orthodontic evaluation may be recommended to ensure teeth are properly aligned. Early evaluation often allows for simpler and more effective treatment options, such as clear aligners, if needed.