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Life Cycle of Teeth: From Birth to Old Age

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Life Cycle of Teeth: From Birth to Old Age1
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Life Cycle of Teeth: From Birth to Old Age

  • Patient: Hello doctor, my child's permanent tooth hasn't erupted yet. Should I be worried?
  • Doctor: No, there is no need to worry since teeth also have their own timeline according to which they function. In 2-3 months, you will soon start seeing permanent teeth. 
  • Patient: That is a relief to hear! But how will I know the difference between permanent and milk teeth? 
  • Dentist: With this simple guide, you will understand the fascinating world of dental tooth eruption, and all your doubts will be clarified. 
  • Patient: That would be great, doctor.

 At Yudhisther's Dental Care, this is a typical conversation between many patients who want to know exactly what will happen to their children's teeth as they grow up. With this blog, you will get to know the life cycle of dentition in depth. 

 

What is the Life Cycle of Dentition?
The life cycle of dentition is a simple process of the tooth as it erupts from the gums in the form of milk or baby teeth and then gradually, as a person grows, gets replaced by permanent teeth. Here is an easy guide to understand the three distinct phases of the teeth -


Primary Dentition

  • Commonly known as baby teeth, which occur during the pre-natal stage but erupt when the baby is typically around six months of age. They are 20 in number and usually shed off around the age of 12. 
  • Evidently, the primary teeth follow a pattern of eruption starting from the lower central incisors, which are the bottom front teeth. Then the upper central incisors erupt, which is followed by lateral incisors, first molars, canines and lastly, the second molar, which are the last to erupt. 
  • Primary dentition needs care just like permanent teeth, which includes brushing and flossing regularly. They play an important role in chewing as well as the speech development of a child.


Mixed Dentition

  • As the name suggests, during the mixed dentition phase, when the child is six to twelve years of age, they have both primary and permanent teeth. Many of their milk teeth fall out gradually and are replaced with permanent ones. 
  • It can be noted that the permanent teeth erupt in the same order as the primary teeth. Though permanent molars are erupted behind the primary molar, they do not require any replacement of teeth. 
  • There also comes a phase called ‘The Ugly Duckling Phase’ which occurs between the age of 7 to 12 years. During this time, some permanent teeth erupt at an angle or position which does not look harmonious. Parents often get worried about their child’s teeth and overall aesthetics; hence, the term was coined. But this is just a transitionary phase, and once all the permanent teeth erupt, they tend to attain a more aligned formation. 
  • During the process of exfoliation the primary teeth become loose, which needs good care. The roots of the primary teeth become transitioned in order to allow the permanent tooth to erupt correctly.


Permanent Dentition

  • The permanent dentition is the most important since it will last from early adolescence till old age. These are a set of 32 teeth in which the four wisdom teeth can erupt later on or early, depending on person to person. 
  • If the teeth are askew and not straight, then many children would need braces in order to have a vibrant smile and better speech. 
  • Since these teeth last a lifetime, it is crucial to take good care of them. This includes brushing, flossing, avoiding teeth grinding and nail-biting. Also, for strong teeth, a good and balanced diet is important.


What Happens to Dentition in the Old Age

  • With the gradual ageing cycle of a human being, which affects all areas of the body, even the teeth experience wear and tear. With this and gum recession, there could be tooth loss and other dental issues. 
  • Dentures, implants, and bridges are the most common dental treatment that is used for tooth replacement, which provides heightened levels of comfort for eating and speaking.

 

Conclusion
To conclude, since the baby is in the embryonic stage, the journey of the teeth has already begun. From the age of 3 to 6 months, baby teeth erupt, which are then replaced by adult teeth beginning in the pre-adolescent age. The permanent teeth last for a lifetime till old age clutches its claw on the teeth and makes them worn out. Now you know the full life cycle of the teeth. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the three stages of human dentition?
The three stages of human dentition are primary teeth, which are also known as baby teeth, which erupt at the age of 3 to 6 months. Then there is the mixed dentition, where the child has some permanent and some milk teeth. The third and last stage is the permanent dentition, which are fully erupted teeth that last till old age. 

What are the 5 types of dentition?
The five types of dentition or teeth are incisors, canines, premolars, molars, and third molars. These erupt in this format only for both primary and permanent dentition stages, which are 20 and 32 teeth, respectively. All of these 5 types of teeth have their own set of uses and advantages that allow us to chew and bite properly. 

What is the rule of 4 in dentition?
In general terms, the rule of 4 applies in the primary dentition where 4 teeth erupt after a gap of 4 months. So the first set of 4 will appear somewhere around 8 months, and then you can keep adding 4 to the months till all of them appear. This is a simple rule to remember which can guide you to count your baby's teeth. For more information, you can contact Yudhisther's Dental Care.