In the Know for You to Know

Now you’re a tooth pro for your child.

You know about their baby teeth and how to take care of them. You have this down!

Then your child is telling you their friends are getting new teeth. These new teeth go by a few names. They’re known as adult, grown up, and secondary teeth.

Your child is asking when they’ll be getting their grown up teeth.

You’re thinking when you got yours, but you’re not sure, and no one seems to remember.

Today we’re talking about the timing for adult teeth coming into the mouth (aka tooth eruption).

Losing Baby Teeth

When a child has all their baby teeth, they’ll have 20 teeth. As children grow they ultimately lose all their baby teeth.

Generally children start losing their baby teeth around 6 years of age (aka exfoliation). However, the earlier baby teeth come into the mouth, the earlier they fall out. Like wise, the later baby teeth come in the later they fall out.

By the time a child has reached their tween and teen years, they will have lost all their 20 baby teeth. Those baby teeth are replaced with adult teeth.

When Do Adult Teeth Come In?

Adult teeth typically begin to come in about the time the bottom front baby teeth (aka central incisors) start to become loose.

Like with baby teeth, there can be individual variation in permanent tooth eruption. However, also like baby teeth, adult teeth usually follow a pattern.

6 Year Molars Coming In

6 year molars (aka first molars) are the first set of permanent teeth which come into a child’s mouth and do not replace any baby teeth.

You will see these adult molars coming into your child’s mouth all the way in the back in the empty space behind their last baby molar.

So when your child has all 4 of their 6 year molars they will no longer only have 20 baby teeth, they will have 24 teeth.

Adult Tooth Time Line

As a child enters their mid-teen years, they’ll have on average 28 teeth.

The baby teeth have been replaced with new adult teeth, and 2 sets of adult molars (6 year and 12 year molars) which come in all the way in the back.

Late teen to early adult years is when wisdom teeth (aka third molars) usually start to come into the mouth.

Adult Tooth Growth Guide

While the age varies with each child, there is generally a pattern in which the adult teeth come in ~

Tooth	Average Age (In Years)
Lower 6 Year Molar	6-7
Upper 6 Year Molar	6-7
Lower Central Incisor	6-7
Upper Central Incisor	7-8
Lower Lateral Incisor	7-8
Upper Lateral Incisor	8-9
Lower Canine	9-10
Upper First Premolar	10-11
Lower First Premolar	10-12
Upper Second Premolar	10-12
Lower Second Premolar	11-12
Upper Canine	11-12
Lower 12 Year Molar	11-13
Upper 12 Year Molar	12-13
Upper Wisdom Teeth	17-21
Lower Wisdom Teeth	17-21

So the adult teeth count is made up of 8 incisors, 4 canines, 8 premolars, and 8 molars make up their 28 teeth. Including the 4 wisdom teeth that’s 32 teeth.

Fun Tooth Facts

• Girls get their teeth earlier than boys.
• Between the ages of 6 and 12 years old, children are in the “mixed dentition” stage. This means they have both baby teeth and permanent teeth.
• Not everyone is born with wisdom teeth. If a child doesn’t have wisdom teeth they’ll have 28 teeth instead of 32.

What To Remember

This doesn’t have to be a stressful time for you as a parent. Children grow at their own pace, and there is a wide range when it comes to permanent teeth coming into the mouth.

Typically permanent teeth begin erupting around age 6, starting with the first molars and lower central incisors. This process continues until approximately age 21.

When all the adult teeth have come in, children and young adults have 28 permanent teeth, or up to 32 which includes the wisdom teeth.

How old was your child when they go their first adult tooth? Which tooth was it? Were they the same age you were when you got your first adult tooth? Tell us, We’d really like to know! Email us at kidstoothhotline@proton.me Like Us and Chat with us on Facebook

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!