Pediatric Dentistry (Pedodontics)

Deciduous teeth (primary teeth) are the first set of teeth in the growth development of humans and are twenty (20) in total. They appear usually after the sixth (6) month after birth.

Most of the times, their replacement by permanent teeth, which are thirty-two (32), takes place at the age of six (6) or seven (7). The last primary tooth sheds (falls out) usually around the age of twelve (12).

Timeline of primary teeth development:

6th month of development; mandibular central incisors
10th month of development; maxillary central incisors
11th month of development; maxillary lateral incisors
13th month of development; mandibular lateral incisors
16th month of development; first mandibular and maxillary molars
19th month of development; mandibular and maxillary canine teeth
27th month of development; second mandibular molars
30th month of development; second maxillary molars

Timeline of permanent teeth development:

6th-7th year of development; mandibular central incisor, first mandibular and maxillary molar
7th-8th year of development; maxillary central incisor, mandibular lateral incisor
8th-9th year of development; maxillary lateral incisor
10th-11th year of development; first maxillary premolar (first bicuspid)
10th-12th year of development; mandibular canine (cuspid), first mandibular premolar (first bicuspid), second maxillary premolar (second bicuspid)
11th-12th year of development; maxillary canine (cuspid), second mandibular premolar (second bicuspid)
12th-13th year of development; second maxillary molar, second mandibular molar
17th-21st year of development; third maxillary molar (wisdom teeth), third mandibular molar (wisdom teeth)

Indications of primary tooth extraction:

1. Obstruction in the path of the erupting permanent tooth
2. Prolonged retention of deciduous teeth
3. Root fracture
4. Dentoalveolar abscess
5. Teeth destruction, cure and restoration of which is not possible