Any child’s life is marked by the moment they lose their first baby tooth. They could not have expected their tooth to fall out, or they might have waited for the tooth fairy for years. Both the teeth and the roots of the 20 primary teeth are significantly smaller than those of the permanent teeth that will replace them later in life. A children’s dentist in Fullerton can help.
When Do Infant Teeth Come Out?
The first tooth usually falls out between the ages of six and seven for most kids. There is a wide age range among the children. Teeth often fall out in the same sequence in which they came in.
- Incisors
The lower central incisors (front teeth) often erupt first, anywhere from 6-10 months of age. Most children lose their lower central incisors first, between the ages of 6-7, barring accident. The upper two primary (sometimes called central) incisors emerge between 8 and 12 months of life and begin to fall out between ages 6 and 7.
Two upper teeth on either side of the central front teeth are called the lateral incisors. They begin to emerge at 9–13 months, and by 7–8 years of age, they have all fallen out. Bottom teeth typically sprout between the ages of 10 and 16 months and are lost between the ages of 7 and 8 years.
- First Molars
After the first year of life, a child’s teeth develop to the point that they can chew on more substantial foods. Children often get their first glimpse at a larger tooth with cusps when their upper first molars emerge between the ages of 13 and 19 months and fall out between the ages of 9 and 11. The arrival and loss of the lower first molars co-occur.
- Canines
The cuspid (upper canine) teeth will eventually erupt. They first appear between the ages of 16 and 22 months and fall out between the ages of 10 and 12. Then, between the ages of 17 and 23 months, the bottom canines will erupt, and between the ages of 9 and 12, they will begin to fall out.
- Second Molars
When a child reaches the age of two, their second set of molars usually comes in. It is common for people to lose their second molars aged between 10-12.
By the time a child reaches the age of 12, most of their permanent teeth (except their wisdom teeth) should have already erupted.
