Over the course of our lifetime, we generally develop 20 primary teeth, followed by 32 permanent teeth. Teeth are divided into four categories:
- Incisors
- Canines
- Premolars
- Molars
Adults have 8 incisors, 4 canines, 8 premolars and 12 molars, including 4 wisdom teeth.
The first teeth that come in during childhood are the incisors. In the lower jaw, they appear between the ages of 6 and 10 months, and in the upper jaw, between the ages of 7 and 12 months.
All 20 primary teeth come in by the time a child is 2 or 3 years old, and some of them remain until the child reaches age 12.
Eruption and loss of primary teeth
 |
|
|
Upper jaw |
Eruption |
Loss |
|
|
Central incisors |
Between 7 and 12 months |
Between 6 and 8 years |
|
|
Lateral incisors |
Between 9 and 13 months |
Between 6 and 8 years |
|
|
Canines |
Between 16 and 22 months |
Between 10 and 12 years |
|
|
First molars |
Between 13 and 19 months |
Between 9 and 11 years |
|
|
Second molars |
Between 25 and 33 months |
Between 10 and 12 years |
|
|
Lower jaw |
Eruption |
Loss |
|
|
Second molars |
Between 20 and 31 months |
Between 10 and 12 years |
|
|
First molars |
Between 13 and 19 months |
Between 9 and 11 years |
|
|
Canines |
Between 16 and 23 months |
Between 9 and 12 years |
|
|
Lateral incisors |
Between 7 and 16 months |
Between 7 and 8 years |
|
|
Central incisors |
Between 6 and 10 months |
Between 6 and 8 years |
Eruption of permanent teeth