Baby Teeth Guideline

Losing their first baby tooth is an exciting milestone between baby and big kid. Your child will be proud to show off the new gap in their smile and excitedly anticipate a visit from the Tooth Fairy. As a parent or caregiver, you may have questions about baby teeth. Below is some general information on the timeline for baby teeth.

Baby Teeth Timeline

Your child will typically have his or her full set of 20 teeth by the age of 3 or 4. Even though baby teeth are eventually lost, it’s still crucial to care for them and avoid dental cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease. Caring for your child’s baby teeth sets the stage for good dental hygiene habits in the future!

A child’s teeth often fall out in the same order they erupted, with teeth beginning to fall out around 6. Your child’s first permanent molars will start to erupt around the same time and, by the age of 8, the four front top and bottom teeth will usually be lost, and adult teeth have started to take their places.

By age 13, the rest of a child’s baby teeth will likely have fallen out, and the second set of permanent molars have begun to erupt. The last teeth to grow in are the third molars (also called wisdom teeth), which will start to grow between 17-23 years of age.

Please note that the timeline above is not an exact guide. Every child is different, and so are their mouths and teeth! Don’t worry if your child is experiencing these changes a little earlier or later than that. However, if you feel that something isn’t right, please call Little Rockies Pediatric Dentistry, our Parker, Colorado children’s dental office.