About Teeth

Throughout your life, you will have two sets of teeth: primary (baby) teeth and permanent (adult) teeth.  At age 6-8 months, the primary teeth begin to appear, although many children will be one year before teeth erupt.  All 20 primary teeth are erupted by age 3 1/2.

Permanent teeth will begin to erupt around age 6. All teeth should be present between ages 12 and 14, with the exception of wisdom teeth  that typically erupt between 17 and 25 years of age.  The total number of permanent teeth is 32, though few people have room for all 32 teeth.  This is why wisdom teeth are usually removed.

Your front teeth are called incisors. The sharp “fang-like” teeth are canines or cuspids. The next side teeth are referred to as pre-molars or bicuspids, and the back teeth are molars.  Primary and permanent teeth both have important functions, , so it is vital that they are brushed and flossed regularly and that periodic check-ups by a dentist are followed.