Life Of a Tooth: Stages Of Teeth Development

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The formation and development of teeth are complex processes that begin by the third week after conception, when the mouth starts to form. Until about the age of 25, a person’s teeth are in the development stage, until the third set of molars, the wisdom teeth, has erupted.

There are two kinds of teeth, namely primary and permanent. Tooth eruption occurs at different stages of human development.

Tooth development starts inside the womb. Tooth buds of primary or “baby” teeth start to form at around eight weeks after conception. As early as two months after birth, these baby teeth can already become visible.

At two and a half years, the full set of 20 primary teeth will have developed. Children respond to tooth eruption differently but majority experience disturbed sleep, feeding irritability, and swollen tender gums. This period is called “teething” and it is often characterized by drooling or dribbling.

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Between the ages of 11 and 12 years, the last primary tooth is shed and permanent tooth starts to develop. Primary teeth start to wobble at around age six and over roughly seven years, 20 primary or “baby” teeth will be replaced by 28 permanent teeth. Both primary and permanent teeth follow the same process of eruption. Typically, teeth erupt in the following order: central incisor, lateral incisor, first molar, canine, and second molar.

The last teeth to appear are the third set of molars in the very back of our mouths or “wisdom teeth.” This set of teeth begins to erupt between the ages of 17 and 25 years. When wisdom tooth is misaligned, it must be removed through dental surgery to prevent pain and infection.

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