Dental Milestones – A Tooth Timeline

Knowing when your child’s teeth will come and go helps you stay on top of their oral health. While every child is unique, most follow a general pattern for teething and tooth replacement.

Baby teeth (primary teeth) start erupting around 6 months and continue until 2 to 3 years. Your child will have 20 baby teeth. Around 6 years, permanent molars begin to emerge behind the baby teeth — without replacing any. Then between 6 to 13 years, the baby teeth gradually fall out and get replaced with permanent teeth.

The last teeth to appear (excluding wisdom teeth) are usually the second molars, which erupt between 12–13 years.

We recommend parents monitor for:

Delayed eruption or early tooth loss
Crowding or overlapping
Extra (supernumerary) or missing teeth

A professional check-up every 6 months ensures these milestones are on track. If you ever feel something seems “off,” don’t wait — early evaluation makes a big difference!

Have a Question

Frequently Asked Questions

Tooth development begins before birth, with primary teeth forming in the gums during pregnancy. The first teeth usually erupt between 6–12 months, and most children have a complete set of 20 primary teeth by age three. Permanent teeth start appearing around age six, continuing until the late teens, when wisdom teeth typically emerge as the final set.

Yes, a baby’s first tooth is a major developmental milestone. It usually appears around 6–10 months and signals the start of chewing solid foods, improved speech development, and healthy jaw growth. For parents, it’s also a memorable moment, marking an important stage in their child’s growth and a good time to schedule the first dental visit.

Once a tooth begins breaking through the gums, it usually takes about 1–2 weeks to fully emerge. The process can vary depending on the tooth’s position and the child’s growth rate. Some babies may experience mild teething discomfort during this period, which can be eased with gum massages, teething rings, or other gentle soothing methods.