This page covers normal dental development, from when baby teeth appear and fall out to how adult teeth emerge. You will learn why baby teeth matter, what is considered normal spacing or crowding, and when changes may need attention. It also explains bite development, thumb-sucking, grinding, and when orthodontic assessment may be helpful.
Baby teeth usually start appearing around 6 months of age, beginning with the lower front teeth. By age 3, all 20 baby teeth would have come through.
They begin to fall out between ages 6 and 12 — though every child’s timeline is different. Baby teeth matter! They guide adult teeth into their right place.
Yes! There’s a wide range of normal. Some children get their first teeth at 4 months, others closer to 12 or even 15 months. As long as development continues within the normal sequence of teeth eruption, delayed eruption usually isn’t a concern, with a few exceptions. We’ll be monitoring your child’s dental development at each visit, and if you have any doubt, do reach out to us.
Great question! Baby teeth are crucial for chewing, speech development, and holding space for adult teeth. Tooth decay or early loss can lead to pain, infections, and crowding when the permanent teeth come in the later years. That’s why we care for them just as carefully as adult teeth!
Mild crookedness or spacing in baby teeth is quite common and usually not a cause for concern. We’ll be monitoring your child’s dental development during each visit to ensure normal development for their age.
Don’t worry — this is totally normal! Adult teeth have more dentin (the layer under the enamel), which makes them naturally more yellow than bright white baby teeth. It’s not a sign of poor health or hygiene.
Yes this can happen sometimes and interestingly, it is also called “shark teeth”. If it doesn’t budge after a few weeks, give us a call and we’ll take a look. There are some rare instances when we would need to consider other options if this situation is going to lead to crowding of the child’s teeth.
Sometimes mild crowding is normal. If you notice overlapping or uneven bites, we recommend you ask our paediatric dentist about this, just to stay ahead of potential issues.
When your child comes in for a dental check-up with a paediatric dentist, we routinely conduct an orthodontic assessment along with looking into their oral and dental health.
Some signs of malocclusion and early jaw and bite issues can be spotted as early as age 2. At this stage, we are still able to provide preventive advice to try to change any habits or circumstances that could potentially affect how the teeth and jaws grow and develop.
Although your child cannot have braces at this age, when we see early signs of orthodontic issues our paediatric dentists will carry out a full assessment of any causative habits and provide you with guidance and support on preventing the development of these issues, wherever possible.
It’s fine in early childhood but best to stop by age 2 to 3. We will gently help and provide guidance for your child to break the habit when the time is right to prevent issues with their bite or crooked teeth, after considering their unique psychological and developmental needs.
If the habit continues past age 3, it can affect how the jaw grows and how teeth align, leading to an open bite or protruding front teeth. The good news is that most children naturally stop on their own, and we’re here to support gentle habit-breaking when needed.
Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, can happen in young children, especially during growth spurts or when new teeth are coming in. All the same, it can occasionally be associated with other sleep disturbances as well. Let us know if your child is grinding and we’ll look into this habit, how his or her teeth are developing, and provide guidance where needed.
We’re here to make dental visits something your child can look forward to. Whether your little one is a giggler, a wiggler or a little nervous — we’ll meet them where they are, with patience, kindness, and we’ll be prepared to make it a positive experience for them.
