Milk and molar teeth in children
Many people believe that there are no differences between permanent and temporary teeth, but this is not true. So, how to distinguish a baby tooth from a molar? At a minimum, their number differs (milk - 20, permanent, as a rule, 32). Temporary teeth have a light shade, while permanent teeth are naturally more yellow. Indigenous ones are also significantly larger in size than dairy ones - visually it is quite easy to distinguish them. Here are the most common questions asked by Internet users on this topic.
- Do children have molars?
Of course, there are, and at a certain point they begin to actively erupt. - How many molars do children have?
From 28 to 32 (the maximum set appears after all eights appear). - Which molars appear first in a child?
Typically, the lower central incisor erupts first. - At what age do children start to get their molars?
Usually, dentition renewal begins after 6–7 years, but there are no strict limits. - Do children lose molars?
By themselves - no, as a result of injuries and illnesses - yes. - What are the risks of removing a molar tooth in children?
As corny as it may sound, his loss. And yes, a new one will not grow. Everything is like adults. - What to do if a child has yellow molars?
Permanent teeth have a more yellowish tint than temporary teeth. Plaque on a child’s molars is normal, but hygiene should never be neglected. - What to do if a child has black molars?
When teething, baby teeth may have a black color (the so-called Priestley plaque, or pigment bacteria). However, this does not happen with molars. If they are black, go to the dentist immediately. - What to do if a child does not have molar buds?
This happens, but very rarely. Fortunately, with modern implantation and prosthetics technologies, the problem can be solved. - Is it normal for a child to have crooked molars?
Contact an orthodontist immediately: correcting a bite in childhood is much easier and faster than in adults. - Which teeth do children replace with molars?
All twenty, plus new molars appearing.
How many teeth change in children: order of eruption
During the replacement process, the child loses all twenty baby teeth, and 32 permanent teeth grow to replace them. Very often, the child first grows the first molars, which are absent in the primary dentition, and not the central incisors, as is commonly believed. In the future the sequence is as follows:
- lower, and behind them upper incisors in the center of the jaw;
- lateral incisors located above and below;
- 1st premolars;
- fangs;
- 2nd premolars;
- The 2nd and 3rd molars (“wisdom teeth” may never arrive).
It is not by chance that this sequence is laid down by nature. It takes into account the growth rate of the jaw and skull bones, which means that if the order is followed, the correct bite is formed.
Molars in children: symptoms of eruption
- Fever. When teething in children, body temperature may rise, usually not higher than 38 degrees.
- Itching and pain at the site where the molar appears. Various gels and ointments, as well as gum massage, will help relieve children from unpleasant sensations.
- Increased salivation and runny nose.
Important!
The growth of molars in children, especially at the initial stage, leads to weakened immunity. Take vitamins and do not forget about preventive visits to the dentist.
No molars
The molars, despite the specific timing specified above, may ultimately not hatch. For example, temporary teeth do not fall out for a long time, and permanent teeth do not grow for a long time after they fall out. At the first stage, the dentist will take an X-ray of the condition of the child or teenager’s jaws. The X-ray machine will clearly project what should grow in place of the supposed teeth, which teeth are ready to hatch, and whether they exist at all. But the problem will immediately become obvious, and the reason for it most likely lies in the physiology of the child, which has undergone some delay. If this is true, be patient: in the end, the teeth will not take long to arrive. But if the picture shows emptiness, you are faced with a complete absence of teeth, the reason for which is a violation of the intrauterine development of the fetus during the mother’s pregnancy. Only prosthetics will help here - artificial insertion of false teeth.
When does a child's molars come out?
Most parents are interested in the question: at what age do children’s molars begin to erupt? The first buds form in the fifth month of pregnancy. The exact timing of their appearance has not been determined and depends on the individual characteristics of the organism. Nevertheless, an approximate scheme for the eruption of molars in children exists. If the appearance of a permanent tooth is delayed for more than six months from the extreme threshold (especially after the loss of a baby tooth), consult a specialist. The doctor will take control of the process and be able to identify complications.
Differences between baby teeth and permanent teeth
The structure of primary and permanent teeth is generally the same, but there are several noticeable differences. Which are better not to neglect:
Baby teeth have whiter enamel, while permanent teeth have a slight yellowish tint. Milk teeth are not as strong as permanent teeth due to the lower percentage of mineral substances. The pulp of baby teeth is wider and thicker, while dentin and enamel are, on the contrary, thinner. This explains the facilitated, spontaneous removal of a shelf tooth - there are often situations when schoolchildren in class independently loosen and remove milk teeth that have served their purpose. In permanent teeth, the length is significantly greater, dominating over their width and cross-sectional area. The root of a baby tooth is thinner and shorter - a person is able to pull out a baby tooth without the help of specialists. Meanwhile, the permanent “embryo” of a real tooth under the shelf one is already ready to grow quickly and be born. The latter is achieved due to the dental gap, which has expanded by the time the non-permanent tooth falls out.
Pattern of growth of molars in children
In most cases, the permanent tooth appears 3 to 5 months after the temporary tooth falls out. The order of eruption of molars is in many ways similar to the appearance of milk teeth. The first molars in children are the central lower incisors. The upper permanent teeth develop later than the lower ones, if we consider them in pairs.
| Age | Eruption of molars in children |
2 years | There have been references in history where a child was born with one or more molars. Cases when molars erupted in a 2-3 year old child also occur, but are extremely rare (less than 1%). |
5 years | When a child is 5 years old, molars very rarely come out (less than 10% of the total). If a baby tooth falls out on its own at such an early age, then there is every reason to believe that a permanent one will soon appear in its place. |
6 years | The roots of baby teeth (especially the upper and lower incisors) begin to dissolve and the teeth fall out. Usually, it is at the age of 6 that a child’s first molar begins to erupt. |
7 years | At this age, the first lower molars in children (at least one of them) have already erupted and the incisors of the upper jaw are next in line. |
9 years | At the age of 9, a child’s second molar should definitely have time to appear. Some children acquire lateral incisors and even a premolar on one of the jaws. |
10 years | At the age of ten, children’s back molars begin to actively erupt (premolars, and a little later – molars and canines). |
13 years | At 12–13 years of age, children usually develop a full bite of permanent teeth. The last teeth to emerge are usually the upper canines and second molars. This does not apply to wisdom teeth, which appear in adulthood (after 17–18 years) or may not erupt at all. |
At what age do they appear?
Statistics show that the beginning and completion of the change from temporary teeth to molars in most children occurs at approximately the same time. There are minimal differences only among children in different regions. The warmer the climate, the sooner the child will have permanent teeth.
The table shows age parameters that can be used to determine the approximate beginning of the eruption of molars according to several well-known authors.
| Set of teeth | Period of eruption of permanent teeth in children (in years) | ||
| according to Vinogradova | according to Lukomsky | according to Novak | |
| Central incisors | 5-6 | 6-9 | 6-9 |
| Lateral incisors | 7-9 | 7-10 | 7-10 |
| Fangs | 12-13 | 9-14 | 9-14 |
| First premolars | 9-11 | 9-13 | 9-13 |
| Second premolars | 9-11 | 9-15 | 10-14 |
| First molars | 4,5-7 | 7-8 | 5-8 |
| Second molars | 12-13 | 10-15 | 10-14 |
| Third molars | 18-25 | 15-24 | 18-20 |
The differences in the age at which permanent teeth appear depending on the author are due to the fact that they present the results of studies in different regions that were carried out with a serious difference in time (several decades).
Complications during teething
- Delay in the appearance of permanent teeth.
This may be due to genetic characteristics, immune system problems and a number of other diseases. - Uneven teeth and other malocclusions.
- Hyperdentia.
The child’s molar tooth (or teeth) grows in the second row. Hyperdentia, or supernumerary of teeth, is a fairly rare phenomenon, but requires the intervention of a dentist to eliminate the risk of malocclusion in a child.
Common problems with molars in children
| Problems with molars | How to fix? |
| Molar tooth is loose | A common occurrence with injuries and bruises. To avoid tooth loss, an urgent visit to the dentist and the application of a special splint are necessary, especially if the child’s molar sways when touched. |
| Broken molar tooth | Severe chips may require orthopedic treatment. If a child's front molar has chipped, aesthetic restoration with veneers or crowns may be required. |
| Molar caries | When the first molars erupt, it is important to prevent the occurrence of caries. If this happens, then it is necessary to stop the disease in its infancy, otherwise it will affect the deeper layers of the tooth. |
| A child's molar has fallen out | The most unpleasant thing that can happen. If a child knocks out a molar along with the root, then there is a chance to save it. To do this, you need to place the knocked out tooth back into the oral cavity, saline solution or into a glass of milk and urgently rush to the dentist (you need to do it within 30 - 40 minutes after the injury). If a child’s molar tooth has been removed, then there is only one way out - installing a prosthesis. |
Molar tooth hurts
After the molar has emerged from the gums, the “young” tooth enamel is not fully saturated with all the necessary microelements. During this period, the tooth is especially vulnerable: it is strictly forbidden to subject it to overload. It is not for nothing that children are advised not to chew, for example, candy, large quantities of peanuts, or any solid foods. If you neglect this rule, children may immediately develop caries, and this is the path to problems with specific teeth. Caries gradually turns into pulpitis (damage to the internal cavity of the tooth) and periodontitis (damage to the ligaments surrounding the tooth). The child often experiences toothache and poor general health. Without turning to a professional doctor for help in time, parents can lead their child to various consequences - up to the complete loss of a diseased tooth. If a predisposition to the appearance of carious lesions has been identified, their prevention may involve closing the natural deep pockets surrounding the molars. This is done using high-quality composite materials. In this case, food debris will not accumulate in these places, destructive microflora will not develop, and the period of susceptibility to caries will pass when the teenager grows up.
Care instructions
Molars in children require even more careful care than in adults. Frail enamel is much more susceptible to the effects of carious bacteria and the external environment, and the love of sweets and carbonated drinks does not add strength to it. When children develop a permanent bite, parents need to take special control of oral hygiene and diet (at least until the age of 14–15, when the teenager himself begins to realize the importance of dental health). In general, there are no difficulties here: in order to keep children's teeth strong and healthy, you need to follow several basic points.
- Daily hygiene.
Brush your teeth at least twice a day, use dental floss and special rinses. - Proper diet.
Limit your intake of sweets and carbohydrates. - Preventative visits to the dentist at least once every six months.
If necessary, fluoridation and sealing of molars in children (so-called fissure sealing). - Do not forget to wear a protective mouth guard during active games and sports.
