Adult Teeth Explained

Our second set of permanent teeth are often referred to as adult teeth and usually being to appear when a child is six to seven years of age. At five to twelve years of age the maxillary arch and the mandibular arch enlarge and grow.

The permanent teeth begin to exert pressure on the primary teeth and the primary teeth begin to shed or fall out. During this stage, the child has some primary teeth and some permanent teeth. There are 32 permanent teeth in the normal adult mouth. However, not all individuals develop a full complement of 32 teeth and it is not unusual for some teeth to be absent. In many instances, the third molars never appear and there is considerable variation in the age at which they erupt.

Sometimes, extra teeth appear in excess of the normal thirty-two. They often have to be removed to prevent injury to adjacent teeth or to improve the patient’s appearance.