Complete replacement of baby teeth with permanent teeth. Deadlines, features.

Posted by Marbery Gedrean | Checked by: Shteba Victoria Petrovna | Last revised: October 18, 2022.

Most parents are very concerned about how teething (and gums) affects their babies in everyday life. Although we cannot fully predict exactly how each baby will react to their first tooth. However, we can learn about teething symptoms and how to calm your baby during this difficult time. Overall, the more we know about teething, the better we can help our babies survive it. Let's figure it out.

Timing of teething

One of the most common questions parents ask is: “How long does teething take for babies?” It is useful to know both the time frame for the appearance of the first tooth and the time frame for the eruption of all teeth. In general, teething is an ongoing process that occurs between 6 and 24 months of age. Although your baby has twenty baby teeth that will appear over the course of two years, teething fortunately only causes pain and irritation at the time the tooth is about to break through the gum. It is not known exactly how long it will take for a tooth to fully erupt, but on average experts say it can erupt within 1-7 days per tooth. However, teething symptoms usually only last a couple of days, so if your baby experiences discomfort for an extended period of time, it's safe to assume it's not teething.

Maybe they don't exist?

All people have the beginnings of figure eights. But this does not mean at all that they will break through to the surface of the gums and there will be a full set of 32 permanent teeth on the dentition.

The structure of the modern human jaw makes the eruption of wisdom teeth increasingly difficult. Sometimes they simply do not have enough space on the jawbone, and they remain in the embryonic stage.

But there is also such a thing as an impacted wisdom tooth. This is a full-fledged molar, but it is completely or partially hidden in the jaw bone or gum.

Such teeth, despite the fact that they never erupted, are usually of completely normal size. In addition, they can get sick just like everyone else.

Timeline of teething

Most babies' first teeth emerge between 6 and 7 months of age, but this may happen earlier or later. In general, your baby's teeth will most likely appear in the following timeline windows:

6-7 months

During this time, the process of erupting the first teeth begins. The first teeth to emerge are usually the lower central incisors, which are the two middle teeth at the bottom. Children at this age become more active. They begin to grab and pull objects towards themselves, transfer objects from one hand to another, and may even begin to crawl. It is important to keep an eye on small objects within your baby's reach as he will want to put everything in his mouth during teething!

From 8 to 13 months

Between 8 and 12 months, your baby's upper central incisors will emerge. Additionally, sometime between 9 and 13 months, they will have upper and lower teeth next to their upper central incisors (called lower and upper lateral incisors). In addition to teething, it is important to understand that other important gross motor milestones are reached during this developmental window. Most babies are able to sit up, stand up without assistance, take their first steps, pick up and throw objects, roll a ball, and grasp objects.

From 13 to 20 months

Typically, between 13 and 16 months, your baby's first molars will appear on the bottom and top at about the same time. Soon after this, their canines will appear on both the top and bottom rows, around 16 to 20 months.

From 20 to 30 months

At the final stage of teething, the baby's back teeth or second molars appear in the bottom row. Although most teething symptoms appear the same in both babies and toddlers, there are some differences as your baby gets older. First of all, your baby can now tell you about his discomfort and pain, unlike non-verbal babies. On the other hand, many babies will not show any signs of discomfort and will not complain at all about pain when moving their molars. For other babies, the pain may be significantly worse because their first molars are larger than their other molars. They may even complain of headaches or jaw pain!

Features of the structure and growth of “eights”

In general, the structure of these molars is not much different from the rest. They are characterized by the same crown and neck, but there are also some specific features in structure and growth:

Structure and number of roots. Usually there are 4 of them, like most teeth, but there are also eights with 5 roots or, conversely, with one if they have fused in the embryo. Also, the roots of figure eights have a curved shape, which complicates their treatment.
Location. Being the last ones, they are not sandwiched between adjacent molars, but since the jaw is already formed by the time they appear, there may not be enough space for them. It also causes inconvenience when cleaning them, so wisdom teeth are more susceptible to developing caries.
Lack of milk precursor. For this reason, the process of teething and growth can be difficult and accompanied by pain.
Lack of self-cleaning mechanism. This is due to their minimal participation in the chewing process.

Solutions to the problem

It’s great if the number eight grows without any unpleasant symptoms. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. It usually hurts and causes significant discomfort. It is necessary to find out the causes of painful and other symptoms, as well as decide on further actions to eliminate the problem in the dentist’s chair.

Surgical intervention

Often wisdom teeth grow with pathological deviations, leading to dangerous complications. To avoid problems, dentists resort to removing the figure eight. The procedure must be carried out using an effective pain reliever. The highest quality of them are considered to be those based on articaine, for example, Ultracaine, Ubistezin. They last up to 6 hours. Recovery after such an operation takes longer and is much more often accompanied by fever and chills. From the above it follows that surgical intervention should only be undertaken if truly necessary.

Home methods

During the period when a wisdom tooth is being cut, and this process is painful, you can cope with the pain at home. Drugs sold in pharmacies without a prescription will help relieve the accompanying symptoms:

Anti-inflammatory drugs: Nimesulide, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol. They have an antipyretic effect.
Painkillers, for example, Analgin. Anesthetics such as Miramistin and Chlorhexidine can be used for applications.
Pain relieving gels. With their help, swelling and pain are relieved. They produce a soothing effect on the gums for some time. The most common of them is Cholisal.
The drug Maraslavin. It consists of natural ingredients. Relieves swelling and pain. Applications with it must be repeated 5-8 times a day.

Also, if the figure eight grows with painful sensations, traditional medicine can also help. Among the most effective folk recipes for rinsing are:

Sage tincture. Pour two tablespoons of dry collection into two glasses of boiling water, leave for about an hour and strain.
Oak bark. Relieves inflammation, pain and swelling. The proportion is: 0.5 liters of boiling water per 6 tablespoons of oak bark. The mixture is brought to a boil, after which 4 tablespoons of sage are added and boiled for about 5 minutes.
Turnip. Two or three tablespoons of finely chopped vegetables are poured with water, brought to a boil and continued to boil for another 15 minutes.
Infusion of calendula or chamomile. For 100 ml of boiling water there is 1 teaspoon of flowers. The mixture must be allowed to brew. Rinse your mouth with warm mixture.
Chicory rhizome. For a glass of boiling water, take 1 tablespoon of dry collection. The mixture is boiled for 5 minutes over low heat. Rinsing should be done 4 times a day.
Soda solution. You will need 200 ml of water, 1 teaspoon each of soda and salt and a few drops of iodine. Rinse no more than 3 times a day, as this solution dries out the mucous membrane.

Clinical picture of pericoronitis

The disease begins with increasing pain in the area of the wisdom tooth. The pain is very intense, it can radiate to the temple and ear. Pain may occur when opening the mouth, yawning, or swallowing. Sometimes you feel like your throat and cheek hurt, not your wisdom tooth. The process may also involve the facial muscles and lymph nodes. If a wisdom tooth becomes inflamed, the general condition of the whole body also suffers: a headache occurs and the temperature rises. The mucous membrane in the area of the diseased tooth is painful and red; as a result of “pressure” on the hood, pus may be released and swelling may occur.

Why do people need wisdom teeth?

As you know, in nature there is nothing superfluous. Although wisdom teeth are considered to be vestiges (parts of the body that have lost their function during the process of evolution), they can often be necessary in old age. The eighth teeth can serve as a support for bridge prosthetics, and also partially take over the chewing function if, for some reason, it becomes necessary to remove adjacent teeth. If wisdom teeth are healthy and correctly positioned, then they perfectly complement the dentition. But very often, “eights” can cause problems, because many complications arise during their eruption.

Consequences of wisdom teeth removal

In almost all cases, removal of wisdom teeth is traumatic, which can result in slow healing and various complications. Pain after such a procedure may occur due to alveolitis, an inflammatory process in the socket. Normally, the hole is covered by a blood clot, which protects the wound from pathogenic microbes entering it. That is why it is strictly forbidden to rinse your mouth after tooth extraction! When a blood clot is washed out, an infection may develop or a dry socket may occur, which may require further surgery. In some cases, after removal of the “eight”, numbness of the tongue, chin or lip may occur in the first days. If this condition does not go away within a week, you need to consult a doctor again, who will prescribe the necessary treatment.

How long do eights grow?

The process takes place individually. At what age a wisdom tooth can erupt depends on its readiness. By the age of 17, its main part (crown) is just beginning to form. The roots are still in progress. This will continue for about 3-4 years. In the range of up to 40 years, you can expect its appearance from the gums. For each person, this process occurs differently in terms of time and symptoms. The Guinness Book of Records records the latest case at 94 years. Some people experience a whole list of unpleasant symptoms with pain and fever, while for others everything happens quietly and calmly. At what age wisdom teeth erupt is a secondary matter. The speed of appearance is influenced by the size of the jaw. If there is not enough space, it will be difficult for the crown to come out of the gums.

What you should not do if your wisdom tooth is sick:

Under no circumstances should you apply any heat to your cheek (including heating pads), or rinse your mouth with warm water. As a result of any warming, the infection can spread even more, even suppuration of the bone tissue is possible.
It is not recommended to put painkillers on the tooth area, because as a result, not only will the pain not be relieved, but an ulcer may form on the gum.
Under no circumstances should you use advice given by friends and relatives. This or that remedy can help them, but the exact cause and diagnosis are unknown, as a result of which your wisdom tooth is swollen.

What problems do children and their parents face when replacing baby teeth with molars?

As mentioned above, first the root of the baby tooth is absorbed. In this case, the loss occurs painlessly on its own or under the influence of external signs (constant loosening by the child or eating fairly solid food). But it may also happen that the root of the tooth has not yet been sufficiently absorbed, the baby tooth has not yet fallen out, but the molar has already begun to grow. If you do not consult a dentist in time to remove a tooth that is interfering with natural growth, a significant malocclusion may occur: a molar may simply grow next to the baby tooth. Such changes in the oral cavity may be accompanied by an increase in body temperature and significant pain.

Another significant problem is teeth falling out too early. It can be caused by various gum diseases or physical trauma. If you do not seek advice from a specialist in time, the gums may become overgrown at the site of tooth loss, which will subsequently prevent the eruption of a molar at this site and the curvature of the dentition. In this case, they usually resort to prosthetics. A structure made of hypoallergenic materials is installed on the damaged area, completely identical in appearance to a natural tooth. It maintains the child’s neighboring teeth in an even state, preventing the formation of an incorrect bite.

Another significant problem is the delay in tooth loss, when the molar is already beginning to erupt, but the milk tooth is still quite firmly “sitting” in its place. This may be due to a lack of nutrients, delays in the development of the body in general and the oral cavity in particular. In this case, you should contact a dentist, who will examine the little patient in detail and prescribe the necessary measures. In most cases, the tooth that is preventing growth is simply removed. In this case, local anesthesia is used, which will make the process of tooth extraction almost painless.

Newly erupted molars are not yet strong enough; their tooth enamel is thinned. Therefore, during the period when baby teeth are replaced by molars, there is an increased risk of acquiring dental diseases. The most significant of them is caries. It can occur due to poor oral hygiene and consumption of large amounts of sweet foods. If caries is not treated in time, complications in the form of pulpitis and other dangerous dental diseases are possible. There is also a possible risk of damage to the oral cavity during this period by various types of infections, which often lead to inflammation of the gums and loss of newly grown teeth.

Replacing baby teeth with molars is a very important process for a child. Parents should do everything possible to make it enjoyable and painless. Therefore, it is very important to visit the pediatric dentist on time.