How Many Baby Teeth Do We Have?

As a general rule, baby teeth begin to appear during the first year of life. The first tooth usually erupts when the baby is around 6 months old.

This process continues for approximately 3 years, during which all the baby teeth emerge, completing the set of 20 primary teeth that make up the temporary dentition: 8 incisors, 4 canines, and 8 molars.

These timelines are always approximate. If your baby follows a different schedule, simply consult us.

How Many Teeth Does an Adult Have?

By the age of 12, children usually have their full set of permanent teeth.

However, the ideal number of teeth an adult should have is 32 permanent teeth, but this is not always the case. Some teeth may fail to erupt properly, wisdom teeth may be absent, or, on the contrary, you might have an extra tooth (supernumerary).

This is often due to genetic factors, poor oral hygiene, or a lack of preventive care. Fortunately, many of these issues can be addressed with modern implantology and orthodontic techniques.

Types of Teeth and Their Function in Adults

1. Incisors: Incisors are the teeth responsible for cutting food. They are flat, thin, and have different widths. We have a total of 8 incisors, 4 in each of the arches.
2. Canines: These teeth play a very important role when eating, speaking, or maintaining the shape of the lips. Additionally, they also guide the position of the remaining teeth. They help you cut and tear food into smaller pieces, but they also work together with the incisors. We have 4 canines.
3. Premolars: Premolars offer a flat biting surface. They are used to tear and crush food. We have 8 premolars.
4. Molars: Molars are the largest and strongest teeth in our mouth. Their function is to chew, crush, and grind food. In total, we have 12 molars, including the wisdom teeth. The latter usually erupt from the age of 18.

Main Problems with Teeth

1. Baby Teeth:
   Baby teeth must be given a lot of attention as they are the foundation of a healthy future mouth. Four recommendations:
   • Brush them twice a day with children’s fluoride toothpaste.
   • Visit the paediatric dentist regularly.
   • At age 6, visit the orthodontist, as this is when the first permanent molars erupt.
   • Follow a healthy diet free of sugars.
2. Permanent Teeth:
   The most common problems are cavities, halitosis, periodontitis, and tertiary crowding in young adults or adults. The latter consists of the lower incisors tending to crowd, causing a large accumulation of plaque and, consequently, more bone loss between the teeth due to the inability to perform proper cleaning.Orthodontics is the only treatment that solves this problem. Dental crowding should be treated as soon as possible, as bone size decreases over the years, and teeth become increasingly crowded. There are different orthodontic treatments:
   • Aligners
   • Metal brackets
   • Sapphire brackets