Eight Key Dental Milestones for Kids

Smiles are big milestones in a child’s life. From the first tooth and the first visit from the tooth fairy to those giant-sized grins after their adult teeth appear – your child’s smile is so important. Keep them happy and healthy with good at-home dental hygiene routines and regular visits to the dentist for preventive care. (Worried about the cost of dental care and dental insurance? Check out dental savings plans, an affordable alternative to traditional dental insurance.)

Below, you’ll find the ages when you can expect to see big changes in your child’s smile. But remember, every kid hits those milestones at slightly different times. If you have any concerns about your child’s dental development, check in with a dental professional or your pediatrician.

Eight Key Dental Milestones for Kids

First Tooth: Typically, the first baby tooth appears around the time your little one is six months old, almost always one of the lower front teeth.

First Checkup: Shortly after your baby’s first teeth have erupted, somewhere between 6-12 months old. This is the time to ask your dentist about the best oral hygiene practices for your baby (and yourself!) and discuss the use of pacifiers and other oral habits (thumb sucking, etc.), and any teething issues if appropriate.

First Complete Smile: At around 3 years old, your child will probably have a complete set of 20 baby teeth.

First Cleaning Treatment: Ask your dentist when your child should get his or her first professional cleaning treatment, and also ask about sealant treatments. Cleanings and cavity defense procedures can start anywhere between 2-6 years. Cleanings should then be performed every six months or as indicated by your child’s oral health status.

First Lost Tooth: Baby teeth usually fall out in the same order they came in, so the That means the lower center teeth will usually go first, somewhere around age 6 or 7. But your child may lose his or her first teeth as early as age 4. Typically, a child whose baby teeth came in early will lose them sooner than other children. If your child loses a tooth due to an injury or dental decay, see a dentist. Your child may need a space holder (a small plastic dental appliance) to keep his or her teeth in the correct position until adult teeth come in.

Permanent Teeth Complete: It can take a decade (or more!) for your child baby teeth to be replaced by adult teeth. The American Dental Association offers a great chart to track the progress of adult teeth appearances in your child’s mouth, along with a timetable that tells you when to expect each tooth.

Braces: Orthodontic treatment, if needed, normally begins between ages 10 and 14. Some dentists may start treatment earlier, depending on your child’s needs.

Wisdom teeth: These “third molars” typically come in somewhere between 17-21 years but can erupt much later. During your child’s late adolescence, your dentist will assess the presence, position, and development of wisdom teeth to determine whether they might need to be extracted.