>> When will my baby start getting teeth? >> My child's baby teeth had a lot of decay. Does this mean that the permanent teeth will too? >> Why do the permanent teeth look so much yellower than baby teeth? >> My child has a double row of front teeth. Why is this and what should be done? >> What about the big space between my 8-year old's two upper front teeth? When will my baby start getting teeth? Usually the two lower front teeth (central incisors) erupt at about six months of age, followed shortly by the two upper central incisors. During the next 18 - 24 months, the rest of the baby teeth appear, although not in orderly sequence from front to back. All of these primary teeth should be present by 2 - 3 years of age. >> back to top My child's baby teeth had a lot of decay. Does this mean the permanent teeth will too? Not necessarily. If decay was caused by poor diet and lack of oral hygiene, and these bad habits are eliminated and proper treatments were used to eliminate current tooth decay, the permanent teeth can be spared from the same fate. >> back to top Why do the permanent teeth look so much yellower than baby teeth? Permanent teeth are normally yellower than primary teeth, but they appear even more so because you are comparing them with the lighter baby teeth still in the mouth. >> back to top My child has a double row of front teeth. Why is this and what should be done? This is not an uncommon occurrence. Sometimes the permanent teeth begin to come in before the baby teeth are lost. If the baby teeth do not come out on their own, they may have to be removed. Once removed, the tongue usually moves the permanent tooth forward into its proper position. >> back to top What about the big space between my 8-year old's two upper front teeth? Usually there is no need for concern. The space can be expected to close in the next few years as the other front teeth erupt. However, if there is a problem, it will be detected during regularly scheduled visits to the pediatric dentist. >> back to top