Angel Link Dental Practice  Dentists in Suffolk: Angel Link Dental Practice
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This section provides both simple explanations and more detailed dental information. Please choose from one of the sections in the menu on the right.

Basic Facts

The human child normally has twenty milk or deciduous teeth, which erupt into the mouth between the ages of six months and two-and-a-half years.

The first permanent teeth to erupt are usually the first molars. These erupt behind the first teeth, usually before any teeth have fallen out.

The incisors, the teeth nearest the front of the mouth, are normally the first deciduous teeth to fall out, which they generally do when the child is aged between six and eight years.

Some people think that teething is associated with a range of general symptoms such as increased irritability, dribbling, red cheeks and a sore bottom. Certainly many parents will have noticed some from this list when the teeth are coming through, but so far no good explanation why this should be has been advanced. It is worth bearing in mind that children are prone to infections at around this age, so it is unwise to attribute any symptoms to this cause too hastily, before other possibilities have been eliminated.

Usually the permanent, or second teeth, begin to appear from the age of six onwards. Eruption times can be quite variable, so there is no cause for alarm if they come late. There is usually a lull after the incisors have erupted until around the age of ten when teeth start falling out again. The remaining first teeth have usually been shed by the age of twelve and more teeth will have appeared at the back of the mouth, bringing the number of teeth present to twenty-eight. The full complement of permanent teeth when all four wisdom teeth have erupted is thirty-two.

If you are at all concerned about your child's dental development it is sensible to share your worries with your dentist. He should be able to advise you, and if necessary refer you to a specialist for an expert opinion. Permanent teeth are often crowded because they have insufficient room. Relief of crowding can usually be achieved by creating more space, either by enlarging the dental arch or reducing the number of teeth.

 

Tooth Anatomy

A tooth has two distinct parts, a crown and a root. The crown, the part normally visible in the mouth, is uniquely suited to its demanding environment. It is covered with an extremely hard and durable substance called enamel. Enamel has to be able to withstand temperatures ranging from ice cubes to hot drinks, be hard wearing and strong enough to cope with heavy pressures. It must also be able to withstand cycles of immersion and dehydration, and all this for a life-time!

The root is usually hidden below the gum where it anchors the tooth in its socket by means of a unique attachment called the periodontal ligament. Other ligaments join bones together, but in this special instance the periodontal fibres link to the surface of the tooth by means of a bone-like substance called Cementum.

Much of the bulk of a tooth is composed of a remarkable substance called Dentine. It is quite like ivory in appearance and hardness but looked at under a microscope it can be seen to be composed of millions of small tubes called dentine tubules which radiate out from the core of the tooth towards the surface. Beneath the crown they terminate where the enamel begins and in the root they are covered by cementum. Every one of the tubules begins life containing a single cell. As the tooth develops these cells lay down more and more dentine, displacing the cells themselves but leaving behind a slim extension, or process, which tracks their movement. Some of these tubules can be seen to contain nerve fibres but it is thought that the cell processes themselves are the principle reason for the familiar sensitivity of teeth.

Our teeth can cope with a lot but they are not indestructible. How we look after them is therefore very important. The three hard components, enamel, dentine and cementum are susceptible to acid damage. Too much fruit or fruit juice can be harmful, as can carbonated drinks. A gastric disorder or bulimia can be destructive because of the corrosive nature of regurgitated stomach acid.

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