Communicating in the Dental Language

Communicating in the Dental Language

The Dentitions

Humans have two dentitions or sets of teeth in their lifetime. The first, primary or deciduous, begins to erupt in the oral cavity at approximately 6 months of age. The primary dentition consists of twenty teeth, is completed at about age 2 and a half, and is called a deciduous dentition because the teeth are lost (exfoliated) to make room for the eruption of the permanent or succedaneous dentition.

The primary dentition remains undisturbed for approximately four years as the child grows older and the bones of the jaw and face grow down and forward. Once the lower jaw, the mandible, has grown longer, the first of the permanent teeth begin to erupt. The mandibular first molars erupt at approximately six years of age. This is why many people refer to these teeth as the six-year molars. This marks the beginning of the mixed dentition. During the mixed dentition years, there are both primary and permanent teeth present in the mouth. The teeth alternately erupt between the arches, maxillary, upper jaw, and mandibular, lower jaw .

The permanent dentition consists of thirty-two teeth. The permanent or succedaneous dentition follows or succeeds the primary dentition once it has been exfoliated, and is complete between 17 and 23 years of age when the third molars have erupted. The third molars, also known as wisdom teeth, may never erupt, or may have to be extracted for a variety of reasons leaving the adult dentition with twenty-eight total teeth. The permanent dentition is the final dentition that a human will develop, and will last the remainder of the individual’s lifetime if properly maintained.

Tooth Identification

In order to communicate with each other, our patients, and to keep records regarding specific teeth in the mouth, we need some method to identify not only the types of teeth but also a single tooth in the dentition. Looking at the following images of a complete dentition, use the space provided below to create your own identification system. Provide a detailed explanation of how it would be used. Even if you have little or no prior experience in dentistry take a try at developing a system you think would work best. (You will be unable to advance beyond this point without entering an answer.)

	Humans have two dentitions or sets of teeth in their lifetime. The first, *primary* or *deciduous, begins to erupt in the oral cavity at approximately 6 months of age. The primary dentition* consists of twenty teeth, is completed at about age 2 and a half, and is called a deciduous dentition because the teeth are lost (exfoliated) to make room for the eruption of the permanent or succedaneous dentition.
	The primary dentition remains undisturbed for approximately four years as the child grows older and the bones of the jaw and face grow down and forward. Once the lower jaw, the *mandible, has grown longer, the first of the permanent teeth begin to erupt. The mandibular first molars erupt at approximately six years of age. This is why many people refer to these teeth as the six-year molars. This marks the beginning of the mixed dentition. During the mixed dentition years, there are both primary and permanent teeth present in the mouth. The teeth alternately erupt between the arches, maxillary, upper jaw, and mandibular,* lower jaw .
	The permanent dentition consists of thirty-two teeth. The permanent or succedaneous dentition follows or succeeds the primary dentition once it has been exfoliated, and is complete between 17 and 23 years of age when the third molars have erupted. The third molars, also known as wisdom teeth, may never erupt, or may have to be extracted for a variety of reasons leaving the adult dentition with twenty-eight total teeth. The permanent dentition is the final dentition that a human will develop, and will last the remainder of the individual’s lifetime if properly maintained.