Anatomy
Primary teeth (baby teeth)
Primary teeth, or baby teeth, are the first set of 20 teeth. They start to come in around six months and are replaced by adult teeth.
Babies are born with all 20 primary teeth already in their jaws. They begin to come through the gums at around six months of age. Most of them are in by age 3.
Baby teeth help children chew, speak and smile. Baby teeth lost early to cavities can threaten the health of a child's permanent teeth. Decay in them is called early childhood caries.
Teething often causes tender gums. Our office describes care for children on its page for children's dentistry.