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Permanent teeth

32 dents dans votre bouche

There are 32 teeth in your mouth

The permanent dentition has a total of 32 teeth, including wisdom teeth. Among this number, there are :

  • the 8 central and lateral incisor teeth,
  • the 4 canines,
  • the 8 premolars and
  • the 12 molars.

This dentition will be in your mouth from the age of 12 or 13. The first adult teeth will appear from 6-7 years old and will form the mixed dentition since there will still be the presence of some primary teeth and this, until the loss of the last primary tooth around 12 years.

The eruption schedule of permanent teeth

The eruption schedule of permanent teeth

  • Central incisors: between 7 and 8 years
  • Lateral incisors: between 7 and 9 years
  • Canines: between 9 and 12 years
  • 1st molars: between 6 and 7 years
  • 2nd molars: between 12 and 13 years
  • 3rd molars: between 17 and 21 years
The hardness of the tooth thanks to the enamel

The hardness of the tooth thanks to the enamel

Enamel is the strongest and hardest part of the human body. On  Mohs hardness scale, the enamel of the tooth reaches 5, while glass or ordinary steel reaches 5.5 and diamond, 10.

Since enamel is resistant even to the destructive effects of fire, it is not uncommon for forensic scientists to use it for identification purposes. However, enamel is still very sensitive to acids and must be protected from them, especially through the removal of plaque by brushing.

Historical role

Historical role

Throughout history, the careful examination of teeth has revealed valuable information about their host. Thus, teeth have provided us with information concerning the identification of a species, age, social rank and even cause of death, both in humans and animals. For example, the analysis of the DNA of teeth has allowed us to identify causes of death such as plague, typhus or various poisonings.

Everyday Roles

Everyday Roles

The permanent dentition contributes to several important functions:

  • Feeding: eating solids without constraint;
  • Speech: speaking properly (the position of the teeth or the absence of certain teeth can influence the way we pronounce certain sounds);
  • Proper functioning of the digestive system (properly ground food).
  • Self-confidence, pride and self-esteem.

Maintain or change the shape of our face

Tooth loss causes premature loss of jawbone and makes the face appear older than it really is.

Sourire à belles dents rive sud

Expressions

Teeth are an important part of our body, but they are also intimately linked to our personality, our history and our cultures.

There are several expressions that come from our education, history and folklore. This shows the importance of teeth for humans. Here are some examples of common expressions concerning teeth or dentition:

  • « Smile with beautiful teeth»
  • « Through the skin of the teeth »
  • « Having a grudge against someone »
  • « When the chickens have teeth »
  • « Having a horse’s teeth »
  • « Be on your toes »
  • « Having a sweet tooth » Etc.
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