What Age Do Molars Come In? A Parent's Guide to Your Child's Growing Smile

What Age Do Molars Come In? A Parent's Guide to Your Child's Growing Smile

The development of teeth in terms of your child’s growth is an essential aspect of their overall health and well-being. This is one of the most popularly asked questions by parents: What age do molars come in? If you know the timeline along which molars erupt, you can keep an eye on your child's dental development, be ready for episodes of teething, and provide them with proper oral care right from the start.

In this article, we will go through the average age range at which molar teeth come in, what kinds of molars kids are getting, what to expect at the time of eruption, and how you will take care of your child’s newly acquired teeth.

What Are Molars?

Molars are the big, flat teeth located in the back of the mouth in humans, and they work on food with grinding and chewing. An important function that they serve is proper digestion alongside maintaining a healthy bite. Molars can be differentiated from incisors or canines as they serve to crush food into small digestible pieces, while those two types serve a biting and tearing purpose.

Children receive two sets of molars during their development: primary (baby) molars and permanent (adult) molars.

What Age Do Molars Come In? Here’s a general timeline of when molars erupt:

Primary (Baby) Molars

During your child's first set of teeth, which is also known as the primary dentition, these molars fall into two stages of eruption:

First molars: Erupt between 13 to 19 months of age

Second molars: Erupt from 23 to 33 months

Just like any other eruption timelines, molar eruption may vary in time slightly among children; also, typically, girls may be on average ahead of boys in teething.

Permanent (Adult) Molars

In due time, as your child gets older, the baby teeth fall off and are replaced with permanent teeth. Three large groups of molars come in:

First permanent molars: Erupt around 6 to 7 years of age - called "6-year molars."

Second permanent molars: Erupt around 11 to 13 years- called "12-year molars."

Third molars (Wisdom teeth): Erupt between 17 to 25 years, but many people never develop them.

These permanent molars do not replace any baby teeth - they develop behind the existing teeth, adding to the total number.

What Are the Signs of Molars Coming In?

Molars being larger take up more space, and eruption can sometimes be more uncomfortable for children than the earlier teeth. Some signs that could indicate an impending eruption of molars are:

More drooling than usual

Swollen or sensitive gums

Children becoming irritable or fussy

Difficulty in sleeping

Chewing - whether on objects or fingers- more than usual

Slightly raised temperature during molar eruption in some cases

In many children, pain is not very severe. Some go through the eruption of molars with insignificant manifestations.

Caring for Your Child's Molars. Good oral hygiene is the primary requirement as the first molars erupt. Listed below are ways to help you with this:

Twice Daily Tooth Brushing Use a soft-bristled toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste to gently brush your child's teeth and gums. For children younger than 3, use a smear of fluoride toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice). For those aged 3 and older, teach them to use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.

Concluding Thoughts When do molars come in?

It depends on which molars we're talking about:

: Baby molars: 13-33 months

: 6-year molars: 6-7 years

: 12-year molars: 11-13 years

: Wisdom teeth: 17-25 years

As unique as every child is, slight deviation exists. You remain informed and proactive in dental work; set your computer.

Require an expert opinion on your child's dental development? Visit Bliss Grins or schedule a visit today to learn how we can help your child on their journey to oral health.