Primary Dentition Overview

Primary Dentition

• The aim is to understand the shape and form of deciduous teeth, their functions, and individual differences.
• Intended learning outcomes include explaining the importance of primary dentition, listing differences between primary and permanent dentition, noting eruption dates, describing signs and symptoms of teething, recognizing conditions of primary dentition, and recognizing the morphology of primary dentition.
• GDC learning outcomes for 2013 include describing relevant dental, oral, craniofacial, and general anatomy and explaining their application to patient management.
• GDC learning outcomes for 2023 include identifying relevant dental, oral, craniofacial, and general anatomy (recognising diversity), and explaining their relevance to patient management.
• Primary teeth are important, even though they fall out, as they play a critical role in space maintenance.
• Early tooth loss can lead to spontaneous drifting of adjacent teeth into the space, delayed eruption of permanent successors, ectopic eruption (misplaced) of permanent teeth, malocclusion (misalignment), and crowding.
• Retention of primary teeth can be problematic.
• Trauma to primary incisors may increase the incidence of developmental disorders in permanent teeth, and the damage to the permanent teeth tends to be worse the younger the child was at the time of trauma.
• The anatomy of tooth avulsion is important to understand.

Importance of Primary Dentition

• Primary teeth are crucial for space maintenance, impacting the development and alignment of permanent teeth.
• Their loss can negatively influence the eruption and positioning of permanent successors, resulting in potential malocclusions and orthodontic treatment needs.

Space Maintenance

• Early tooth loss can lead to insufficient space for permanent teeth, causing crowding problems. Lack of space can cause problems with the proper positioning of later teeth.
• Early tooth loss creates space problems for teeth to come in.

Premature Loss of Primary Teeth

• Premature tooth loss can lead to issues like the drifting of adjacent teeth and delayed or ectopic eruption of permanent teeth.
• It is important to manage the space adequately through space maintenance techniques in this instance.

Retention of Primary Teeth

• Primary teeth sometimes persist longer than needed, which can create problems for the eruption of permanent successor teeth.

Trauma to Primary Teeth

• Trauma to primary teeth can affect the permanent successors in the form of developmental disruptions.
• Damage is more severe for children experiencing trauma at a younger age.

Differences Between Primary and Permanent Dentition

• Primary teeth are typically smaller, whiter, have a prominent cervical ridge, and narrower roots.
• Permanent teeth are larger, yellower, have wider roots. The overall size and shape is different.
• Primary incisors and canines are replaced by permanent successors.
• Primary molars are replaced by premolars.
• Primary teeth exfoliate and are replaced by permanent teeth between the ages of 6-13 years old.

Eruption Dates

• Diagrams and specific eruption dates (in months and years) for each primary tooth were shown. Some of the eruption dates include 6 months (lower A), 7 months (lower B), 7.5 months (upper A), 8-9 months (upper B), 12-16 months (upper D), 12-16 months (lower D), 16-20 months (upper C), and 16-20 months (lower C). The final two are 2-2.5 years (upper E) and 2-2.5 years (lower E).

Teething

• Symptoms of teething can include flushed cheeks, gums appearing red and sore at the site of eruption, more dribbling, chewing on hard objects, irritability, rubbing of the ear.
• Associated symptoms like diarrhea are sometimes reported but not definitively linked in studies.

Hypo

• E.g. Enamel Hypoplasia, Amelogenesis Imperfecta: Specific conditions affecting enamel development and enamel defect.

Developmental Enamel Defects

• Enamel hypoplasia or opacities are present due to damage or system issues during development of enamel. Conditions like inherited or acquired systemic conditions cause enamel defects.
• Defective enamel is thinner, more plaque retentive, and less resistant to acid. This affects the likelihood of caries or toothwear.

Student Tasks

• Complete the provided Primary Dentitions Workbook.