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Dentistry vocabulary · Teeth and Oral Anatomy

Primary teeth

Meaning in dentistry, with examples

nounCore term

In dentistry, primary teeth means: The first set of 20 teeth that children have. They start to come through at about six months of age and are gradually replaced by permanent teeth from around age six.

In Turkish: süt dişleri, geçici dişler

How it is used

The standard clinical term. Parents say baby teeth (US) or milk teeth (UK), and older texts use deciduous teeth. In FDI notation, primary teeth are numbered in quadrants 5 to 8.

Example sentences

  1. Decay in primary teeth still needs treatment, because they hold space for the adult teeth.

  2. All her primary teeth are present, and the first permanent molars are erupting.

Common collocations

  • primary teeth
  • primary molars
  • loss of primary teeth
  • retained primary tooth
  • permanent teethThe second and final set of teeth, which replace the primary teeth. Adults have 32, including the four wisdom teeth, and they have to last for life.
  • molarOne of the large, wide teeth at the back of the mouth used for grinding food. Adults have up to twelve, including the four wisdom teeth.
  • fissure sealantA thin plastic coating painted into the deep grooves (fissures) on the biting surfaces of back teeth, so that food and bacteria cannot collect there and cause decay.
  • quadrantOne of the four quarters of the mouth: upper right, upper left, lower left and lower right. In an adult each quadrant has eight permanent teeth.

More terms: Teeth and Oral Anatomy

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.