Changing trends in tooth eruption-survey among children of Mangalore, India

Individuals from different ethnic and racial groups exhibit different variations in eruption patterns and timing of eruption of individual teeth. Such variations need to be analyzed and should form the basis for developing a new standard table for tooth eruption customized to the population in which they are to be applied. Aim of the study: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the timing and sequence of eruption of deciduous teeth among children of Mangalore city, India Material and methods: The study was done on 565 children, aged between 6 and 48 months. Dental recordings were made using the Federation Dentaire International (FDI) tooth notation system. All the data were compiled and tabulated using SPSS software package version 11. The Student t’ test was used to assess the significance of difference in the mean age of tooth eruption. Results: There was no significant difference between the right and left quadrants and between boys and girls for both maxilla and mandible. First tooth to erupt was at the age of 13.5+ 1.5 months. In the deciduous dentition all the teeth had erupted into the oral cavity by 39 months of age, the maxillary lateral incisors and first molars had erupted before their mandibular counterparts, while the reverse was true in case of mandibular central incisors, canines and second molars.