DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

PRIMARY AND
PERMANENT TEETH

Dr Preeti Sharma
Reader
Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology
SDC
Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU
• Humans exhibits two sets of
teeth,condition called teeth
Diphyodonty.
1. Primary Teeth
2.Permanent Teeth

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU
 SIGNIFICANCE OF
DECIDUOUS DENTITION
• Efficient mastication of food: With the
establishment of primary occlusion, child
learns to masticate the food efficiently.
Neuromuscular coordination required for
masticatory process is established at
primary dentition stage itself.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

• Maintenance of a proper diet and good nutrition:
A child with missing/grossly decayed primary
teeth may reject food that is difficult to chew.
• Maintenance of normal facial appearance: It
contributes to normal psychological and
cognitive development of the child. Prematurely
lost or rampantly carious front teeth may hamper
a child’s self confidence due to mocking from
their peers.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

• Development of clear speech: Teeth,
especially the anteriors are essential for
normal pronounciation of consonants.
Congenital absence or premature loss of
anterior primary teeth can hamper the
development of clear speech.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

• Avoidance of infection and possible
sequelae: It is important to prevent and
treat dental caries of primary teeth so as to
prevent abscess formation & pain. Spread
of infection from periapical abscess
(especially in primary molars) may reach
the underlying permanent tooth germs &
can cause brown spots of their crowns
(Turner’s hypoplasia).
Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU
• Maintenance of normal eruption schedule
of permanent successors: Generally,
successor tooth erupts within three
months of exfoliation of its predecessor
tooth. However, this normal eruption
schedule of permanent teeth is disturbed
when primary teeth are lost prematurely
due to caries or trauma. Thus,
malocclusion may develop.
Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU
• Maintenance of space for eruption of
permanent successor teeth: Presence of
adequate physiologic spacing in primary
dentition is conducive to the development
of normal occlusal relations in permanent
dentition. A lack of space associated with
premature loss of primary teeth is a
common cause of malocclusion
development.
Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU
Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU
Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU
Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU
Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU
Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU
Primary and Permanent Teeth

Teeth vary in size, shape and their location in the jaws. These
differences enable the teeth to work together to help you chew,
speak and smile. They also help give your face its shape and
form.

At birth people usually have 20 primary (baby) teeth, which often

erupt as early as six months of age. They are then shed at various
times throughout childhood. By age 21, all 32 of the permanent
teeth have usually erupted. Listed below, for your quick
reference, are charts that identify primary and permanent teeth.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU
Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Number: A total of 20 • A total of 32 teeth. 16 in
teeth. 10 in each jaw, 5 in each jaw, 8 in each
each quadrant. There are quadrant. There are 2
2 incisors, 1 canine, 2 incisors, 1 canine, 2
molars in each quadrant. premolars and 3 molars
Premolars & 3rd molars in each quadrant.
are not there in
deciduous dentition.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Duration of dentition: • 12 years and beyond.
lasts from 6 months to 6 Eruption of permanent
years. Primary teeth teeth begins at 6 years
begin to erupt at 6 and completes at 12-13
months. By 21/2 to 3 years except for 3rd
years of age, a child molars.
would have his/her
complete set of
deciduous teeth.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

 Macroscopic features
Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Size: Primary teeth are • Larger in overall
smaller in overall size and dimension.
crown dimensions when • Permanent teeth are
compared to their darker in color. They
permanent counterparts. appear yellowish, white or
• Color: Lighter in color. greyish white.
They appear bluish-white • Thus for primary resin
(milky white) & are also restorations, lighter
called as milk teeth. Their shades should be
refractive index is selected.
comparable to that of
milk.
Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU
Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Shape: Crowns of • Crowns of permanent
primary teeth are wider anterior teeth appear
mesiodistally in longer as their
comparison to their crown cervicoincisal height is
height. greater than mesiodistal
• Cervical constriction: width.
more constrocted at the • Crowns not so constricted
cervical portion of the at their necks.
crown,i.e. narrower at
their necks.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Cervical ridge: on buccal • Cervical ridges on
aspect of deciduous permanent crowns are
crown are more flatter.
prominent (especially on • Newly erupted permanent
1st molars). incisors exhibit
• Incisors- primary incisors mamelons.
do not exhibit mamelons. • Permanent incisors
• Primary incisors wider longer cevicoincisally
mesiodistally than they than they are wider
are long cervicoincisally. mesiodistally.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Canines- tend to be more • Permanent canines are
conical in shape & cusp less conical; their cusp
tip is more pointed & tips are less pointed.
sharp. • There are two premolars
• No premolars in in each quadrant.
deciduous dentition. • 3 molars in each
• Only 2 molars in each quadrant.
quadrant. No 3rd molars
in deciduous dentition.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Size- crown of 2nd molar • 1st permanent molar is
is larger than the crown larger than 2nd & 3rd
of1st molar. molars. Size of crown
• Deciduous molars are gradually decreases from
more bulbous & with 1st to 3rd molars.
marked cervical • Permanent molars have
constriction. less constriction of neck.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Occlusal table: buccal & • There is less
lingual surfaces of convergence of buccal &
primary molars, lingual surfaces of molars
especially that of 1st towards occlusal surface.
molars converge sharply Thus, have broader
occlusally, thus forming occlusal table.
narrow occlusal table in
buccolingual dimension.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Supplementary grooves are • Supplementary grooves are
more. Primary molars are more less.
caries prone due to easy food • Upper 1st molar has 4 cusps&
lodgement. 1 accessory cusp. Upper 2nd
• Upper 1st molar has 3 molar has 4 cusps. Lower 1st
cusps(resembles a molar has 5 cusps & lower 2nd
premolar).Upper 2nd molar molar has 4 cusps.
resembles permanent upper
1st molar. Lower 1st molar does
not resemble any tooth.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

 ROOT
Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Primary molars are more • Permanent roots are
delicate. Roots of primary stronger & provide good
teeth are proportionately anchorage in jaw bone.
longer & more slender in They are shorter & bulkier
comparison to crown in comparison to their
size. crown.
• Roots are narrower • Roots are broader
mesiodistally. mesiodistally.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

 ROOT
Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Furcation of molar roots • Furcation in permanent
is placed more cervically molars is placed more
so that the root trunk is apically & thus root trunk
much smaller. is larger.
• Roots of primary molars • Marked flaring of roots is
flare out markedly from absent.
cervical area to their tips(
to accommodate
permanent tooth buds
between their roots).

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

 ROOT
Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Primary roots undergo • Physiologic resorption is
physiologic resorption & absent.
the primary teeth are
shed naturally.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

 PULP
Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Pulp chambers of • Pulp chamber is smaller
deciduous teeth are in relation to crown size.
proportionately larger • Pulp outline follows DEJ
when compared to crown less closely.
size.
• Pulpal outline of primary
tooth follows DEJ more
closely than that of
permanent teeth.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

 PULP
Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Pulp horns of deciduous • Pulp horns are
molars (especially mesial comparatively lower &
horns) are higher & closer away from outer surface.
to outer surface than that
of permanent molars.
Depth of cavity
preparation in primary
teeth should be kept
shallow. Care should be
taken not to expose the
pulp.
Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU
 ROOT
Primary Dentition Permanent dentition
• Root canals are more • Root canals of permanent
ribbon-like, follows a thin, teeth are well-defined &
tortuous & branching less branching.
path. Multiple
ramifications of primary
pulp make complete
debridement impossible.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

 ROOT
Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Accessory canals in pulp • Floor of the pulp chamber
chambers of primary do not have many
molars directly lead to accessory canals.
inter-radicular furcation
areas.
Inflammation/infection
from pulp can easily
reach periodontium &
vice versa in case of
primary molars.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

 ROOT
Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Apical portion of the canal • Apical portion of the canal
is much less constricted is constricted & apical
than that of permanent foramen is narrower.
tooth & apical foramen is
wider.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

 HISTOLOGIC FEATURES
Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Enamel is thinner. About • Enamel is 2-3 mm thick &
1mm thick but of uniform is not uniform in
thickness. Less pressure thickness.
is required during cavity • Enamel rods at the cervix
preparation of primary are directed apically.
teeth. Depth of the cavity
preparation is less.
Enamel rods at the
cervical third are directed
horizontally instead of
gingivally.
Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU
 HISTOLOGIC FEATURES
Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Dentin thickness is half • Greater thickness of
that of permanent teeth. dentin over pulpal roof.
• Dentinal tubules are less • Dentinal tubules are more
regular. regular.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

 HISTOLOGIC FEATURES
Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Have wide enlarged • Apical foramen is
apical foramen. Thus, constricted. Reduced
have abundant blood blood supply. Thus,
supply & exhibit a poor infection & inflammation
localization of infection & comparatively well-
inflammation. localized.
• Less densely innervated. • Permanent pulp is
Thus, primary teeth are densely innervated.
less sensitive to operating Nerve fibers terminate
procedure compared to among odontoblasts &
permanent teeth. even pass beyond pre
dentin.
Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU
 HISTOLOGIC FEATURES
Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Cementum is thin & made up • Cementum is thick. Both primary
of only primary cementum. & secondary cementum present.
This shows that permanent • Permanent teeth are firmly
teeth are firmly anchored in anchored in alveolar bone & are
alveolar bone. not easily resorbed.

• Anchorage of primary teeth is

comparatively less firm and
easily resorbed, and can be
easily extracted.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

Primary dentition Permanent dentition
• Mineral content- both • Enamel and dentin are
enamel and dentin are more mineralized.
less mineralized and less • Neonatal lines are seen
dense. only in 1st molar (since
• Neonatal lines are mineralization begins at
present in all primary birth).
teeth both in enamel and
dentin.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

BASED ON CHRONOLOGY PRIMARY AND PERMANENT
TEETH ARE DIFFERENTIATED AS FOLLOWS :

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

DEVELOPING DENTITION

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU

 REFERENCES
• Wheeler’s. Text book of Dental Anatomy,
Physiology and occlusion. Ninth Edition.

Dr. Preeti Sharma, Subharti Dental College, SVSU