Q:
My son is almost 3 and only has about six teeth. I read somewhere that by age 2½ a child should have 20 primary teeth—10 on top and 10 on the bottom. Is this true?
A:
You're correct—the average child has 20 teeth by the time he's 3. But remember, this is an average. There are big variances among children. Still, I would recommend you bring your son to a dentist for an evaluation. He may have a congenital absence of teeth or there may be something preventing his teeth from erupting.
Gregory F. George D.D.S.
