Most of us don't remember what it's like to get new teeth. Everything we've learned is ingrained and routine in our daily lives. As first-time parents, there can be a lot of questions when it comes to your child's teeth. These questions usually arise with natural changes, such as new teeth.
On this page, we'll answer most of your questions about your children's dental care. You may also find that one of our other pages about children's teeth can help you on your way:
→ Kids and toothbrushing
→ When your baby is teething
→ Children and dental injuries
Milk teeth and permanent teeth
In children, a distinction is made between milk teeth and permanent teeth. Milk teeth come first, and this starts when your child is around 6-8 months old. By around the age of three, most children have all 20 of their baby teeth.
→ Read more about babies and teeth here.
Around the age of six, your child will start replacing their baby teeth with permanent teeth. The baby teeth become loose and eventually fall out to make room for the new permanent teeth. In addition, a total of eight new molars also erupt at the ages of six and twelve - for this reason they are called "six-year teeth" and "twelve-year teeth".
Most children have their last teeth replaced between the ages of 10 and 13. When the entire set of teeth is in place, there are 28 teeth - but there are potentially still four wisdom teeth that can erupt.
There is no guarantee that wisdom teeth will erupt, and there's no telling when. They can lie dormant for life - or choose to emerge during adulthood.
As long as the wisdom teeth haven't grown in, it's a good idea to have X-rays/bitewings taken at regular intervals. This way, the dentist can keep an eye on them to make sure they don't damage the jaw or grow crookedly.
Children's dentistry in Copenhagen
As a parent, you can choose the dental service that best suits your child. All children and young people under the age of 18 have their dental care paid for by the City of Copenhagen. This includes the necessary orthodontic treatment, but there is a co-payment of 35 percent in private clinics.
The dental clinic usually contacts the parents around the child's first birthday to arrange the first dental visit. The exact time of the dental visit can vary from municipality to municipality, but is usually around the age of one.
The interval between your child's recommended dental visits can vary and depends on their dental health. In good dental health, visits are usually 18 months apart.
16- and 17-year-olds are free to choose whether they want to use the municipal services or visit a private dentist. In this age group, treatment is free of charge.
Private or municipal pediatric dentistry?
Basically, there are three different options for children's dental care if you live in the City of Copenhagen.
→ Copenhagen Municipality Dental Care: Based on your place of residence, your child will be assigned to one of the 32 clinics of the Children and Youth Dental Care that are closest to your place of residence. It is possible to choose another clinic within the municipality, but this is done via the dental care contact center.
→ Municipal dental care in another municipality: It is possible to choose another municipality to provide your child's dental care. However, the desired municipality may choose to reject the request if there is no room. You are responsible for making an agreement with the desired municipality and informing the City of Copenhagen's dental services about this.
→ Private dentist in private practice: If you want your child's dental care to be handled by a private dentist, the municipal dental service must be informed before treatment is started. Please note that there is a co-payment of 35 percent in private practice.
