Question

A baby boy aged two years is admitted to play school and passes through a dental check - up. The dentist observed that the boy had twenty teeth. Which teeth were absent?

• A. Canines
• B. Pre-molars
• C. Molars
• D. Incisors

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

A two-year-old child typically has 20 primary teeth, often referred to as "baby teeth," "milk teeth," or "deciduous teeth." These primary teeth consist of incisors, canines, and molars. The absence of pre-molars is characteristic, as pre-molars are part of the permanent teeth set that emerge later in life. Let's examine why pre-molars are absent and rule out the other options:

1. Incisors: These are present in children's mouths. In a typical two-year-old, there are 4 upper incisors and 4 lower incisors.
2. Canines: These teeth are also present by around the age of two. There are 2 upper canines and 2 lower canines.
3. Molars: These are present as part of the primary set. A child usually has 2 sets of molars on each side, totaling 8 molars.
4. Pre-molars: These teeth emerge later in life, typically during the ages of 10 to 12, as part of the permanent teeth set. Pre-molars are not present in the primary (baby) teeth set.

Therefore, the teeth missing in a two-year-old child are the pre-molars.

Conclusion: The correct answer is that the pre-molars are absent in a two-year-old's dental structure.