Research Article

The timing of eruption of the primary dentition in Nigerian children

  1. Morenike Folayan1,*,
  2. Foluso Owotade2,
  3. Ebun Adejuyigbe3,
  4. Saunak Sen4,
  5. Biola Lawal5,
  6. Kizito Ndukwe2

Article first published online: 12 OCT 2007

DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.20635

Issue

American Journal of Physical Anthropology

American Journal of Physical Anthropology

Volume 134, Issue 4, pages 443–448, December 2007

Additional Information

How to Cite

Folayan, M., Owotade, F., Adejuyigbe, E., Sen, S., Lawal, B. and Ndukwe, K. (2007), The timing of eruption of the primary dentition in Nigerian children. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 134: 443–448. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20635

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Child Dental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 22005, Nigeria

  2. 2

    Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 22005, Nigeria

  3. 3

    Department of Paediatrics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 22005, Nigeria

  4. 4

    Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA

  5. 5

    Department of Preventive Dentistry, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria

*Department of Child Dental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 22005, Nigeria

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 7 NOV 2007
  2. Article first published online: 12 OCT 2007
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 6 MAR 2007
  4. Manuscript Received: 19 JUL 2006

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Keywords:

  • children;
  • eruption;
  • timing;
  • sequence;
  • Nigeria

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to clarify the eruption time and sequence for primary teeth in Nigerian children. It also investigated the effect of sex and socioeconomic status on the timing and sequence of eruption. A random sample of 1,657 children from ages of 3–40 months were examined—921 (55.6%) males and 736 (44.4%) females. The age of eruption of the teeth was estimated using probit regression. The results show that there was no effect of sex, socioeconomic status or breastfeeding status on the timing of eruption and pattern of teeth eruption in Nigerian children. Left and right teeth had similar eruption times. Eruption times of the lateral incisor, canine, and molars were similar for upper and lower teeth. Interpopulation studies however showed that though the sequence of eruption of primary teeth in Nigerian population is similar to that of their peers in other compared populations, there are observable sex differences in the timing of tooth eruption. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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