Ace the HESI Chairside Challenge 2026 – Elevate Your Dental Assisting Skills!

The mixed dentition period is characterized by the presence of both primary (deciduous) teeth and permanent teeth in the oral cavity. This stage typically occurs between the ages of 6 and 12, as children transition from primary teeth to a full set of permanent teeth.

During this time, primary teeth begin to exfoliate, making room for the permanent teeth that erupt. This is a crucial period in dental development, as the formation, alignment, and proper eruption of the permanent teeth are influenced by the conditions of the primary teeth that are still present. The mixed dentition stage is vital for monitoring the development of occlusion and dental health, ensuring that any issues can be addressed early on.

In contrast, the transition period usually refers to the overall process of losing primary teeth and gaining permanent teeth, which can happen over a range of ages but does not specifically denote the simultaneous presence of both types of teeth. The permanent dentition period occurs when all the primary teeth have been replaced by permanent ones. Finally, the deciduous period is solely focused on the presence of primary teeth without any permanent teeth. Thus, the period that specifically identifies the coexistence of primary and permanent teeth is indeed the mixed dentition period.