Which statement about tooth counts is true?

• A. Adults have 32 permanent teeth; Children have 20 primary teeth
• B. Adults have 28 permanent teeth; Children have 16 primary teeth
• C. Adults have 24 permanent teeth; Children have 24 primary teeth
• D. Adults have 20 permanent teeth; Children have 32 primary teeth

Answer: (A)

Tooth counts differ by dentition: there are two sets of teeth in humans, primary (baby) teeth and permanent (adult) teeth. In children, the primary set is twenty teeth in total, organized with five teeth in each arch: two incisors, one canine, and two molars. In adults, the permanent set is thirty-two teeth in total, with sixteen teeth in each arch, including incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. In practice, some people don’t have all four wisdom teeth or may have them removed, which can reduce the actual count, but the standard expectation is that adults have 32 permanent teeth and children have 20 primary teeth.