True or False: eruptive patterns of deciduous and permanent teeth are different processes.

• A. False
• B. True
• C. Not sure
• D. Both

Answer: (A)

The same biological program drives eruption for both deciduous and permanent teeth. Eruption relies on signals from the dental follicle that coordinate bone remodeling, root formation, and movement of the tooth through the bone and gingiva. For deciduous teeth, eruption occurs first, and as the permanent tooth beneath begins to develop, the roots of the primary tooth are gradually resorbed by cells around it. When enough root resorption has occurred, the deciduous tooth loosens and shed, creating space for the permanent successor, which then erupts using the same movement through bone guided by the same signals.

So, the observed differences in eruption timing and sequence between the two dentitions come from development and resorption dynamics, not from a different eruption mechanism.