Which statement about the shedding of primary molars is true?

• A. They shed basically at the same time
• B. They shed sequentially from back to front
• C. They shed only after all incisors have shed
• D. They shed randomly with no timing pattern

Answer: (A)

Shedding timing is coordinated with the eruption of the permanent teeth, so the roots of the primary molars undergo resorption in parallel as the underlying successors move into place. In each quadrant, the same eruptive forces affect both primary molars, leading to their loosening and exfoliation around the same period. That’s why they tend to shed basically at the same time rather than much earlier or later, or in a random sequence. The other ideas don’t fit because molar shedding isn’t a strict back-to-front sequential process, it isn’t delayed until all incisors are gone, and there is a recognizable timing pattern tied to permanent tooth eruption.