Which set of teeth is shed and replaced during childhood?

• A. Permanent teeth
• B. Deciduous teeth
• C. Primary teeth
• D. Mixed dentition

Answer: (B)

The set of teeth shed and replaced during childhood are the primary teeth, also known as deciduous teeth. These are the first teeth to erupt in early childhood and are later resorbed at their roots as the permanent teeth develop beneath them. That root resorption loosens the primary teeth, allowing them to fall out so the permanent teeth can erupt in their places. Primary/deciduous teeth act as placeholders, guiding the eruption path of the permanent dentition and helping with chewing and speech while the jaw grows. By contrast, permanent teeth are the ones that remain for life once they erupt, and the phase when both forms are present is called mixed dentition, not the set that is shed. So the correct set is the primary/deciduous teeth.