Most children lose all their baby teeth by age 12, though the full range spans from about 10 to 13. The process starts around age 6 with the bottom front teeth and ends with the second molars and canines in the back of the mouth. That means the entire journey from first wiggly tooth to a full set of permanent teeth takes roughly six years.
The Shedding Timeline, Tooth by Tooth
Baby teeth fall out in roughly the same order they came in. The two bottom front teeth (central incisors) go first, typically between ages 6 and 7, followed closely by the two top front teeth at the same age. From there, the lateral incisors on both the top and bottom loosen between ages 7 and 8.
After a bit of a pause, the process picks up again around age 9. The first molars shed between 9 and 11, and the canines (the pointy teeth) follow between 9 and 12. The very last baby teeth to go are the second molars, the ones farthest back in the mouth, which shed between ages 10 and 12 on the top and can hold on until 13 on the bottom. According to ADA and AAPD charts, lower second molars sometimes don’t shed until age 13, which is still within the normal window.
Why Some Kids Lose Teeth Earlier or Later
There’s a wide range of normal. A child who loses a first tooth at 5 and another who doesn’t until nearly 8 can both be on track. Girls tend to lose teeth slightly earlier than boys, and genetics play a significant role. If you lost your baby teeth late, your child may follow the same pattern.
That said, if no baby teeth have loosened by age 7 or 8, it’s worth a dental visit. An X-ray can confirm whether permanent teeth are forming beneath the gums and simply running behind schedule, or whether something else is going on. Kids who still have baby teeth at 9 or 10 that show no signs of loosening should be monitored more closely, since delayed shedding can interfere with permanent teeth coming in properly.
What Keeps Baby Teeth From Falling Out
The most common reason a baby tooth overstays its welcome is that the permanent tooth meant to replace it simply doesn’t exist. This condition, called tooth agenesis, means one or more adult teeth never developed. It’s more common than most parents expect, particularly with the upper lateral incisors and the second premolars.
Another cause is ankylosis, where the root of the baby tooth fuses directly to the jawbone. When that happens, the tooth can’t loosen naturally because the normal process of root resorption never kicks in. Impacted permanent teeth, infections, and trauma can also delay things. If the retained baby tooth is structurally sound and isn’t blocking other teeth or causing alignment problems, dentists sometimes leave it in place rather than extract it.
When Baby Teeth Fall Out Too Early
Losing a baby tooth too early, usually from decay or injury, creates a different problem. Baby teeth act as placeholders, keeping the right amount of space open for the permanent tooth that will eventually move in. When a baby tooth is lost well before its replacement is ready to erupt, neighboring teeth can drift into the gap, crowding out the permanent tooth or forcing it to come in crooked.
Dentists sometimes place a space maintainer to hold that gap open. This is especially important when a first primary molar is lost after the permanent incisors and first permanent molars have started erupting, because that’s when drift is most likely. Space maintainers are small metal devices that sit in the mouth and keep adjacent teeth from shifting until the permanent tooth is ready to come through.
What Happens as Permanent Teeth Arrive
Permanent teeth don’t always wait for baby teeth to vacate. It’s common to see an adult tooth pushing through the gum while the baby tooth is still in place, sometimes called “shark teeth.” This happens most often with the lower front teeth. In most cases, the baby tooth loosens and falls out on its own within a few weeks once the permanent tooth applies pressure from below. If it doesn’t, a dentist can remove it to let the adult tooth settle into position.
The last permanent teeth to arrive aren’t replacing baby teeth at all. The second permanent molars, often called 12-year molars, erupt behind the last baby teeth between ages 12 and 14. These come in at the back of the jaw where no baby tooth ever existed, so there’s nothing to shed. Wisdom teeth follow much later, typically in the late teens or early twenties.
A Quick Reference by Age
- Ages 6 to 7: Bottom and top front teeth (central incisors)
- Ages 7 to 8: Lateral incisors, upper and lower
- Ages 9 to 11: First molars
- Ages 9 to 12: Canines
- Ages 10 to 13: Second molars, the last baby teeth to go
If your child is 13 and still has a baby tooth that isn’t loose, a dental X-ray can show whether there’s an adult tooth waiting beneath it or whether the baby tooth is there to stay for now. Most of the time, the whole process wraps up smoothly by middle school with no intervention needed.