Baby canine teeth typically appear between 16 and 23 months of age, while permanent canines come in between ages 9 and 12, making them some of the last teeth to arrive in both sets. The exact timing varies by child, by jaw (upper vs. lower), and even by sex, so there’s a wide window of normal.
Baby Canines: 16 to 23 Months
The primary (baby) canines are the pointed teeth that sit between the incisors and the first molars. Lower canines generally appear first, around 16 to 18 months, with upper canines following between 17 and 23 months. Most children have all four baby canines by their second birthday.
Compared to incisors and molars, canine eruption is specifically linked to one notable symptom: loss of appetite. A clinical trial published in the journal Pediatrics found that while general teething disturbances like fussiness and drooling were similar across all tooth types, canines caused significantly more appetite loss than either incisors or molars. This may be because canines have a single, sharp point that puts more focused pressure on the gums as they push through. If your toddler suddenly refuses food around this age, the canines are a likely culprit, and appetite usually returns once the teeth break the surface.
When Baby Canines Fall Out
Baby canines are among the longer-lasting primary teeth. While front teeth start falling out around age 6 or 7, canines typically hold on until ages 9 to 12. They need to stay in place longer because the permanent canines that replace them are some of the last adult teeth to develop fully beneath the gums.
Permanent Canines: Ages 9 to 12
Permanent canines follow a different timeline depending on whether they’re in the upper or lower jaw. Lower canines tend to arrive earlier, often between ages 9 and 10, while upper canines erupt later, typically between ages 10 and 12, with a normal deviation of several years on either side of that range.
The eruption order also differs between jaws in an interesting way. In the lower jaw, canines come in before both sets of premolars, making them one of the earlier permanent teeth to arrive after the incisors and first molars. In the upper jaw, the pattern reverses: the first premolar usually erupts before the canine. So if your child’s lower canines appear well before their upper ones, that’s completely typical.
Girls Tend to Get Canines Earlier
Sex plays a measurable role in timing. Girls generally show more advanced eruption stages for canines, particularly in the lower jaw, where the difference is statistically significant. The eruption sequence can also differ: upper canines appear before the second premolar in about 71% of girls but only 22% of boys. In boys, the second premolar is more likely to arrive first. This means girls often complete their canine eruption a year or more ahead of boys.
Why Upper Canines Get Stuck More Often
Upper canines have the longest and most complicated path of any tooth in the mouth. They develop high up near the eye socket and must travel a greater distance to reach their final position. This makes them the most frequently impacted permanent tooth, meaning they get stuck beneath the gum or bone and fail to erupt on their own.
Impacted upper canines affect roughly 1 to 4% of the population, and the upper jaw accounts for about 79% of all canine impactions compared to just 21% in the lower jaw. Impaction is more common when there’s crowding in the dental arch or when the tooth drifts off course during its long journey downward.
Early detection makes a significant difference. If a baby canine is removed before age 11 in cases where the permanent canine is drifting off track, the adult tooth self-corrects and erupts normally in about 91% of cases. Some orthodontists recommend screening as early as ages 8 or 9 in children where crowding or delayed eruption is suspected. A simple dental X-ray can show whether the permanent canine is on the right path or heading toward impaction.
If an impacted canine isn’t caught early, treatment typically involves a minor surgical procedure to expose the tooth, followed by braces or other orthodontic hardware to guide it into position over several months. The process works well but takes considerably longer than early intervention, which is why pediatric dentists pay close attention to canine development during routine checkups in the 8-to-12 age range.
Signs a Canine May Be Delayed
For baby teeth, there’s little cause for concern unless no canines have appeared by age 2. Teething timelines vary widely, and a few months’ delay is normal.
For permanent canines, a few signs suggest the tooth may need help. If the baby canine hasn’t loosened by age 12 or 13, if you can’t feel a bulge in the gum above where the permanent canine should be, or if the teeth on either side of the canine space are starting to drift together and close the gap, these all warrant a dental X-ray to check on the permanent tooth’s position. Catching a problem at this stage still leaves good options for guiding the tooth into place.