Adults have 16 teeth on top. This includes the full set of permanent teeth in the upper jaw, from the central incisors at the front all the way back to the third molars (wisdom teeth) on each side. Children start with fewer: only 10 baby teeth on top before the permanent set gradually replaces them.
The 16 Upper Teeth, by Type
Your upper teeth are arranged symmetrically, with eight on the right side and eight on the left. Each side is a mirror image of the other, and every tooth type serves a specific purpose.
- Central incisors (2): The two front teeth, used for biting into food.
- Lateral incisors (2): Sit just beside the central incisors and help with biting.
- Canines (2): The pointed teeth at the corners of your smile, built for tearing food.
- Premolars (4): Two on each side, these have flat tops designed for crushing and grinding.
- Molars (6): Three on each side, including the wisdom teeth. These are the largest teeth and do most of the heavy grinding.
In dental offices, the upper teeth are numbered 1 through 16 in the Universal Numbering System used by American dentists. Tooth 1 is the wisdom tooth on the upper right, and the numbers follow the arch around to tooth 16, the wisdom tooth on the upper left.
Children Have 10 Upper Baby Teeth
Before permanent teeth come in, children have 20 baby teeth total, with 10 on top. The upper baby set is simpler: two central incisors, two lateral incisors, two canines, and four molars. There are no premolars or wisdom teeth in the baby set.
Baby teeth in the upper jaw start falling out around age 6 or 7, and the transition to permanent teeth happens in stages over roughly a decade. The front teeth (central incisors) are typically the first to be replaced, between ages 6 and 8. Lateral incisors follow at 7 to 8 years old. Canines and premolars come in between 9 and 13, second molars between 11 and 13, and wisdom teeth don’t appear until 17 to 21, if they appear at all.
Why You Might Have Fewer Than 16
Most adults don’t actually have all 16 upper teeth. Wisdom teeth are the most commonly missing, either because they never developed, they were removed, or they remain trapped beneath the gum. Many dentists recommend removing wisdom teeth when they cause crowding or grow in at an angle, so having 14 functional upper teeth is extremely common.
Some people are born missing teeth entirely. The upper lateral incisors, the ones flanking your two front teeth, are the most frequently absent. About 3.8% of adolescents in orthodontic populations are congenitally missing one or both upper lateral incisors, and it’s roughly three times more common in females than males. Among those affected, about 62% are missing the tooth on both sides rather than just one.
Why You Might Have More Than 16
Extra teeth can also develop in the upper jaw, and the most common type is called a mesiodens, a small extra tooth that grows between the two upper front incisors. This occurs in roughly 0.15% to 1.9% of the general population, and about 82% of all extra teeth show up in the upper jaw specifically, concentrated right in the front. These extra teeth often need to be removed because they can block the normal teeth from coming in straight or crowd the arch.
Upper vs. Lower: Is There a Difference?
The bottom jaw also has 16 permanent teeth, arranged in the same pattern: incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. The tooth types and counts are identical. The main differences are structural rather than numerical. Upper molars tend to be wider and have three roots, while lower molars typically have two. Upper front teeth also naturally overlap the lower front teeth slightly when you bite down, which is why orthodontists pay close attention to how the two arches fit together.