Children typically lose their lower canine teeth between ages 9 and 10, and their upper canines between ages 11 and 12. These pointed teeth are among the last baby teeth to fall out, coming well after the front teeth but before or alongside the final baby molars.
Lower Canines Fall Out First
The two lower (bottom) canines loosen and fall out around ages 9 to 10. The upper canines follow about one to two years later, usually between ages 11 and 12. This gap exists because the permanent teeth underneath develop on slightly different schedules. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, permanent lower canines erupt between ages 9 and 11, while permanent upper canines erupt between ages 11 and 12.
If your child is 10 and still has all their canines, that’s completely normal. There’s a wide range of “on time” for tooth loss, and girls tend to lose teeth slightly earlier than boys.
Where Canines Fit in the Tooth Loss Sequence
Most children lose their first baby tooth around age 6, starting with the lower front teeth (central incisors). The sequence then moves outward: lateral incisors come out next, followed by the first molars. Canines are near the end of the line. The very last baby teeth to go are typically the upper canines and the second molars, which often fall out around the same time in that 11 to 12 age window.
This means your child will spend several years with a mix of baby and permanent teeth. That’s normal and expected. Shortly after age 4, the jaw and facial bones start growing and creating spaces between the baby teeth, a process that gives the larger permanent teeth room to come in properly.
Why Canine Teeth Matter More Than You’d Think
Canines aren’t just for tearing food, though they do that well. Their pointed, wedge-like shape makes them the primary tools for biting into tough foods like meat and fibrous vegetables. But they also play a less obvious structural role.
Canines have the longest, deepest roots of any tooth in the mouth. Those roots help them withstand the strong sideways forces that happen during chewing. When your jaw moves side to side, the canines act as guides for the rest of the teeth, a function dentists call “canine guidance.” This prevents the back teeth from grinding against each other in ways that cause excessive wear. The roots of the upper canines also support the muscles and soft tissue around the corners of your mouth, contributing to your facial shape.
Signs a Permanent Canine Is Coming In
Before a baby canine falls out, you may notice the tooth becoming noticeably loose over a period of weeks. The permanent tooth developing underneath gradually dissolves the root of the baby tooth above it, which is what causes the looseness. Once enough root has been absorbed, the baby tooth falls out on its own.
Some children feel mild soreness or pressure in the gums as the permanent canine pushes through. You might also notice a slight bulge in the gum tissue where the new tooth is emerging. Because canines erupt later than most other teeth, children are usually old enough to handle the mild discomfort without much trouble.
When a Canine Doesn’t Come In on Schedule
Sometimes a permanent canine fails to erupt properly and becomes trapped (impacted) in the jawbone. This happens in roughly 1 to 2 percent of the population, and it affects girls two to three times more often than boys. Upper canines are the most commonly impacted teeth after wisdom teeth.
Several things can cause this. If the jaw is crowded or a neighboring tooth is missing or unusually small, the canine may lose its natural guide path and drift off course. A baby canine that stays in place too long, often because of decay or damage to its root, can also block the permanent tooth from coming through. In rarer cases, extra teeth or small growths in the jawbone physically obstruct the path.
A retained baby canine past age 13 or 14 is worth investigating. If the permanent canine is impacted, earlier treatment generally produces better outcomes. Removing the baby tooth is sometimes enough to let the permanent one redirect itself into the correct position. In other cases, orthodontic treatment is needed to guide the impacted tooth into place.
The Value of an Early Orthodontic Check
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all children have an orthodontic screening by age 7. At that age, enough permanent teeth have come in for a specialist to spot developing problems. Panoramic X-rays can reveal teeth that are coming in at the wrong angle, extra teeth that might block canines later, or missing teeth that could disrupt the eruption sequence. Catching these issues early, years before the canines are due to arrive, gives orthodontists the most options for correction and often simplifies treatment down the road.