Most children stop losing baby teeth between ages 11 and 13, when the last primary molars fall out. The process starts around age 6 or 7 with the lower front teeth and works its way back over roughly six years. After that, the only teeth still coming in are permanent ones, with wisdom teeth potentially arriving as late as age 25.
The Baby Tooth Timeline
Children are born with 20 baby teeth hidden beneath the gums. These start falling out in a predictable order, beginning with the lower central incisors (the two bottom front teeth) around age 6 to 7. From there, tooth loss moves outward and backward through the mouth over the next several years.
The last baby teeth to go are the second molars, the broad teeth near the back of the mouth. These typically fall out between ages 11 and 13. So the full window of losing baby teeth spans roughly six to seven years. Some children run a year or so ahead or behind this schedule, and that’s normal. Girls tend to lose teeth slightly earlier than boys.
During this stretch, kids have what dentists call a “mixed dentition,” a mouth that contains both baby teeth and permanent teeth at the same time. It’s common during this phase to see what looks like two rows of teeth in the lower front of the mouth, especially when a permanent tooth pushes through before the baby tooth has fallen out. This typically resolves on its own as the baby tooth loosens and comes out.
What Comes In After Baby Teeth
As baby teeth fall out, 32 permanent teeth gradually replace them. Most of these are in place by age 12 or 13, but the process isn’t fully complete until much later. The second permanent molars usually arrive around age 12, and wisdom teeth (third molars) don’t erupt until somewhere between ages 17 and 25. By age 21, most people have their full set of adult teeth.
Wisdom teeth are the last permanent teeth to emerge and are often the most problematic. Many people have them removed in their late teens or early twenties because there isn’t enough room in the jaw for them to come in properly. Whether or not you get wisdom teeth, their arrival marks the true end of new teeth appearing in your mouth.
When Baby Teeth Don’t Fall Out
Some people reach adulthood with one or more baby teeth still in place. This is more common than you might think. About 25% of the population has some form of congenitally missing permanent teeth, meaning the adult tooth that was supposed to push out the baby tooth simply never developed. Without a permanent tooth pressing up from below, the baby tooth has no reason to loosen and fall out.
When a retained baby tooth stays in the mouth well past its expected timeline, it can gradually fuse to the surrounding bone, a process called ankylosis. Over time, the bone slowly replaces the root of the baby tooth. Paradoxically, this fusion can actually help the tooth last longer, because it sits slightly below the biting surface and avoids the heavy chewing forces that would otherwise wear it down faster. Retained baby teeth can sometimes last for decades in adults, though they may eventually need replacement.
Certain rare conditions can also delay or disrupt the normal schedule. Extra teeth (supernumerary teeth) can block permanent teeth from coming in on time. Genetic conditions like cleidocranial dysplasia can significantly delay the loss of baby teeth and the eruption of permanent ones. If a child reaches age 14 or so and still has several baby teeth with no signs of loosening, a dental X-ray can reveal whether permanent teeth are present and on their way.
Adult Tooth Loss Is Not Normal Aging
Once your permanent teeth are in, you’re not supposed to lose any more. A persistent myth suggests that losing teeth is a natural part of getting older, but it isn’t. Adult tooth loss is caused by preventable problems: untreated cavities, gum disease, and smoking are the primary culprits, according to CDC data.
The good news is that adult tooth loss has been declining for years. Between 1999 and 2018, the rate of complete tooth loss among adults 65 and older dropped significantly, driven by better preventive care, improved fillings and restorations, and earlier diagnosis of dental problems. More older adults are keeping their natural teeth than at any point in recent history.
The bottom line: losing teeth is a childhood process that wraps up by the early teens. After your permanent teeth arrive, keeping them is largely a matter of routine dental care rather than luck or genetics.