Most children lose their last baby tooth around age 12 or 13. The process of losing baby teeth starts around age 6 and follows a predictable sequence over roughly six to seven years. After that, the only new teeth still to come are wisdom teeth, which typically appear between ages 17 and 25.
The Full Timeline of Losing Baby Teeth
Children have 20 baby teeth in total. The first to go are usually the two bottom front teeth, followed by the two top front teeth, starting around age 6. From there, the remaining teeth fall out in a fairly consistent order: the lateral incisors (the teeth flanking the front ones), then the first molars, canines, and finally the second molars. Those second molars, sitting in the back of the mouth, are almost always the last baby teeth to fall out, typically between ages 11 and 13.
By age 13, most children have all 28 of their permanent teeth in place. The final four, the wisdom teeth, arrive later and bring the full adult set to 32.
Why Baby Teeth Fall Out in the First Place
Baby teeth don’t just loosen on their own. The permanent tooth developing underneath each baby tooth releases signaling molecules that trigger specialized cells to break down the baby tooth’s root. This process, called root resorption, works through the same biological system your body uses to remodel bone throughout life. As the root dissolves, the baby tooth loses its anchor in the jawbone and starts to wobble. Eventually the root is gone entirely, and the tooth comes out with little more than a gentle push from the tongue or a bite into an apple.
This is why the order of tooth loss matches the order of permanent tooth development. Each baby tooth falls out when its replacement is ready to move in.
What It Feels Like When Permanent Teeth Come In
For younger kids losing their front teeth, the process is usually painless or mildly uncomfortable. But when larger permanent teeth push through, especially molars, the symptoms can be more noticeable. Children often report a sore throat, mild ear pain on one side, or discomfort when swallowing or biting down. You might notice your child gnawing on things, pressing their tongue against the sore spot, or drooling more than usual.
Some children get a runny nose or nasal congestion when upper teeth erupt, and a mild cough can accompany both upper and lower tooth eruption. A slight increase in body temperature is possible, particularly with the first molars, but it rarely exceeds 99.9°F and typically lasts only one to three days. Fewer than 10% of children experience even this mild temperature change. These symptoms are easy to mistake for a cold, but they tend to resolve quickly once the tooth breaks through the gum.
When Baby Teeth Don’t Fall Out
Sometimes a baby tooth stays put well past the expected timeline. This is more common than most people realize. Roughly 25% of the population has some form of a missing permanent tooth, meaning there’s no adult tooth underneath to trigger the root resorption process. Without that signal, the baby tooth can remain in the jaw for years or even decades.
Over time, a retained baby tooth without a permanent successor can fuse directly to the surrounding bone, a condition called ankylosis. When this happens, the tooth gradually sinks below the level of neighboring teeth because the jaw continues to grow around it while the fused tooth stays in place. Ironically, this sinking actually protects the tooth from the biting forces that would otherwise speed up its breakdown, so it can persist even longer.
If your child still has baby teeth well past age 14, or if an adult tooth seems to be coming in behind or beside a baby tooth that hasn’t loosened, a dental X-ray can clarify what’s happening beneath the surface.
When Tooth Loss Happens Too Early
Losing a baby tooth more than a year before the permanent tooth is ready to replace it counts as premature loss. Since the lower front teeth normally fall out around age 6, any tooth lost before that age is worth paying attention to. The most common causes are tooth decay and injury.
Premature loss matters because baby teeth act as space holders. They guide permanent teeth into their correct positions. When a baby tooth disappears too early, neighboring teeth can drift into the gap, crowding the permanent tooth and potentially leading to alignment problems, difficulty chewing, or changes in speech. A dentist may recommend a space maintainer, a small device that holds the gap open until the permanent tooth is ready to come in.
Wisdom Teeth: The Final Chapter
After all 20 baby teeth are gone and replaced, the dental story isn’t quite over. Wisdom teeth are the last permanent teeth to develop, and they typically emerge between ages 17 and 25. These four molars don’t replace baby teeth at all. They grow into the back of the jaw where no baby teeth existed, which is why many jaws don’t have enough room for them. By the early twenties, all 32 permanent teeth have usually erupted, and your teeth are done changing for good.