Most adults have 32 teeth, including wisdom teeth. Sixteen of them are on the upper jaw, and 16 are on the lower jaw. Among these are incisors, canines, premolars, molars, and wisdom teeth. If all four wisdom teeth are removed, the number of adult teeth is 28.
It is possible to have fewer than 32 teeth, depending on whether they all came in or you had teeth removed or lost. Babies and children have fewer teeth than adults. It is also possible to have more than 32 teeth.
This article will cover the number of adult teeth on the top and bottom jawbones, having more or fewer than the normal range, and more.
Illustration by Zoe Hansen for Verywell Health
Number of Adult Top Teeth
Most people have an equal number of teeth on their top and bottom jaws. They will have 16 teeth on the upper jaw.
Those 16 teeth will include incisors, canines, premolars, and molars:
- Four incisors: The incisors help you to hold and cut food. They also help you to feel the texture of food.
- Two canines: Also called cuspids, these pointed teeth help you to grab and tear food.
- Four premolars: The premolars are sometimes called bicuspids because they look like molars and have two cusps (points). They are located between the canines and molars and help you to cut and tear food.
- Six molars—three on each side of your top jaw: Molar teeth include wisdom teeth, so if you have your wisdom teeth removed or if they never come in, you will have only four molars. Most of the chewing takes place on the molars. The molars are good at grinding up food.
Number of Adult Bottom Teeth
As with your top jaw, your bottom jaw holds 16 teeth. This includes your four incisors, two canines, four premolars, and two or three molars.
Your wisdom teeth are the last of your teeth to come in. They are located in the very back of the mouth, with two on each jaw. These can show up as early as your teen years or as late as your early 20s. Wisdom teeth are often removed.
The wisdom teeth can grow properly and never cause any pain or problems. But more often, they do not fully erupt and become impacted, meaning they do not break through the gums. This could result in an infection or other oral health problems, which is why your dental provider will recommend having them pulled
Not everyone has wisdom teeth. Worldwide, around 25% of people never develop them. It is not considered pathological (disease-related) but instead a variation in anatomy.
| Adult Human Teeth: Number, Location, Description and Function | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incisor | Canine | Premolar | Molar | |
| Number | Eight | Four | Eight | Eight (12 with wisdom teeth) |
| Location in Mouth | Front | On either side of the molars | Behind the canines | Back |
| Description | Chisel shaped | Slightly pointier than incisors | Pointy, with many ridges | Largest of all teeth, with flat surfaces and ridges |
| Function | Hold/cut food | Grab/tear food | Tear/grind food | Chew/grind food |
Having More or Fewer Than 32 Adult Teeth
It is possible to have more or fewer than 32 adult teeth.
According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, adults between ages 20 and 64 have an average of 25.5 remaining teeth due to tooth loss. Further, about 2.2% of these adults have no remaining teeth. Causes of tooth loss include trauma or injury to the teeth, gum disease, tooth decay, poor dental hygiene, lack of professional dental care, and smoking.
“Hyperdontia” is the medical term for having extra teeth, which are called supernumerary teeth. They can grow anywhere in the curved areas where teeth attach to your jaw. Extra teeth may grow on one or both sides of the mouth. You may have one extra tooth or several.
Hyperdontia typically doesn’t require treatment. But a dentist may recommend pulling any extra teeth if they interfere with your oral health.
Having fewer than 32 teeth, or hypodontiarefers to a condition where someone is born with missing teeth. In this case, one to six of the teeth never develop. The condition is hereditary and can be passed down from parent to child. Treatments include bridges, dentures, and dental implants.
Oligodontia is the congenital (present at birth) absence of six or more teeth. The teeth most often missing are the premolars, incisors, or third molars (wisdom teeth). Teeth can be undersized or narrowly shaped.
With oligodontia, primary teeth are sometimes retained while permanent teeth are coming in. Treatment for oligodontia may include bone grafting, braces, bridges, partial dentures, dental implants, and reshaping of teeth.
Children Have Fewer Teeth
Children have just 20 teeth called primary, temporary, or milk teeth. They have 10 on each jaw. These include four incisors, two canines, and four molars.
The primary teeth start to erupt through the gums when a baby is about 6 months old. The lower incisors are the first primary teeth to come through, and most children will have all 20 primary teeth by the time they are 3 years old.
Children will lose their primary teeth between ages 6 and 12. Those teeth are replaced by permanent teeth, with the molars being the first permanent teeth to come in.
Maintaining Healthy Adult Teeth Health
Maintaining and keeping your teeth requires a lifetime of care. The best ways to avoid tooth decay and gum disease (two significant causes of tooth loss) are good oral hygiene and regular visits with your dentist.
Good hygiene involves:
- Proper brushingincluding with fluoride toothpaste twice a day for two minutes at a time
- Brushing before bed to remove germs and plaque that have accumulated on the teeth throughout the day
- Flossing at least once dailyusing special picks, flossing sticks, dental floss, or a water flosser
- Using mouthwash at least once a day
- Consuming less sugar and brushing after eating sugary foods
In addition to practicing good oral hygiene, visit your dentist at least twice a year for cleanings and screenings (more often if your teeth need additional care) to keep your teeth healthy. You will also want to avoid trauma or injury to teeth and not smoke in order to avoid dental problems and tooth loss.
Summary
You have two complete sets of teeth over your lifetime. Your teeth are essential for biting and grinding up food.
A complete set includes 16 teeth on your bottom jaw and 16 on your upper jaw. Of those, you have eight incisors, four canine teeth, eight premolars, and eight or 12 molars.
Four of your molars are your wisdom teeth, which may come in your teen years or as late as your early 20s. It is also possible for wisdom to not ever develop, which is common and does not cause problems.
It is possible to have less than due to tooth loss and conditions that lead to more or fewer teeth. Children tend to have fewer teeth than adults.
If you take care of your teeth, they can last your entire life. To keep teeth in good shape and avoid tooth loss, brush and floss regularly and follow up with your dentist for dental cleanings and screenings every six months. It is also a good idea to protect your teeth from injury and not smoke.
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