Stuck or wandering tooth 22
Impacted canines are less common in the lower jaw than in the upper jaw. A review put lower canine impaction at 0.92% to 5.1%. Rarely, a stuck lower canine drifts across the middle under the front teeth (transmigration), in 0.1% to 0.31%.
Causes include small tooth-like growths (odontomes, up to 20% of cases) and problems with the lateral incisor next to it (16%).
Treatment. Removing the stuck canine was the most common choice (89% in some studies). Pulling it into place with braces was used in 20% to 32% and failed in 17% of cases in two studies.
The same tooth on the right side, tooth 27, has its own section on its roots and tartar.
Where is tooth 22?
Tooth 22 is in your lower jaw on your left side. It is the third tooth from the middle: start at the gap between the two bottom front teeth and count 3 teeth toward the back on your left side.
In a mirror, tooth 22 shows on the left side of your reflection. Someone looking into your mouth sees it on their right.
In front of it (toward the middle) is tooth 23, the lower left lateral incisor. Behind it is tooth 21, the lower left first premolar.
Its mirror twin on the right side is tooth 27. The tooth in the same spot in the upper jaw is tooth 11, the upper left canine.
Dental charts show the patient's right side on the left, so tooth 22 sits on the right half of the bottom row. The numbers then drop to the lower jaw: lower left teeth run from 17 (the wisdom tooth) to 24 (the front tooth).
What does the lower canine do?
Canines have a single pointed cusp for tearing food, and they form the corners of the mouth. The lower canine is narrower than the upper canine, with a long single root.
The ADA chart also calls canines "cuspids".
Lower canines usually come in at 9–10 years (ADA), about two years before the upper canines.
Common problems with lower canines
- Cavities and chips. Small cavities are fixed with a filling. If decay or an injury reaches the nerve, root canal treatment can save the tooth, often followed by a crown.
If tooth 22 hurts, feels loose, or the gum around it swells, the Dental Emergency Checker can help you decide how soon to see a dentist. Swelling that spreads to the eye or neck, or makes it hard to breathe or swallow, is an emergency: call 911. These are typical problems for this kind of tooth, not a diagnosis.
When does tooth 22 come in?
The lower canines usually come in at 9–10 years according to the ADA chart. The AAPD chart gives 9–11 years.
Tooth 22 replaces the lower left baby canine (tooth M), which usually falls out at 9–12 years (ADA).
In the ADA chart, they usually come in after the upper lateral incisors (8–9 years) and before the upper first premolars (10–11 years). In the AAPD's 13-step order, from the first molars (step 1) to the wisdom teeth (step 13), they are step 6.
Under the gum, according to the AAPD chart, it has a finished crown by 6–7 years and has a finished root by about 12–15 years, a few years after it comes into the mouth.
How many roots does tooth 22 have?
One long root (occasionally split in two near the tip).
Tooth 22 in FDI and Palmer notation
| System | Tooth 22 is written | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Universal (ADA, used in the US) | 22 | Adult teeth are numbered 1–32 around the mouth, starting at the upper right wisdom tooth. |
| FDI / ISO 3950 (international) | 33 | First digit 3 = lower left quarter; second digit 3 = third tooth from the middle. Said "three-three". |
| Palmer | ┌3 (often typed LL3) | The ┌ bracket marks the lower left quarter; 3 = third tooth from the middle. |
"22" in FDI is a different tooth. Read as an FDI code, 22 means the upper left lateral incisor (tooth 10 in Universal). Charts and X-ray reports from outside the US often use FDI, so check which system is in use.
"33" can only be FDI. Universal numbers stop at 32, so a tooth 33 on any chart is this tooth.
Palmer needs the bracket. Every quarter of the mouth has a tooth 3 in Palmer notation; only the ┌ (or the letters LL) makes it this one.
All adult teeth in the lower left quarter
From the front of the mouth to the back:
| Universal | FDI | Palmer | Tooth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | 31 | ┌1 (LL1) | Central incisor |
| 23 | 32 | ┌2 (LL2) | Lateral incisor |
| 22 | 33 | ┌3 (LL3) | Canine (this tooth) |
| 21 | 34 | ┌4 (LL4) | First premolar |
| 20 | 35 | ┌5 (LL5) | Second premolar |
| 19 | 36 | ┌6 (LL6) | First molar |
| 18 | 37 | ┌7 (LL7) | Second molar |
| 17 | 38 | ┌8 (LL8) | Wisdom tooth |
The Tooth Number Chart & Converter converts any tooth between the three systems.
Tools for tooth 22
- Adult Teeth Predictor: likely dates for your child's adult teeth.
- Dental Emergency Checker: how soon to see a dentist if it hurts or breaks.
- Knocked-Out Tooth Rescue: first aid for a knocked-out adult tooth.
- How Long Does Dental Work Last?: how long fillings, crowns, veneers and implants usually last, from long-term studies.
- Dental Treatment Plan Decoder: plain English for treatment-plan shorthand like "#30 MOD comp".
Frequently asked questions
What tooth is number 22?
What is FDI tooth 33 in the US system?
At what age does tooth 22 come in?
Can tooth 22 get stuck?
Sources
- American Dental Association (MouthHealthy). Permanent Tooth Development (eruption chart). 2012. Accessed October 26, 2026.
- American Dental Association (MouthHealthy). Primary Tooth Development (eruption chart). 2012. Accessed October 26, 2026.
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Dental Growth and Development (chronology after Logan & Kronfeld 1933, adapted 2003). Accessed October 26, 2026.
- World Health Organization. Oral health surveys: basic methods, 5th edition (tooth notation after ISO 3950). 2013. Accessed October 26, 2026.
- Nelson SJ. Elsevier. Wheeler's Dental Anatomy, Physiology and Occlusion, 11th edition. 2019.
- American Dental Association. ADA Dental Claim Form (tooth designation systems). Accessed October 26, 2026.
- Dentalcare.com (continuing education course CE500). An Overview of Dental Anatomy: Types of Teeth and their Functions. Accessed October 26, 2026.
- Dalessandri D et al. European Journal of Orthodontics 39(2):161–169. Impacted and transmigrant mandibular canines incidence, aetiology, and treatment: a systematic review. 2017. Accessed October 26, 2026.
Last reviewed by the Dental Health Time editorial team, against the sources above. How we review.