Impacted tooth 6: when the canine gets stuck
After wisdom teeth, the upper canine is the tooth most often stuck in the jaw (impacted). Reviews put this at about 1% to 3% of people, and girls are 2 to 3 times more likely to have it than boys.
Usually stuck toward the palate. In a review of CBCT scans, about 57% of impacted upper canines sat on the palate side.
Why it matters. A stuck canine can wear away the roots of the incisors next to it (root resorption). In that review the damage was usually slight and near the root tip, but about 31% of cases were severe, and delayed treatment raised the risk.
The same tooth on the left side, tooth 11, has its own section on how dentists spot and treat a stuck canine.
Where is tooth 6?
Tooth 6 is in your upper jaw on your right side. It is the third tooth from the middle: start at the gap between the two top front teeth and count 3 teeth toward the back on your right side.
In a mirror, tooth 6 shows on the right side of your reflection. Someone looking into your mouth sees it on their left.
In front of it (toward the middle) is tooth 7, the upper right lateral incisor. Behind it is tooth 5, the upper right first premolar.
Its mirror twin on the left side is tooth 11. The tooth in the same spot in the lower jaw is tooth 27, the lower right canine.
Dental charts show the patient's right side on the left, so tooth 6 sits on the left half of the top row. Universal numbers start here: upper right teeth run from 1 (the wisdom tooth) to 8 (the front tooth).
What does the upper canine do?
Canines have a single pointed cusp for tearing food, and they form the corners of the mouth. People often call canines "eye teeth" because of where they sit, directly under the eyes. The upper canine is usually the longest tooth in the mouth, and canines have the longest root of any tooth.
The ADA chart also calls canines "cuspids".
Upper canines are usually among the last front teeth to come in, at about 11–12 years, after the premolars beside them in many children.
Common problems with upper 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 6 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 6 come in?
Both the ADA and AAPD charts give 11–12 years for the upper canines.
Tooth 6 replaces the upper right baby canine (tooth C), which usually falls out at 10–12 years (ADA).
In the ADA chart, they come in at the same time as the lower second premolars, after the lower first premolars (10–12 years) and before the lower second molars (11–13 years). In the AAPD's 13-step order, from the first molars (step 1) to the wisdom teeth (step 13), they are step 11.
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 6 have?
One very long root, the longest in the mouth.
Tooth 6 in FDI and Palmer notation
| System | Tooth 6 is written | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Universal (ADA, used in the US) | 6 | Adult teeth are numbered 1–32 around the mouth, starting at the upper right wisdom tooth. |
| FDI / ISO 3950 (international) | 13 | First digit 1 = upper right quarter; second digit 3 = third tooth from the middle. Said "one-three". |
| Palmer | 3┘ (often typed UR3) | The ┘ bracket marks the upper right quarter; 3 = third tooth from the middle. |
A lone "6" can only be Universal. FDI codes always have two digits, so 6 on its own is never an FDI number.
On a US chart, "13" is a different tooth. Universal 13 is the upper left second premolar (tooth 13), so "tooth 13" only means this tooth when the chart uses FDI.
Palmer needs the bracket. Every quarter of the mouth has a tooth 3 in Palmer notation; only the ┘ (or the letters UR) makes it this one.
All adult teeth in the upper right quarter
From the front of the mouth to the back:
| Universal | FDI | Palmer | Tooth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 11 | 1┘ (UR1) | Central incisor |
| 7 | 12 | 2┘ (UR2) | Lateral incisor |
| 6 | 13 | 3┘ (UR3) | Canine (this tooth) |
| 5 | 14 | 4┘ (UR4) | First premolar |
| 4 | 15 | 5┘ (UR5) | Second premolar |
| 3 | 16 | 6┘ (UR6) | First molar |
| 2 | 17 | 7┘ (UR7) | Second molar |
| 1 | 18 | 8┘ (UR8) | Wisdom tooth |
The Tooth Number Chart & Converter converts any tooth between the three systems.
Tools for tooth 6
- Knocked-Out Tooth Rescue: first aid for a knocked-out adult tooth.
- Dental Emergency Checker: how soon to see a dentist if it hurts or breaks.
- Adult Teeth Predictor: likely dates for your child's adult teeth.
- 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 6?
Is tooth 6 the same as tooth 13?
At what age does tooth 6 come in?
How common is an impacted tooth 6?
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.
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Management of the Developing Dentition and Occlusion in Pediatric Dentistry (Reference Manual of Pediatric Dentistry). latest revision 2024. 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.
- Cleveland Clinic. Teeth: Anatomy, Types, Function & Care. last updated January 26, 2023. Accessed October 26, 2026.
- Sajnani AK. Journal of Investigative and Clinical Dentistry 6(1):1–7. Permanent maxillary canines: review of eruption pattern and local etiological factors leading to impaction. 2015. Accessed October 26, 2026.
- Schroder AGD et al. Journal of the American Dental Association 149(9):765–777. To what extent are impacted canines associated with root resorption of the adjacent tooth? A systematic review with meta-analysis. 2018. Accessed October 26, 2026.
Last reviewed by the Dental Health Time editorial team, against the sources above. How we review.