how many teeth do you have left?

[888A]

Hi, I've had my braces for almost 2 months now and last week I had 4 teeth (bicuspids) extracted. This left me with 24 teeth and I realized now that's below the average number of teeth.

I'm confident in my orthodontist's decision on extracting the teeth but there does seem to be large gaps now and I somehow can't see my teeth covering the entire gap. My top teeth were straight enough to be begin with so I'm wondering what's going to happen there. I have my first adjustment in a few weeks.

I'm glad I found this forum, it's very informative and nice to see folks my age (33) with braces.

[amandajane]

I have 28 teeth, I had 4 adult wisdom teeth out when I was a teenager. I have 14 on top, 14 on bottom.

[ReneG]

I also have 24 teeth left. All four wisdom teeth out, two premolars and two bicuspids.

Before having them out, I asked my ortho if I really needed to lose them. He said that 24 teeth in the right place would be more functional than 28 or more teeth in the wrong place.

[sdawdy]

I have 28. I didnt have to have any extractions as my wisdom teeth never even formed. Lucky me!!!!

SD

[Megan11]

27.

I am randomly missing a molar.....

[Wobblydeb]

28 - I am missing 4 molars. The possibility of going to 27 or 24 was raised, but I am trying to stick with the 28 for the time being (lots of interproximal reduction!)

[Andromeda]

Well when I was 11 I had to have 2 adult molars removed due to cavities on the bottom arch. Then last year when I got braces I had to have two bicuspids removed on the top arch to make more room. I still have all my wisdom teeth. So that makes me missing 4 adult teeth - not sure how many we are supposed to have...

[amandajane]

I think that all adults have 32 supposedly, after the baby teeth fall out. Then some have wisdom teeth taken out or the wisdom teeth never appear. Which leaves minus 4 wisdom teeth which equals 28.

[browneyedgrl]

I had my wisdom teeth removed 21 years ago. I have 28 left.

B

[Skysi]

24 teeth here.
4 wisdoms and 4 premolars are out.

[embraces]

I have 24 now excluding my 2 lower wisdom teeth because they're going to eventually be removed.
I had 2 upper 4s (bicuspids) extracted for braces and mysteriously I'm missing 2 lower laterals.

Altogether without extractions I would have a total of 28 teeth including wisdom teeth.

What is the actual amount of teeth you're suppose to have anyways?

[636chick]

32 teeth none removed yet.

[switchblades]

28. Three wisdom teeth and a lower incisor. Not sure why I only had 3 wisdom teeth, but they were causing more trouble than most people have with 4. The incisor was growing in front of the rest of my teeth, and at 10 I had a teeny, tiny little mouth so they took it out.

[mwic1985]

I have all mine, although I'll be having 4 out next month (2 top/ 2bottom front, not sure which ones yet) ready for my braces. I also expect I will have to have my lower left wisdom tooth out at some point, as it's growing horizontally(!) it's occasionally sore, but my dentist says this would be a hospital job to have it removed and so best to leave it until it has to come out, not looking forward to that day.

[Jewles]

Im down to 24, I had all 4 wisdom teeth out a few years ago and another 4 bicuspids out just before I got my braces. I must've had a very crowded mouth when I had all 32!