Can it happen that a tooth never emerges?

Yes, it is possible. Every tooth can remain “trapped” in the bone, meaning that for some reason, it does not grow in the mouth during the normal period of eruption. Usually, these are wisdom teeth, but can also be canines, premolars, and even incisors.

Surgical techniques for extracting these teeth vary and depend primarily on the position of the unerupted tooth in the bone and in relation to adjacent teeth. In some situations, these teeth are not extracted, but are instead released from the bone and orthodontically pulled out and placed into the dental arch.