In the tooth eruption mechanism, various disturbances can appear as a result of gene mutations, a consequence of which can be that tooth eruption does not occur. There are 5 syndromes which involve the complete failure of several or even all teeth to erupt, specifically: cleidocranial dysplasia, Gardner's syndrome, osteopetrosis, mucopolysaccharidosis and GAPO syndrome. Some are very rare and will seldom be encountered in a dental practice, but they show how vulnerable the tooth eruption mechanism is. Dentists are generally the ones who identify a tooth eruption problem in a patient. Since syndromes can be associated with other disorders, additional investigation by a clinical geneticist is always important when a syndrome is suspected.