Tooth Identification and Numbering
Systems of tooth ID are designed to:
- facilitate diagnosis
- record info accurately
- communicate with insurance companies
There are 3 Numbering Systems:
- Universal Numbering System
- International Standards Organization Designation System
- Palmer (Symbolic) Numbering System
Universal Tooth Numbering System
- used in the United States and a few other countries.
- not complicated but not as easy as the international system
- Instead of calling the name of a tooth, the dentist calls out the tooth number, or letter for a primary tooth
Universal Numbering System - Adult Dentition
- Begins with the Maxillary (Top) Right (Patient’s right so our left) third molar (wisdom tooth) and assigns number 1 to this tooth and continues across the maxillary arch, ending with number 16 (Max left third molar).
- numbering is continued with 17 as the mandibular left third molar and goes to number 32, the mandibular right third molar.
Universal numbering system - Primary Dentition
- primary teeth are identified by letters instead of numbers.
- the first tooth, the max. right second primary molar is identified as A.
- The next molar is B, the cuspid is C, the lateral incisor is D, the incisor is E and so on until you get to T, the Mand. Right Second primary molar.
Cons of the Universal Numbering System
- if a tooth is extracted and the adjacent tooth drifts into that spot OR if a tooth is congenitally (from birth) missing, this can cause problems in identification.
- Also, many adults do not have all four third molars.
International Standards Organization
- also called the Federation Dentaire Internationale
- the system used in Canada
- each tooth is identified by a 2 digit number
- The first digit indicates the quadrant (1-8) the second digit indicates where the tooth is located in that quadrant (1-8) or (1-5) for primary
The first digit also indicates if it is Permanent 1-4 or Primary 5-8
-most efficient and easy to use of the three
Primary Teeth Quadrant and Tooth numbers
Max Right Quad are numbered 5.1 (central incisor) to 5.5 (second molar)
Max Left Quad are numbered 6.1 to 6.5
Mandibular right quad are numbered 7.1 to 7.5
Mandibular left quad are numbered 8.1 to 8.5
Permanent Teeth Quadrants and Tooth numbers
Max Right is quad 1 and then the teeth are numbered 1-8, in each quad, starting at the central incisor and going to the 3rd molar
International System (ISO)
- Central incisor
- Lateral incisor
- cuspid
- first bicuspid (premolar)
- second bicuspid (pre molar)
- First molar (6 yr molar)
- Second molar (12 yr molar)
- Third molar or wisdom Tooth
ISO for Primary dentition
- Primary Central incisor
- Primary lateral incisor
- primary cuspid
- first primary molar
- Second primary molar
Palmer (symbolic) system
each tooth in the quadrant is assigned a number and each quadrant has a symbol
- The numbering system is the same as for the permanent dentition in the ISO
- For the primary dentition, it uses letters. A-E, A is the central incisor and E is the second molar in each quad.
- this system is primarily used in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics.
- the quadrants are identified by the symbol taken from the lines of the quad
