How do dentists count teeth?

Question

I'm not a dentist, but I believe that dentists in North America and Europe count the teeth in different ways. Is that so and if yes, why?

Answer 1

well there are atleast 56 types of tooth numbering systems which are used by dentist all over the world though only three of them are popular nowadays, they being
1. zygmondy palmer system
2. universal system
3. F.D.I system



Palmer Notation Method

Adults

In this system, the mouth is divided into four sections called quadrants. The numbers 1 through 8 and a unique symbol are used to identify the teeth in each quadrant. The numbering runs from the center of the mouth to the back.

In the upper right section of the mouth, for example, tooth number 1 is the incisor (flat, front tooth) just to the right of the center of the mouth. The numbers continue to the right and back to tooth number 8, which is the wisdom tooth (third molar.)

The numbers sit inside an L-shaped symbol used to identify the quadrant. The "L" is right side up for the teeth in the upper right. The teeth in the upper left use a backward "L." For the bottom quadrants, the "L" is upside-down. The quadrants may also be identified by letters, such as "UR" or "URQ" for the upper right quadrant.

Children

In children, the Palmer Notation System uses uppercase letters instead of numbers. Following the same order as for adult's teeth, children’s 20 primary teeth are lettered “A” through "E" in each quadrant. The same symbol is used to identify the quadrants.

Universal Numbering System

Adults

Tooth number 1 is the tooth farthest back on the right side of your mouth in the upper (maxillary) jaw.

Numbering continues along your upper teeth toward the front and across to the tooth farthest back on the top left side (which is number 16).

The numbers continue by dropping down to the lower (mandibular) jaw. Number 17 is the tooth farthest back on the left side of your mouth on the bottom.

Numbering continues again toward the front and across to the tooth farthest back on the bottom right side of your mouth (which is number 32).

In this system, the teeth that should be there are numbered. If you are missing your wisdom teeth, your first number will be 2 instead of 1, acknowledging the missing tooth. If you've had teeth removed or teeth are missing, the missing teeth will be numbered as well.

Children

In the original system, children's 20 primary teeth are numbered in the same order, except that a small letter "d" follows each number to indicate deciduous (primary) teeth. So, a child's first tooth on the upper right would be 1d and the last tooth on the lower right would be 20d.

However, most dentists and insurance companies now use a modified version of the Universal Numbering System for children. This version uses the letters A through T instead of the number 1 through 20. So, a child's first tooth on the upper right would be A and the last tooth on the lower right would be T.

FDI Two-Digit Notation

Adults

In the FDI (Fédération Dentaire Internationale) World Dental Federation ISO-3950 notation 1s are central incisors, 2s are laterals, 3s are canines, 4s are 1st premolars etc., up through 8s which are 3rd molars. The permanent teeth quadrants are designated 1 to 4 such that 1 is upper right, 2 is upper left, 3 is lower left and 4 is lower right, with the resulting tooth identification a two-digit combination of the quadrant and tooth (e.g. the upper right central incisor is 11 and the left is 21). The lower left permanent first molar is 36; however, it is not said thirty-six, but rather three six. 11 is one one, not eleven.

The currently accepted convention to view the FDI notation chart is from the perspective of the patient's right on the left:


Permanent Teeth
FDI Two-Digit Notation

upper right upper left
18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38
lower right lower left



Baby Teeth*
FDI Two-Digit Notation

upper right upper left
55 54 53 52 51 61 62 63 64 65
85 84 83 82 81 71 72 73 74 75
lower right lower left




Children

In the deciduous dentition the numbering is correspondingly similar except that the quadrants are designated 5,6,7 and 8.

currently F.D.I system is advocated because of it's ease of use, communication via email and phone, and less scope for error

Answer 2

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Answer 3

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RE:
How do dentists count teeth?
I'm not a dentist, but I believe that dentists in North America and Europe count the teeth in different ways. Is that so and if yes, why?

Answer 4

They can use different methods,

Here in the UK Dentists tend to chart each quadrant of eight teeth as

UR12345678 ( Upper Right)
UL12345678 (Upper Left)
LR 12345678 (Lower Right)
LL 12344567 (Lower Left)

Adults have 32 teeth in a full set

With 1 being the tooth nearest the midline (i.e if you drew a line down the middle of your face) , your front incisor tooth and 8 being a wisdom tooth.

Children's teeth are charted thus...

UR abcde
UL abcde
LR abcde
LL abcde

They have 20 teeth in a full set

Following the same principle with a being the front incisor and e being the last deciduous molar.

American dentists chart each quadrant of the mouth with a number so

Upper Right is 1 with each tooth being numbered from 1 to 8 so the upper right first incisor tooth tooth is charted as 11, then 12,13 etc

The Upper Left is 2 so 21,22,23,24 etc from front to back
Lower Left is 3 so 31,32,33,34 etc
and Lower Right is 4 so 41,42,43,44 etc

British Dentists would recognise the American system but it is a little more complicatedso they tend not to use it.

Answer 5

They count them one at a time,but some clever dentist count them in two's

Answer 6

The teeth are divided into top and bottom and left and right, the front teeth start at 1 and go round to the back and end on 8 on each side. This is how it's done in the UK

Answer 7

Nope, they count them the same way...there is "universal" dental language, and form of measurement so that if some one from the UK needed to get a root canal in Connecticut, the new dentist can request patient info and treat the patient efficiently...

Answer 8

They count teeth in their head! lol

Answer 9

I dont know about Europe but in America tooth #1 is the upper right wisdom tooth count consecutively accross the upper arch, the upper left wisdom tooth is #16. #17 is the lower left wisdom tooth - count consecutively accross the lower arch, the lower left wisdom tooth is #32.

Answer 10

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