Trying to interpret a photo of your jaw and teeth can be very confusing, so it's no wonder that many people fear the dentist. The good news is that it is very easy to learn how to read your dental chart, which we will teach you in this article. By using this guide, you can know about your next tooth restoration before going to the dentist and be more confident and prepared. Familiarization with tooth numbering chart Did you know there is a tooth number chart? This chart helps to identify each tooth in the mouth with its corresponding number. When it comes to brushing your teeth and spotting cavities, it can help you quickly figure out which tooth is in trouble. The tooth numbering system is a useful tool for anyone who wants to learn more about their teeth. Understanding the numbering system can help you keep track of dental problems. This post will discuss everything you need to know about the tooth numbering system. A tooth chart allows you to categorize teeth in a way that is useful for understanding their location. ### universal numbering system **maxillary and mandibular arch** Upper teeth numbered 1-16 are known as maxillary arch. Numbering the top teeth starts on your right side, so your right back wisdom tooth or third molar will be your number one tooth. The lower teeth 17-32 are known as the mandibular arch. Their numbering starts from the left rear wisdom tooth or third molar, which is the lowest lower tooth with number 17. **Anterior and posterior teeth** Now that you know the difference between upper and lower vertebra, let's talk about the difference between front and back teeth. The front teeth are as follows: Above: 6-11 Bottom: 22-27 As you may have guessed, anterior teeth have four quadrants and form the following teeth: Above: 1-5 and 12-16 Bottom: 17-21 and 28-32 ### Why is the tooth numbering system important to dentists and patients? Dentists use the chart to help identify teeth that need treatment. Patients can use the chart to track their dental health. This chart is also used to teach children how to care for their teeth. The number of teeth can also be useful when identifying cavities. Dentists often use a mirror to view all teeth, but may ask patients to identify a specific tooth by number. Reasons for making dental chart **First reason:** To standardize dental diagnosis, treatment and research. This chart helps ensure that dentists treat all teeth equally and that research has been done consistently. This chart allows dentists to quickly and easily communicate with each other about a patient's dental health. **The second reason:** It helps patients to understand their dental health. The tooth numbering system is used to educate patients about their teeth and what they can do to keep them healthy. **The third reason:** Helping to track growth and development By understanding how teeth grow and develop, dentists can better diagnose and treat dental problems. How to use the tooth numbering system Reaching all areas of the mouth can be challenging, so knowing which teeth are which can help ensure that all teeth are brushed properly. Many oral health professionals recommend thinking of your teeth as quadrants. You can divide the upper arch and lower arch of the lower jaw into two halves and focus on eight teeth each time. When brushing your teeth, start with teeth 1 through 8, the right half of your upper teeth, and move clockwise around the mouth. You can use a similar technique with flossing, starting at the bottom right corner of the mouth at tooth #32 and then moving counter-clockwise to tooth #1. ### name and number of teeth Each tooth is assigned a specific name and number. As you will notice, the names align on each side because the types of teeth are reflected on each side of the mouth. Therefore, teeth 8 and 9 have the same name as teeth number 1 and 16. #### upper right quadrant 1 wisdom tooth (third molar) 2nd molar (second molar) 3 molars (first molar) 4 two naked (second) 5 Bicuspid (1) 6 canine teeth (eye / cuspid) 7 incisors (lateral) 8 incisors (central) #### Upper left quadrant 9 incisors (central) 10 incisors (lateral) 11 canine (eye tooth/cuspid) 12 two side (first) 13 two sides ( 14) Muller (1) 15 Muller (second) 16 wisdom teeth (third molar) #### lower left quarter 17 wisdom teeth (third molar) 18 molar (second molar) 19 molar (first molar) 20 molar teeth (second) 21 bilobed teeth (eye teeth / cuspid) 23 incisors (lateral) 24 incisors (central) #### lower right quarter 25 incisors (central) 26 incisors (lateral) 27 canine teeth (eye teeth / cuspids) 28 premolar teeth (1 molar) 29 premolar teeth (2 molars) 30 molar (1 molar) 31 molar (2nd molar) 32 wisdom teeth (third molar) The tooth number system is a useful tool for dentists and patients. It is used to track dental health, educate children about dental care, and help dentists diagnose and treat dental problems. Familiarity with the tooth numbering system can help you take care of your teeth. Do you have questions about your dental number chart or dental health? If you have any questions, contact the dental office of Dr. Mehdi Ali Babaei today to schedule a consultation and examination session.