A Guided Tour of Your Dental Chart - Understanding Types of Teeth and the Numbering Systems Used
Types of teeth: There are generally thought to be 4 types of teeth.
This refers to the shape and function they perform.
INCISORS
They are your teeth after all.
Dental check ups It is generally recommended to visit the dentist twice a year.
Yet, many adults have not been for many years due to poor past experiences, worries about the cost or simply not understanding what is going on.
Visits to the dentist are important for picking up problems at the earliest stages.
Find a dentist you trust and feel comfortable with and don't be afraid to ask for explanations about any diagnosis or treatment.
Dental restoration is more expensive than dental care, but again, the earlier problems are identified, the easier the treatment will be.
This refers to the shape and function they perform.
INCISORS
- 8 teeth - 4 top/4 bottom
- At the front/centre of the mouth
- Incisors are shaped for biting and cutting.
They are therefore sharp in order to cut through food
- 4 teeth - 2 top/2 bottom
- Either side of the incisors
- Shaped for tearing food.
This includes the "canine" teeth.
The teeth are more pointed to enable food to be torn
- 8 teeth - 4 top/4 bottom
- Behind cuspids
- Shaped for crushing food.
This is where food starts to be broken down into smaller particles.
- 8 teeth - 4 top/4 bottom
- Double rooted teeth with bumpy chewing surfaces
- Shaped for grinding food.
The full chewing action is carried out at the rear of the mouth, breaking down the food so that it can be swallowed and digested more easily
- Palmer notation method - the mouth is divided into 4 quarants and teeth are then numbered 1-8 from the centre.
Therefore a back upper molar could be referred to as "Upper left 7" - Universal numbering system (USA) - the American system numbers the teeth from 1-32, where 1-16 are the top teeth and 17-32 are the lower arch.
So the same molar would be number 15 - FDI Two-Digit Notation system - like the Palmer method, the first digit denotes the quadrant and the second digit the type of tooth.
Upper right starts with 1, upper left with a 2, lower right with a 4 and lower left with a 3; then after the first number teeth are ordered 1-8 going from the centre; so the same molar in this system would be 27
They are your teeth after all.
Dental check ups It is generally recommended to visit the dentist twice a year.
Yet, many adults have not been for many years due to poor past experiences, worries about the cost or simply not understanding what is going on.
Visits to the dentist are important for picking up problems at the earliest stages.
Find a dentist you trust and feel comfortable with and don't be afraid to ask for explanations about any diagnosis or treatment.
Dental restoration is more expensive than dental care, but again, the earlier problems are identified, the easier the treatment will be.
