Breaking Down the Numbered Tooth Chart
How do you know where to start when it comes to brushing your teeth? Do you go with the book’s advice and brush your upper right teeth first? Or do you start at the center and work outwards? These are some of the questions that most people don’t know the answers to, but if you understand how to read your tooth numbering chart, those questions will cease to exist in your mind. All you need to do is use this simple guide on breaking down the numbered tooth chart, and you’ll never have a problem finding where to start ever again!
To understand your tooth chart, you first need to know how teeth are numbered
Your incisors are on top, followed by your canines, and then your premolars and molars. The numbers also represent different teeth on both sides of your mouth (upper and lower). When you’re figuring out where to place aligners or other orthodontic products like Invisalign, finding out which tooth number correlates with which tooth is essential for making sure everything goes in the right place. Furthermore, it’s easier to memorize what order each tooth is in if you think about them as a roman numeral: I represents incisor; II represents canine; etc. To break down your numbered tooth chart even further, here’s how to understand your numbers visually:
The first number indicates which row of teeth you’re looking at. For example, if you have five rows of upper teeth—I through V—the number 5 would be written next to that row. The second number tells you which specific tooth within that row is being referenced. So, for example, let’s say there are three permanent front incisors in that row: Those three teeth would be labeled 1, 2, and 3. If there were four permanent front incisors instead—and they were numbered 1 through 4—you’d see a 2 beside that row instead of a 5.
Which number corresponds with which tooth?
The numbered tooth chart is based on two overlapping quadrants. The left side of your mouth starts with Quadrant 1, so it’s important to know which number corresponds with which tooth. For example, if you want to know what direction a tooth in Quadrant 1 is facing, look at how many teeth over it is from your #2 incisor (in Quadrant 2). If you’re looking for your #3 molar (in Quadrant 2), look three teeth over from your #1 molar (in Quadrant 1). Here’s an easy way to remember: I go one, two and three. Remembering that will help you determine which quadrant any given tooth belongs to.
When you’ve determined which quadrant a tooth belongs to, finding its corresponding number should be pretty simple. Just count up or down from that same initial starting point—either your #1 or #2 incisor—depending on whether it’s in Quadrant 1 or 2. It should be pretty simple!
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Why do we use numbers at all?
In a basic, single-tooth situation, having teeth numbered makes it easy to know where one tooth stops and another begins. For example, if you’re removing a wisdom tooth (which is sometimes referred to as an impacted tooth), you’ll need to remove its predecessors—in other words, teeth 13 and 14—before tackling 15. Knowing which numbers correspond with each of these neighboring teeth makes it a lot easier for your dentist or oral surgeon to explain exactly what he or she needs to do in order to achieve a successful outcome.
What about wisdom teeth?
If you have adult or third molars, also known as wisdom teeth, you may wonder if it’s even necessary to have them removed. It depends. If your wisdom teeth are able to fully erupt and they cause no damage to existing teeth or dental structure then there is no reason to remove them. However, many people aren’t lucky enough to avoid issues with wisdom teeth. In fact, a survey conducted by Consumer Reports found that about 65 percent. Of wisdom teeth extracted were partially or completely impacted—meaning at least some of their roots did not break through gums in a normal way. For those individuals, removing impacted wisdom teeth can prevent further pain down the road and improve oral health overall.
Summary
Using a numbered tooth chart to understand how to read dental charts can help you quickly and efficiently determine how much work needs to be done in a particular area of your mouth. Though not all dentists’ charts are exactly alike, each set of teeth will fit into one of three general categories: odd-numbered, even-numbered or an extraction category (which typically contains two teeth but could include more). While reading your chart may seem a bit confusing at first. It doesn’t take long for it to become second nature. There’s no reason to worry about whether you’re interpreting your chart correctly. As long as you know what category of treatment will be necessary in each situation. You’ll know where to go from there.