Tooth numbering system is used by dentists for uniquely identifying and referring to a specific tooth.
Over the years, over 20 different teeth numbering systems have been developed.
Today, general dentists use one of the following two major dental tooth numbering systems for the numbering of human teeth.
The Universal Numbering System is used primarily by most general dentists in the United States
FDI World Dental Federation notation is widely used by dentists internationally to associate information to a specific tooth.
A third system is the Palmer Notation Method that is used by some orthodontists, pedodontists and oral surgeons.
Universal Numbering System (used in U.S)
The Universal Numbering System is a simplified method of identifying teeth that is approved and adopted by the American Dental Association.
Adults
In the universal tooth numbering system, tooth number 1 is the patient's upper right third molar, on the right side of the mouth in the upper (maxillary) jaw.
Numbering of teeth continues along the upper teeth toward the front and across to the last molar tooth back on the top left side (number 16).
The tooth numbering continues by assigning teeth numbers descending to the lower left third molar (number 17) and follows the lower (mandibular) jaw
up to the tooth farthest back on the bottom right side of the mouth (number 32).
All teeth that should be there are numbered, including those teeth that have been removed for any reason or have not erupted yet (e.g. wisdom teeth).
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Universal tooth numbering system
Teeth numbering chart for adult teeth |
| upper left |
upper right |
 |
| lower left |
lower right |
| Orientation of the Universal tooth numbering chart is traditionally "patient's view",
i.e. patient's right corresponds to tooth chart's right side.
The designations "left" and "right" on the chart correspond to the patient's left and right, respectively. |
- tooth number diagram 1a -
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Children
In the original system, children's 20 primary teeth are numbered in the same order (from 1 to 20), except that a small letter "d" follows each number
to indicate deciduous (primary) teeth.
However, most dentists today use a modified version of the Universal Numbering System for children, with letters instead of teeth numbers.
The primary teeth are designated by upper case letters A through T, with A being the patient's upper right second primary molar
and T being the lower right second primary molar.
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Universal tooth numbering system
Teeth numbering chart for deciduous (primary) teeth |
| upper left |
upper right |
 |
| lower left |
lower right |
- tooth number diagram 1b -
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FDI World Dental Federation Two-Digit Notation (international)
The second system, developed by the Fédération Dentaire Internationale (FDI), World Dental Federation notation is also known as ISO-3950 notation.
The human teeth are symmetrically arranged in the mouth. Each quadrant of the mouth has 8 different teeth that are mirrored horizontally and vertically to the other quadrants.
In the FDI (Fédération Dentaire Internationale) World Dental Federation notation each one of these 8 teeth is assigned a number from 1 to 8,
starting from the center front tooth (central incisor) and moving backwards up to the third molar (number 8).
Each quadrant is also assigned a number, from 1 to 4 for the adult (permanent) teeth or 5 to 8 for the baby (primary or deciduous) teeth..
The combination of these two numbers (Quadrant code number & Tooth code number) specifies how are teeth numbered. This tooth numbering system is called,
the Two-Digit World Dental Federation Notation or FDI notation system.
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| Quadrant codes |
Tooth codes |
| Adult teeth |
Baby teeth |
| 1 - upper right |
5 - upper right |
1 - central incisor |
5 - 2nd premolars |
| 2 - upper left |
6 - upper left |
2 - lateral incisors |
6 - 1st molars |
| 3 - lower left |
7 - lower left |
3 - canines |
7 - 2nd molars |
| 4 - lower right |
8 - lower right |
4 - 1st premolars |
8 - 3rd molars |
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Anatomy of a tooth - parts of a tooth, dental and periodontal tissues.
