DENTAL

DENTALNN
UMBERING
UMBERINGSYSTEMS
SYSTEMS
Permanent Teeth

There are are

There three different
three numbering
different systems
numbering usedused
systems to identify the the
to identify teeth in dentistry.
teeth in dentistry.

1.TheTheUniversal
UniversalNumbering
NumberingSystem Systemhas was been adopted
adopted by the
by the ADA ADAandand
is inisuse
in use by most
by most general
general dentists
dentists today.
today.
Tooth number
Tooth number 1 is1the tooth
is the farthest
tooth backback
farthest on the rightright
on the sideside
of your
of themouth
mouth in in
thetheupper
upper (max-
illary) jaw. Numbering
(maxillary) continuescontinues
jaw. Numbering along your upper
along the teeth
uppertoward the front
teeth toward theandfrontacross
and to the to the
across
tooth farthest
tooth backback
farthest on the top top
on the left left
sideside
number
number16.The
16.Thenumbers
numberscontinue by dropping
continue by dropping downdown
to the lower
to the (mandibular)
lower jaw.jaw.
(mandibular) NumberNumber 17 is17the tooth
is the farthest
tooth backback
farthest on the
on theleft left
sideside
of your
of the
mouthmouthon the bottom.
on the bottom.Numbering
Numbering continues
continuesagain toward
again towardthe the
front andand
front across to the
across tooth
to the tooth
farthest backback
farthest on the bottom
on the rightright
bottom sideside
of you mouth
of the mouthnumber
number32. 32.
In this system,
In this system, thethe
teeth thatthat
teeth
should be there
should are are
be there numbered. If you
numbered. are are
If you missing youryour
missing third molars,
third youryour
molars, firstfirst
number will be 2
instead of 1,will
number acknowledging
be 2 insteadthe missing
of 1, tooth. If you’ve
acknowledging had teeth
the missing tooth.removed
If you’veorhad teeth missing,
teeth removed
the ormissing
teeth teeth willthe
missing, be missing
numbered teethas will
well.be numbered as well.

2.The
ThePalmer
PalmerNotationNotationNumbering
NumberingSystem Systemis isused usedbybysome
someorthodontists,
orthodontists,pedodontists,
pedodontists,
andand
oraloral
surgeons. Originally
surgeons. Originallycalled the the
called Zsigmondy
Zsigmondy system
systemafterafter
an Austrian
an Austrian dentist of that
dentist of that
name whowho
name developed
developedthe the
ideaideain 1861.
in 1861.
TheThemouth
mouth is divided intointo
is divided fourfoursections called
sections quadrants.The
called quadrants.The numbers
numbers 1 through
1 through 8 and a a
8 and
unique symbol
unique symbolis used to identify
is used to identifythe theteeth in each
teeth quadrant.The
in each quadrant.The numbering
numbering runsrunsfrom the the
from
center of the
center mouth
of the to the
mouth back.
to the In the
back. upper
In the upperrightright
quadrant tooth,
quadrant number
tooth, number 1 is1the incisor.
is the incisor.
TheThenumbers
numbers continue to the
continue rightright
to the andandbackbackto tooth
to toothnumber
number 8, which is the
8, which third
is the molar.The
third molar.The
numbers
numberssit inside an L-shaped
sit inside an L-shaped symbol
symbolusedusedto identify
to identifythe the
quadrant.The
quadrant.The L isLright sideside
is right up for
up for
the the
teeth in the
teeth upper
in the rightleft
upper quadrant.The
quadrant.The teeth
teethin in
thetheupper
upperleftright
use use
a backwards
a backwards L. For the the
L. For
bottom quadrants,
bottom quadrants, the the
L isLupside
is upsidedown downfollowing
followingthe the
same pattern
same from
pattern the the
from uppers. Letters
uppers. Letters
suchsuch
as UR
as URor URQ
or URQ for for
the the
upper rightright
upper or upper
or upper rightright
quadrant
quadrant maymayalsoalso
identify the the
identify quad-
rants.
quadrants.

3.The
TheFederation
FederationDentaireDentaireInternationale
InternationaleNumbering
NumberingSystem System(FDI).(FDI).Internationally
Internationally the
the two-digit
two- digitsystem
systemisisused
usedworldwide.
worldwide.Every
Everybranch
branchofofdentistry
dentistryuses
usesthis
thissystem.
system.
EachEach
quadrant
quadrant is assigned a number.The
is assigned a number.The maxillary rightright
maxillary quadrant is assigned
quadrant the the
is assigned number 1, the
number 1, the
maxillary left left
maxillary quadrant is assigned
quadrant the the
is assigned number
number2, the mandibular
2, the left left
mandibular quadrant
quadrantis assigned the the
is assigned
number
number3, and the the
3, and mandibular
mandibular rightright
quadrant is assigned
quadrant the the
is assigned number
number 4.The teeth
4.The within
teeth eacheach
within
quadrant
quadrantare are
assigned a number
assigned a number from 1 through
from 8 with
1 through 1 being
8 with the the
1 being central incisor
central andand
incisor 8 being
8 being
the the
third molar.
third molar.

Justi Educational Department

Dental Numbering Systems Perm - Rev. 9/03
 P ERMANENT T EETH
DENTAL NUMBERING SYSTEMS
(R) Central
Incisor
ILLUSTRATED (L) Central
Incisor
2
11 21
(R) Lateral (L) Lateral
Incisor
12 1 1 22
Incisor

2 8 9 2
(R) Cuspid (L) Cuspid
13 7 10 23
(R) First
3 3
(L) First
Bicuspid 6 11 Bicuspid
14 24
4 4
(R) Second 5 12 (L) Second
Bicuspid
15 5 25 Bicuspid
5
4 13
(R) First (L) First
Molar 16 6 6 26 Molar
3 14
Upper
(R) Second (L) Second
Molar 17 7 (maxillary) 7 27 Molar
2 15

(R) Third (L) Third

Molar 18 8 1 16 8 28 Molar
UNIVERSAL

UNIVERSAL
PALMER

PALMER
RIGHT

LEFT
FDI

FDI
(R) Third (L) Third
Molar 48 8 32 17 8 38 Molar

(R) Second
47 7 31 Lower 18 7
(L) Second
Molar 37 Molar
(mandibular)
(R) First 46 6 30 19 6
Molar 36 (L) First
Molar

29 20
45 5 5
(R) Second 35 (L) Second
Bicuspid
28 21 Bicuspid

4 4
(R) First 44 27 22 34 (L) First
Bicuspid Bicuspid
3 26 23 3
25 24 33
43 2 2 (L) Cuspid
(R) Cuspid
1 1
42 32
(R) Lateral
Incisor
41 31 (L) Lateral
Incisor
(R) Central (L) Central
Justi Educational Department
Incisor Incisor
Dental Numbering Systems Perm - Rev. 9/03