Teeth Numbers -

Like many other fields, orthodontics has also come up with its own language that we call a Dental Lingo and where every number means a specific tooth. You might be wondering while sitting in front of your orthodontist and reading your dental treatment plan that what sort of statistics is written in that, but that’s actually the teeth numbers and names in dental specific language which your dentist use to identify teeth by name and treat your teeth.
The treatment plans are presented based on The Federation Dentaire International Numbering System (FDI) or The Universal Numbering System which is not easy for a layman (A Patient) to understand. So here in this blog, we have compiled the necessary information about this language so that it becomes easy for you to understand dental treatment plan whenever you or any of your family member visits dentist and gets a plan for treatment.

You might know some of the famous names of specific teeth such as Wisdom tooth, molar or incisor but you might not know what the teeth numbers are and how they relate with names of your teeth. As mentioned above, we’ve got the teeth and numbering system from FDI that is adopted by ADA and is in use by most of the general dentists and orthodontist to identify teeth by number.
Dentists usually take images of your teeth and split the interior of your mouth into four sections or quadrants. The upper portions of your mouth are the first two quadrants, while the lower portions are the third and fourth ones. So, the top right of your mouth’s interior is quadrant one (that’s your right side), while your top left is quadrant two. For the bottom, it’s a bit confusing, it goes from left to right where the bottom left is quadrant three, and the bottom right is quadrant four.

The ADA Universal Numbering System takes a 32 permanent teeth set as a standard in a clockwise fashion and treat the Teeth numbers 1 – 16 on your upper jaw and teeth numbers 17 – 32 in your lower jaw. That means, teeth numbers 1, 16, 17, and 32 are your wisdom teeth and teeth numbers 14 and 15 are your upper left molars.

Below is the list of teeth numbers and names to help you identify teeth by name anytime you come across of any dental treatment plan.

Tooth Name	Upper Right (1st Quad)	Upper Left (2nd Quad)	Lower Left (3rd Quad)	Lower Right (4th Quad)
Central incisor	11	21	31	41
Lateral incisor	12	22	32	42
Canine	13	23	33	43
1st Premolar	14	24	34	44
2nd Premolar	15	25	35	45
1st Molar	16	26	36	46
2nd Molar	17	27	37	47
3rd Molar (Wisdom Tooth)	18	28	38	48

If you still have any confusion or problem understanding dental treatment plan or numbering of your teeth, you can get in touch with our orthodontists at Orthodontic Experts in Illinois via call or email and they will surely respond your queries and concerns in a friendly-way.

Orthodontic Teeth Numbers We Say During Your Treatment

How are your teeth numbered?

How do ADA numbers teeth?