Dental notation

Universal system of notation

The universal system of notation for the primary dentition uses uppercase letters for each of the primary teeth: For the maxillary teeth, beginning with the right second molar, letters A through J, and for the mandibular teeth, letters K through T, beginning with the left mandibular second molar.

In the universal notation system for the permanent dentition, the maxillary teeth are numbered from 1 through 16, beginning with the right third molar. Beginning with the mandibular left third molar, the teeth are numbered 17 through 32. Thus, the right maxillary first molar is designated as 3, the maxillary left central incisor as 9, and the right mandibular first molar as 30.

Universal numbering system table

Permanent Dentition
upper right								upper left
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
32	31	30	29	28	27	26	25	24	23	22	21	20	19	18	17
lower right								lower left
Primary Dentition
upper right								upper left
			A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J
			T	S	R	Q	P	O	N	M	L	K
lower right								lower left
Alternate system for Primary Dentition
upper right								upper left
			1d	2d	3d	4d	5d	6d	7d	8d	9d	10d
			20d	19d	18d	17d	16d	15d	14d	13d	12d	11d
lower right								lower left

Zsigmondy/Palmer notation system

The symbolic system for the permanent dentition was introduced by Adolph Zsigmondy of Vienna in 1861 and then modified for the primary dentition in 1874. Independently, Palmer also published the symbolic system in 1870. The symbolic system is most often referred to as the Palmer notation system in the United States and less frequently as the Zsigmondy/Palmer notation system. In this system the arches are divided into quadrants. For a single tooth such as the maxillary right central incisor, the designation is Aᒧ. For the mandibular left central incisor, the notation is given as ᒥA . This numbering system presents difficulty when an appropriate font is not available for keyboard recording of Zsigmondy/Palmer symbolic notations. For simplification this symbolic notation is often designated as Palmer’s dental notation rather than Zsigmondy/Palmer notation.

The Zsigmondy/Palmer notation for the permanent dentition is a four-quadrant symbolic systemin which, beginning with the central incisors, the teeth are numbered 1 through 8 (or more) in each arch. For example, the right maxillary first molar is designated as 6ᒧ, and the left mandibular central incisor as ᒥ1.

Permanent Dentition upper right - x┘ upper left - └x 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R --------------------------------------------------- L 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 lower right - x┐ lower left - ┌x Primary Dentition upper right - x┘ upper left - └x E D C B A | A B C D E R --------------------------------- L E D C B A | A B C D E lower right - x┐ lower left - ┌x I - Incisor C - Canine P - premolar M - molar

ISO System by the World Health Organization

A two-digit system proposed by Fédération Dentaire Internationale (FDI) for both the primary and permanent dentitions has been adopted by the World Health Organization and accepted by other organizations, such as the International Association for Dental Research.

FDI Notation, teeth's quadrants

Numeral 5 indicates the maxillary right side, and 6 indicates the maxillary left side. The second number of the two-digit number is the tooth number for each side. The number 8 indicates the mandibular right side, and the number 7 indicates the mandibular left side. The second number of the two-digit system is the tooth number. Thus, for example, the number 51 refers to the maxillary right central incisor.

Thus, as in the two-digit FDI system for the primary dentition, the first digit indicates the quadrant: 1 to 4 for the permanent dentition, and 5 to 8 for the primary dentition. The second digit indicates the tooth within a quadrant: 1 to 8 for the permanent teeth, and 1 to 5 for the primary teeth. For example, the permanent upper right central incisor is 11 (pronounced “one one,” not “eleven”).

Permanent Dentition upper right - 1 upper left - 2 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 | 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 R --------------------------------------------------- L 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 | 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 lower right - 4 lower left - 3 Primary Dentition upper right - 5 upper left - 6 55 54 53 52 51 | 61 62 63 64 65 R --------------------------------- L 85 84 83 82 81 | 71 72 73 74 75 lower right - 8 lower left - 7 I - incisor C - canine P - premolar M - molar

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  ISO notation upper jaw

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  ISO notation lower jaw

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  ISO notation primary teeth

Dental notation Resources
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