Diagnostic and Preventative Overview

This Dental Receptionist resource document defines basic dental terms in the area of diagnostic and preventative dentistry.

Diagnostic and Preventative Overview

Adults

• Numbering systems have been developed to have a standard way of referring to particular teeth.
• Tooth number 1 is the tooth farthest back on the right side of your mouth in the upper (maxillary) jaw.
• If you are missing your wisdom teeth (the molars farthest back in your mouth), your first number will be 2 instead of 1, acknowledging the missing tooth.
• Numbering continues along your upper teeth toward the front and across to the tooth farthest back on the top left side (which is number 16).
• The numbers continue by dropping down to the lower (mandibular) jaw. Number 17 is the tooth farthest back on the left side of your mouth on the bottom.

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