So you want to start flossing your teeth, but aren’t quite sure how many teeth you’re working with? Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us. One of the first things most people learn about flossing is that there are 28 teeth in their mouth, even though only 4 of them are visible when you smile and look in the mirror. If you don’t know your teeth by number, this can be an intimidating thought!
What is dental anatomy
The standard nomenclature for teeth numbers is as follows, from front tooth to back (left to right): 0 is your upper left canine tooth. 1-4 are your upper left lateral incisors. 5-8 are your upper left central incisors. 9-12 are your upper left cuspids or bicuspids (canines). 13 and 14 are another pair of cuspids/bicuspids called caninos internos; these are located directly behind your two central incisors. 15 is an additional molar, found on both sides of a person’s mouth. This total equals 16 teeth per side (32 total), with 32 being a full set of teeth in a human mouth.
Types of teeth
There are four different types of teeth—incisors, canines, premolars and molars. Incisors are your short front teeth that help you bite into solid foods. Canines are known as your eye or fang teeth because they look like canine teeth in a human mouth. These appear between your incisors and premolars in both adults and children. Premolars help grind food; if you don’t have these, you won’t be able to eat properly—and will likely develop more serious health issues in the future. Molars are also called back teeth because they’re located at the back of your mouth. They work with premolars to chew food before it travels down your throat.
Learn how to read the diagram
If your wisdom teeth are causing problems, you may want to consult an affordable orthodontist near me. In some cases, they can become impacted and cause pain or infection. If they aren’t removed, they can begin shifting into other teeth or crowding out your existing healthy teeth. Also known as third molars, wisdom teeth have a tough time breaking through gums because our mouths were smaller when we were younger and in our more malleable years. The result is that most people don’t need their wisdom teeth—and removing them isn’t just preventative; it’s an easy way to improve oral health without having to undergo a traditional orthodontic treatment like braces.
Top and bottom numbers in the diagram
The top and bottom front teeth are usually referred to as central incisors. The two teeth next to them on either side of your mouth are called lateral incisors. The next set of teeth are your canines, which are also called eye teeth because they’re situated just in front of your eye sockets. The four back molars, or chewing teeth, will be labeled M1 through M4. Note that they don’t have numbers at all; each is simply known as a first, second, third, or fourth molar.
Left and right numbers in the diagram
A number is used in many different aspects of orthodontics, but for most people with braces it’s useful for just two things: telling you how far along your treatment is and helping you understand which tooth or teeth a bracket or wire is on. Understanding how your brackets are labeled can be helpful if you want a quick way to double-check that your dentist has given you new wires or bands correctly. Understanding which teeth correspond with each number can help take out some of that guesswork—especially if you’re feeling pain during treatment. If you ever need to talk with your dentist about dental pain, reference guide can be a helpful tool as well.
Wisdom teeth (teeth #31, 32, 33)
These three teeth are found at the back of your mouth and often don’t fit properly in your mouth. Although wisdom teeth aren’t technically essential, they do help you chew food and speak clearly. That being said, it’s possible that wisdom teeth need removal if they don’t grow correctly. If you’re interested in getting them removed, talk with an affordable orthodontist near me today. There are many benefits of visiting an affordable orthodontist near me today such as dental insurance coverage, financing options, and convenient locations. By using an affordable orthodontist near me for procedures like wisdom tooth removal or Invisalign®, you can protect your oral health without breaking your budget!
Understanding lingual tooth position in relation to other teeth
Lingual refers to teeth on the side of your tongue. While it’s not always necessary to know lingual tooth numbers, it is helpful when talking about where certain teeth are in relation to others. Knowing lingual tooth numbers can also help you understand how they fit into your bite. If a problem arises in one specific spot, such as a bit of gum recession or an exposed root, knowing lingual tooth position will help you identify which tooth may be causing it. For example, if you have a bit of soreness at number 4 but otherwise feel fine, removing food debris and bacteria from your number 4 may solve the problem for good—all without scheduling an appointment with your dentist!
