If you’ve ever seen your dentist or hygienist and looked at the chart of your teeth, you may have noticed some strange numbers – usually one or two digits, followed by something that looks like x/y. But what does this number mean? To understand what it means, you first need to know how teeth are numbered in the first place! Let’s take a look at how are teeth numbered, then we’ll delve into why your dentist might see x/y numbers on your chart.
How Many Teeth Do I Have?
How many teeth do you have in your mouth? This is a common question, and one that most people answer without hesitation. However, for those who are missing some teeth or have dental work done, it can be hard to answer that question. Since most people get their teeth from birth until age 12, dentists tend to number each tooth based on how they were acquired. So if you were born with two front teeth but had them removed at a young age because of an accident, you would still call that space 2 even though there’s nothing there anymore. If you lost a tooth after age 12, then it would be labeled as 31 since that was its spot when you lost it. But what about wisdom teeth? How do we know where to put them in our numbering system? Wisdom teeth are usually put into spots 32-34, so don’t worry about getting confused!
Why is my teeth number important?
Let’s first discuss why teeth numbers are important to your oral health. When you visit your dentist, one of the first things they will do is ask for a quick look at your teeth. As you open wide and say ahhh, your dentist is doing more than just having a look at their new floor tile (maybe). By looking at your teeth, a dentist can see how clean they are, whether or not there are any cavities or gaps, and if there are any other oral issues that need to be addressed. They also use your teeth number as a way to determine what kind of dental care you should receive. For example, if it appears that you have had some recent dental work done on tooth #4, but it doesn’t appear in any of your x-rays from years ago, then your dentist might want to know what happened.
This could lead them down an entirely different path when it comes to diagnosing and treating whatever issue is affecting you. Your teeth number isn’t just used for diagnosis though; some dentists also use it as a way to keep track of how well patients follow through with instructions given during treatment. If a patient has been instructed to brush three times per day, floss twice per day, and get regular checkups every six months, but never shows up for their appointments or follows through with anything else, then your dentist may mark you down as noncompliant and stop trying to help you altogether. So how are teeth numbered? Like so: The right side of your mouth begins at 1, while the left side starts at 2. Tooth #1 is on top of both sides because it sits directly above where your upper lip meets your gum line. Tooth #2 sits directly below tooth #1 on both sides because it sits directly below where your upper lip meets your gum line.
The Anatomy of the Tooth
In most cases, we first have a top molar (tooth No. 16), then four premolars on each side of our jaw and two bottom molars (one on each side) for a total of 32 teeth. How are teeth numbered? The way we number our teeth has to do with tooth position in your mouth; some teeth lie behind others. For example, people with an even number of teeth tend to have their bottom molars located directly behind their top molars, while those with an odd number usually have one or more front teeth or upper bicuspids (tooth No. 5) between them. What does my tooth number mean?
How Are Wisdom Teeth Removed
Wisdom teeth are a common source of trouble for those with misaligned jaws, or those with crowding issues. If you have wisdom teeth growing in and feel pain when chewing food or notice swelling of your face, you may need to schedule an appointment to have them removed. When it comes time to remove your wisdom teeth, it’s important that they don’t get damaged in any way as they can sometimes be used in transplants after they are removed. Be sure that your dentist takes great care when removing your wisdom teeth.
Can Extraction Be Avoided?
One way to know if an extraction is avoidable is to take your dentist or hygienist’s advice and continue your brushing and flossing routine. If you do that, then you can keep your teeth healthy for a longer period of time. When dealing with gum disease, regular maintenance with a dental teeth numbers professional can go a long way in avoiding extraction. However, if gum disease has become too advanced or inoperable, your dentist may suggest you undergo an extraction as part of their treatment plan. It all depends on how serious and complex your particular case of gum disease is. Your dentist will be able to give you a better idea of what they’re expecting out of your next appointment and determine whether extraction could be on tap down the road.
Why Is It Painful To Have Wisdom Teeth Removed
We have 32 permanent teeth, which are numbered 1 to 32 from top to bottom. The wisdom teeth are number 3, 14, 21 and 28 (if you’re in your 20s or 30s). Wisdom teeth usually grow in around 17 years of age; but they can come through as early as 12 and as late as 25. That’s why they’re also known as third molars. Since they can’t fit within our mouth, if they don’t cause any problems while waiting to come through you may never need them removed. However, if you’ve had difficulty fitting new adult braces in your mouth it could be a sign that one or more of your wisdom teeth are coming through prematurely.
Amalgam vs. Composite Fillings
If you’re not sure what kind of filling your dentist is putting in your teeth, you should know that there are two main types. Amalgam fillings contain a mixture of mercury and silver (which together can cause discoloration), but they are also more affordable than composite fillings. Composite fillings—also known as white fillings—are made from plastic and work better than amalgam for teeth with extensive decay or cracks because they can be tailored to fit any size tooth. They do, however, cost a bit more on average. If you don’t mind dealing with slight color changes to your teeth, amalgam is fine for most needs; otherwise, composite is generally recommended for both cosmetics and strength. If you need more advice on which one is best for you, you can check out this dentist who does fillings and teeth whitening in Highlands Ranch.
