Dentists assign numbers to teeth to identify them in a standardized way, making it easier to maintain dental records and communicate about specific teeth during examinations, treatments, or procedures.
The numbering system is known as the Universal Numbering System or FDI World Dental Federation Notation. It consists of two digits: the first digit indicates the quadrant of the mouth where the tooth is located, while the second digit identifies the specific tooth within that quadrant. Primary (baby) teeth are identified with uppercase letters, while permanent teeth are numbered from 1 to 32.
