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General Dental Information and Education Page
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Introduction The purpose of this page and its associated pages is to provide basic information about various dental subjects. These subjects were selected based on questions most frequently asked by patients. We will start with explaining the terms used to identify areas of the mouth and teeth. In dentistry the mouth is divided into the Upper and Lower arches and each arch is divided into the Left and Right side resulting in the four Quadrants of the mouth. Sometime each arch is divided into Left, Right and Center sections making for Sextants instead of Quadrants. Permanent (adults) teeth are number 1 thru 32, and primary (baby) teeth are labeled A thru T, starting on the Upper arch, from Right to Left then the Lower arch Left to Right. The following graphics show permanent and primary tooth information:
Teeth also have from five to six surface depending on the type of tooth (i.e. molar, incisor, ect.). The graphic below shows the location of these surfaces and there names. Finally, the structure or composition of each tooth and the surrounding gums are show in our final graphic on tooth anatomy. The information from this introduction will be referenced in the other pages list on the left. |
