Tooth Number Chart: FDI, Universal and Palmer Converter

Teeth

Number you have

FDI number

Sides are the patient's own right and left, as if you are facing them.

This tooth is

FDI 36

Lower left first molar.

FDI: 36
Universal: 19
Palmer: LL6
Tooth: Lower left first molar

Adult teeth

Permanent teeth in all three systems

All 32 adult teeth in FDI order, with the Universal and Palmer numbers beside each one.

Adult tooth number chart: FDI, Universal and Palmer
FDI	Universal	Palmer	Tooth
11	8	UR1	Upper right central incisor
12	7	UR2	Upper right lateral incisor
13	6	UR3	Upper right canine
14	5	UR4	Upper right first premolar
15	4	UR5	Upper right second premolar
16	3	UR6	Upper right first molar
17	2	UR7	Upper right second molar
18	1	UR8	Upper right third molar
21	9	UL1	Upper left central incisor
22	10	UL2	Upper left lateral incisor
23	11	UL3	Upper left canine
24	12	UL4	Upper left first premolar
25	13	UL5	Upper left second premolar
26	14	UL6	Upper left first molar
27	15	UL7	Upper left second molar
28	16	UL8	Upper left third molar
31	24	LL1	Lower left central incisor
32	23	LL2	Lower left lateral incisor
33	22	LL3	Lower left canine
34	21	LL4	Lower left first premolar
35	20	LL5	Lower left second premolar
36	19	LL6	Lower left first molar
37	18	LL7	Lower left second molar
38	17	LL8	Lower left third molar
41	25	LR1	Lower right central incisor
42	26	LR2	Lower right lateral incisor
43	27	LR3	Lower right canine
44	28	LR4	Lower right first premolar
45	29	LR5	Lower right second premolar
46	30	LR6	Lower right first molar
47	31	LR7	Lower right second molar
48	32	LR8	Lower right third molar

Baby teeth

Baby teeth by number

All 20 baby teeth. FDI uses quarters 5 to 8; Universal uses the letters A to T.

Baby tooth number chart: FDI, Universal and Palmer
FDI	Universal	Palmer	Tooth
51	E	URA	Upper right central incisor
52	D	URB	Upper right lateral incisor
53	C	URC	Upper right canine
54	B	URD	Upper right first molar
55	A	URE	Upper right second molar
61	F	ULA	Upper left central incisor
62	G	ULB	Upper left lateral incisor
63	H	ULC	Upper left canine
64	I	ULD	Upper left first molar
65	J	ULE	Upper left second molar
71	O	LLA	Lower left central incisor
72	N	LLB	Lower left lateral incisor
73	M	LLC	Lower left canine
74	L	LLD	Lower left first molar
75	K	LLE	Lower left second molar
81	P	LRA	Lower right central incisor
82	Q	LRB	Lower right lateral incisor
83	R	LRC	Lower right canine
84	S	LRD	Lower right first molar
85	T	LRE	Lower right second molar

Reading the numbers

Three systems, one mouth

FDI. Two digits: quarter, then tooth. Adult quarters run 1 upper right, 2 upper left, 3 lower left, 4 lower right; teeth count 1 to 8 outward from the middle.

Universal. One number per tooth, 1 to 32, starting at the upper right wisdom tooth, across the top, then back along the bottom from the lower left wisdom tooth.

Palmer. A corner symbol for the quarter plus 1 to 8. Written as text here: UR, UL, LL and LR followed by the tooth number.

Questions

Asked by clinic managers in the UAE

Which tooth numbering system is used in the UAE?

FDI, the two digit system set out in ISO 3950. The first digit is the quarter of the mouth and the second the tooth, counted from the front. Referrals and reports from the US use the Universal system instead, and some UK trained dentists write Palmer.

How do FDI tooth numbers work?

The mouth is split into four quarters, numbered 1 to 4 clockwise from the patient's upper right for adult teeth and 5 to 8 for baby teeth. Each tooth is then counted 1 to 8 from the middle, so 11 is the upper right front tooth and 48 the lower right wisdom tooth.

What number is a wisdom tooth?

In FDI the wisdom teeth are 18, 28, 38 and 48. In the Universal system they are 1, 16, 17 and 32.

What is tooth 36?

In FDI, 36 is the lower left first molar. The same tooth is 19 in the Universal system and LL6 in Palmer.

How are baby teeth numbered?

FDI uses quarters 5 to 8 and teeth 1 to 5, so 51 is the upper right baby front tooth. The Universal system uses letters A to T, and Palmer uses A to E in each quarter.

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