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Tooth Guide
Every adult tooth has a name and a number. Use this guide to follow along with your treatment plan. Hover over or tap any tooth to learn what it is and what it does.
Look up the teeth in your treatment plan
Type the tooth numbers from your treatment plan (you can include surface letters, e.g. 36 MO) and we’ll highlight them on the chart.
Not sure what a treatment on your plan means? See treatment explanations
Chart shown as if you are facing the patient: the patient’s right side is on your left.
Choose a tooth
Hover over or tap any tooth on the chart, or type the tooth numbers from your treatment plan in the box above.
In Canada, teeth use a two-digit number. The first digit is the area of the mouth and the second digit counts from the front tooth (1) to the back (8).
What does my treatment mean?
Choose a treatment listed on your treatment plan to see what it involves, what to expect on the day, and how to care for yourself afterwards.
Select a treatment above to see the details.
Reading a tooth number
The first digit tells you which quarter of the mouth the tooth is in:
| First digit | Area of the mouth |
|---|---|
| 1 | Upper right |
| 2 | Upper left |
| 3 | Lower left |
| 4 | Lower right |
The second digit counts back from the middle: 1–2 front teeth (incisors), 3 canine, 4–5 premolars, 6–8 molars.
Example: tooth 36 = area 3 (lower left), tooth 6 (first molar) → the lower left first molar.
Tooth surfaces on a treatment plan
Letters after a tooth number describe which side of the tooth is being treated:
| Letter | Meaning |
|---|---|
| M | Mesial: the side facing the front/middle of the mouth |
| D | Distal: the side facing the back of the mouth |
| O | Occlusal: the chewing surface of a back tooth |
| I | Incisal: the biting edge of a front tooth |
| B / F | Buccal / Facial: the cheek or lip side |
| L / P | Lingual / Palatal: the tongue or roof-of-mouth side |
Example: “Filling 36 MO” = a filling on the lower left first molar, covering the front-facing side and the chewing surface.
This guide is for general education. Your SMDS dental team will explain the specific details of your own treatment plan.