3. Dental Charts
Charting is a part of the patient’s legal record and must be
done correctly.
The initial charting is normally done on the first exam.
Anatomical charts show the crown of the tooth, the crown and
a portion of the tooth, or the crown and the complete root.
Geometric charts show the teeth as circles.
Computerized charting helps standardize.
It’s more efficient, fewer mistakes are made, and it’s easier in many
ways.
Light pens are used to highlight and color.
4. Numbering Systems
The Universal/National system was developed in
1968 and is most commonly used in the United
States.
FDI was developed to provide an international
system for coding teeth.
Canada and European countries use this the most.
In 1996, the ADA adopted this system and the universal
system for tooth numbering.
The Palmer system is not very common, but it’s
still used in some offices.
5. Cavity Classifications
Six standard classes
Cavity is caries
The classifications of cavities were
developed by G. V. Black.
These are still the classifications being
used today.
6. Cavity Classifications
Class I
Developed cavities in pit and fissures
They are found in the occlusal surfaces
of posterior teeth (premolars and
molars), buccal or lingual pits on molars,
and lingual pit near the cingulum of the
maxillary incisors.
10. Cavity Classifications
Class V
Cervical third of facial
Lingual surface of tooth
Often this class of cavity occurs because the patient often
sucks on sweets.
You may also find an entire quadrant with this type of cavity
because a patient takes medications, chews gum, or drinks
soft drinks over long periods of time.
11. Cavity Classifications
Class VI
Worn away due to abrasion
This type is not part of the original five standard
classification of cavities developed by G.V. Black.
It was later classified to better label those cavities
that involve the incisal or occlusal surface that has
been worn away due to abrasion.
13. Charting
When a dental assistant is documenting
the chart to record the surfaces of the
teeth that need restoration,
abbreviations for single-surface
restorations are used.
Each surface is abbreviated using the
first letter of the surface, capitalized.
15. Charting
If two or more surfaces are
restored, then a combined
abbreviation is used.
For example, to identify the
restoration on the distal and
occlusal surfaces, the term is disto-
occlusal restoration or DO
restoration.
17. Charting
If three surfaces are combined, the same
principle is applied to the second word,
as well (e.g., mesial-occlusor-distal or
MOD restoration).
If a mesial surface of the tooth is
restored with another surface, it is always
used first.
Occlusal and lingual normally fall in the
last position.
19. Basic Charting Terms
Abscess- a localized area of infection.
Bridge- prosthetic device placed between teeth covering space created by
a missing tooth
Abutments-attaching sides
Pontic- middle area
22. Basic Charting Terms
Crown (cap)-A crown can be made from gold,
porcelain, steel, or plastic.
Full crowns cover the complete tooth, while you
can also have three-quarters covering three-
fourths of the tooth.
Permanent
Temporary
24. Basic Charting Terms
Diastema-space between the
maxillary central incisors
It could also refer to the space
between two adjacent teeth in the
same dental arch.
26. Basic Charting Terms
Gold foil- when several layers of
pure gold are placed in preparation
for restoration
27. Basic Charting Terms
Incipient-is beginning decay that has
not broken through the enamel yet.
Some dentists will denote these areas in
charts to carefully watch.
28. Basic Charting Terms
Mobility
when a tooth moves in the socket
due to periodontal disease or
trauma.
A numbering system is used to
record how many millimeters the
tooth moves
30. Basic Charting Terms
Periodontal pocket is space in the gingival sulcus
created by periodontal disease.
A healthy depth is 1 to 3 mm; beyond that is
considered a pocket.