The document discusses dental charting and record keeping, including anatomical versus geometric charting, initial charting procedures, tooth numbering systems, cavity classifications, abbreviations for recording restorations, and basic charting terms such as crowns, bridges, root canals, and periodontal pockets. Computerized charting helps standardize the process and reduces mistakes compared to manual charting. Correct charting is important for documenting a patient's dental records and treatment.

1. Dental Charting
CHAPTER 14

2. Dental Charts
Two areas:
Dental charting
Record treatment
Anatomical versus geometric
Computerized

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.

7. Cavity Classifications
Class II
Proximal surfaces on posterior teeth
MO restoration MOD restoration

8. Cavity Classifications
Class III
Interproximal surface of anterior
teeth
They can be found on canines,
lateral incisors, and central
incisors.

9. Cavity Classifications
Class IV
Interproximal surface of anterior
teeth
Include incisal edge
© Cengage Learning 2013

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.

12. ©2013 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied, duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Dental Check
• Which type of caries commonly occur in a
patient that regularly sucks on sweets?
– Class V

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.

14. Abbreviations of Tooth
Surfaces
Simple involves one tooth surface
I: incisal
M: mesial
D: distal
B: buccal
O: occlusal
F: facial

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.

16. Abbreviations of Tooth
Surfaces
 Compound involves two surfaces
DO: disto-occlusal
MO: mesio-occlusal
MI: mesio-incisal
DI: disto-lingual
LI: linguo-incisal
DL: disto-lingual
OB: occluso-buccal

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.

18. Abbreviations of Tooth
Surfaces
Complex involves more than two
surfaces
MOD: mesio-occluso-distal
MODBL: mesio-occluso-disto-
bucco-lingual

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

20. Basic Charting Terms
Cantilever bridge- attached to
only one side

21. Basic Charting Terms
Maryland bridge-has wings on the
pontic that are attached to lingual
sides of adjacent teeth

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

23. Basic Charting Terms
Denture
Complete
Partial
Dentures are needed if all natural teeth
in one arch are missing.
A partial denture is needed if only some
natural teeth are missing.

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.

25. Basic Charting Terms
Drifting- opposing teeth move or
erupt into space after a tooth has
been removed

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

29. Basic Charting Terms
Overhang is excessive restorative
material found interproximally near the
gingiva.

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.

31. Basic Charting Terms
Restoration is where replacing the
tooth structure occurs, which is also
known as fillings.

33. Basic Charting Terms
A root canal is where the pulp is
removed and filled with other suitable
materials.

34. Basic Charting Terms
A sealant is a resin material used
to seal pits and fissures to prevent
decay.