Dental Charting

Dental Charting
• Dental charting is an essential part of all patient
care. Anatomical or Geometrical Charting is a
valuable tool in assessment phase of care, it
provides a graphic representation of the active or
repaired disease process. An accurate, well done
dental chart can assist in the following ways:
• Treatment Planning
• Evaluation( depict the maintenance of health in
some instances or the progression of disease.)
• Legal protection
• Identification (forensic dentistry)
 Purpose
• The purpose of charting a patient's mouth is
to accurately represent the teeth and
surrounding structures on paper in order
that it may be referred to at a later date
without the patient being present.
 Armamentarium
What's needed for charting

• Explorer
• Mouth mirror
• Pencils: red, blue,
• Charting work sheet
• Periodontal probe
Review of Caries Classification
 Class I
• Dental Caries or
restorations occur in
all pits and fissures of
– Occlusal surfaces
– Occlusal 2/3 of facial
& lingual surfaces of
molars
– Linguals surfaces of
maxillary incisors
 Class II
• Caries or restorations
on the proximal
surfaces of molars and
premolars
 Class III
• Caries or restorations
on proximal surfaces
of incisors and
canines.
• (Incisal angles not
involved)
 Class IV
• Caries or restorations
on proximal surfaces
of the incisors and
canines, which do
involve the incisal
edge.
 Class V
• Caries or restorations
at the gingival third of
the facial of lingual
surfaces of all teeth
(Does not include any
pit and fissure caries.)
 Class VI
• Caries or restorations
on the incisal edge of
the anterior teeth or on
the occlusal cusp
heights of the
posterior teeth.
 Color Code System
To aid in a quick evaluation of the areas noted, a color-
coded system will be used. The color code is as follows:
 Red - dental caries, fractures, overhangs, abscess, future
extractions, Temporaries
 Blue Diagonal - Gold restorations
 Blue Solid- Amalgam restorations
 Blue Dots – Composite and or resin restorations
 Blue Outline- Porcelain
 How to Record
Pg 5.15 in Lab Syllabus
 How to Read Off
• Start on the Maxillary Right Quad tooth #1
• 1st state if tooth is missing
• If the tooth has no restorations or anomalies state
Clear and Present
• If the tooth has a restoration state in this order:
– Tooth #
– Classification for restoration or caries
– Material used
– Other anomalies
Abfraction, Abrasion
• Two blue horizontal
lines above or below
CEJ, and “ab” or “abr”
written on root
Abscess
• Red Circle at apex of
Tooth, confirmed by
x-ray
Amalgam
• Blue pen or pencil
colored in shape of
restoration.
Interproximal surfaces
must wrap around or
show on facial/lingual
views
 Attrition
• One blue horizontal
line over affected
surfaces at estimated
loss level
Composites
• Blue outline in the
shape of restoration,
Shaded with dots
inside
 Crown- PFM, Gold, Porcelain
• Outline in Blue the
entire crown as
restored, indicated
materials on surfaces
• i.e. occlusal & lingual
may be gold, facial
porcelain, ¾ or other
Crown- PFM, Gold, Porcelain
X-ray
 All Porcelain Crown
• Blue outline only –
Inlay or crown or
veneer
Gold Inlay MOD:
• Gold restorations are
outlined in blue with
blue diagonals and
cover the area of the
restoration.
• Note: both the facial &
lingual aspects are charted
for the proximal areas
 ¾ Gold Crown
• A 3/4 Gold Crown
covers the entire tooth
except some portions of
the facial surface.
• Outline the area in
blue with blue
diagonal lines
Diastema
• Blue double vertical
lines between teeth
 Drifting
• Straight arrow
pointing direction of
drift – usually mesial
 Extractions
• Future extractions –
Red “X” or line
through all surfaces of
tooth
Fistula
• Make notes below
charting form: tooth #
and say if draining or
not
 Bridges
• A permanent bridge (fixed partial denture) must
be indicated according to the material comprising
it.
• The crown portion replacing the missing tooth is
called the pontic and the adjacent teeth are the
abutment teeth.
• The root areas of the replaced missing teeth will
be marked with an blueX to indicate that they are
missing
Fixed Bridge
• Abutment and pontics
are charted as crowns-
indicate materials:
• Pontic root is Blue
“X”ed out to show
missing; curve line
joins abutments
Gold Bridge
• Same as fixed bridge
indicate Gold material
with blue outline with
blue diagonal lines,
outline shape of
restoration
 Maryland Bridge

• Indicate with blue outline with diagonal

lines where the gold abutments are on the
teeth.
• If pontic is porcelain, use blue outline only
Fracture filling and teeth
• Red squiggle line
showing area of
fracture
Gold
• Blue outline with blue
diagonal lines, outline
shape of restoration
Impacted Tooth
• Blue circle around
tooth, only when
confirmed by x-rays
Implant
• Blue horizontal lines
on root surfaces, chart
crown as restored
Implant

• Blue horizontal lines

on root surfaces, chart
lower denture
Missing Teeth
Blue “X” or line through
all surfaces of tooth
Mixed Dentition or Primary Only
• Blue Circle around
letters of existing
retained primary teeth.
• “X’, Cross out
exfoliated primary
teeth.
Mixed Dentition or Primary Only
• If retained beyond normal dentition periods, make
notes below in comments.
• If a retained primary tooth is over a space for a
congenitally missing permanent, blue “X” out the
permanent
Non Carious Lesion
• Hypoplasia, fluorosis,
decalcification,
discoloration
• Make notes below
charting form in
comments section:
tooth # or note if
generalized
Overhang
• Solid red triangles off
affected surface of
tooth
Porcelain

• Blue outline only-

inlay or crown or
veneer
Removable Partial or Denture
• Horizontal line over all teeth
impacted by partial. Vertical
lines join at any terminal
clasp & for each tooth that
replaced on partial. Missing
teeth are Blue “X” ed out.
• Note where PUD, CUD, PLD
or CLD
Root Canal
• Blue lines in root pulp from
apex to CEJ, confirmed by x-
ray
Rotation/Version
• Curved arrow
pointing direction of
rotation of buccal
surface –M/D or
lingual/labial
Sealant
• Blue “S” under or over
tooth apex
Stainless Steel
• Blue “S.S.” under or
over tooth apex – draw
shape of crown in
solid blue
Temporaries
• Red outline – crown or
filling, “temp” written
on root
Carious Lesions
• Red color in shape of
caries lesion
 Erupting Teeth
• Blue circle around
tooth with E on root to
indicate Erupting.