5-Step Tooth

Identification Cheat Sheet

Quickly learn to identify any permanent tooth and
ACE your tooth identification tests!
 I'm so glad you're here !
Let's get right to it...
If you're reading this, you're most likely a first year
dental student spending all your time studying +
surviving dental school!

Does this sound like you?

Undergrad was a breeze, but

now you feel like you're
drowning in the course load
of dental school.
You're living an endless cycle
of school, studying, eating,
sleeping...repeat!
You're struggling to
memorize all your course
material and feel like your
study methods could be
improved.

THIS WAS ME TOO...

I lived in the library and had NO LIFE my first year

of dental school, but over time I learned study
strategizes to help me with memorization and
with decreasing my study time. This guide is to
help you do that as well!
Who am I though?!...
Hello !
I'm Dr. Clara
from Dental Clarafication !
When I was 15 years old (and yes already 6ft tall) I remember
going to the dentist and getting told to stand in a room while
a massive machine moved around my head. I had no idea
what was happening and I was FREAKING out on the inside
(but also standing perfectly still because I'M A GREAT
PATIENT). No one explained to me I was just getting a
panoramic x-ray of my teeth and had nothing to be afraid of.

I'm a super anxious human, and after only anxiety inducing

experiences at the dentist, I decided I could do it better for
my fellow anxious people! And thus my journey into dentistry
was born!

Being super type-A, school was always easy for me...but when
I got to dental school...it was a rude awakening! I was so
overwhelmed, and I needed more support my first year. I felt
so adamant about this, that my second year of dental school
I started a study group for first years. I loved it so much, I
continued hosting review sessions until I graduated dental
school. I'm so passionate about helping students feel less
overwhelmed and learn how to make studying more efficient!

I can't wait to help you in your journey too! Let's get into it
and identify permanent teeth in just 5 easy steps!
 Click here to a watch video explaining these 5 steps

Click here to watch a playlist of practice tooth identifications

 5-Step Tooth
Identification Cheatsheet

When taking a tooth identification test, you know the answer is

one of the 32 permanent teeth. The goal is to narrow down
your options one step at a time until you know what type of
tooth it is and which half of the mouth it is in.

Through a series of 5 steps/ questions you will narrow down

your options to the correct answer!

Those steps are...

1. What Class of Tooth is it?

2. Is it a Maxillary or Mandibular Tooth?
3. What Type of Tooth is it?
4. Which Side is Which?
(Mesial vs Distal and Facial vs Lingual)
5. Is This a Right or Left Tooth?

As you answer these questions, you get closer and closer to the
correct answer. Almost like you are following a path to the
correct answer...

*note: Traits of TYPICAL/IDEAL teeth are used in this guide. There are variations in teeth that are not included in this guide because
tooth identification tests usually only include ideal teeth / teeth with typical traits only.
 Step 4/ Step 5
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3
M vs D and F vs L
Class of Tooth Max vs Man Type of Tooth
R vs L
Maxillary RIGHT Central Incisor
Maxillary CENTRAL Incisor Maxillary LEFT Central Incisor
MAXILLARY Incisor Maxillary RIGHT Lateral Incisor
Maxillary LATERAL Incisor Maxillary LEFT Lateral Incisor
INCISOR
Mandibular CENTRAL Incisor Mandibular RIGHT Central Incisor
Mandibular LEFT Central Incisor
MANDIBULAR Incisor
Mandibular LATERAL Incisor Mandibular RIGHT Lateral Incisor
Mandibular LEFT Lateral Incisor
Maxillary RIGHT Canine
MAXILLARY Canine Maxillary Canine Maxillary LEFT Canine
CANINE
Mandibular RIGHT Canine
MANDIBULAR Canine Mandibular Canine Mandibular LEFT Canine
Maxillary RIGHT 1st Premolar
???
Maxillary 1st Premolar Maxillary LEFT 1st Premolar
MAXILLARY Premolar Maxillary RIGHT 2nd Premolar
Maxillary 2nd Premolar
PREMOLAR Maxillary LEFT 2nd Premolar
Mandibular RIGHT 1st Premolar
Mandibular 1st Premolar Mandibular LEFT 1st Premolar
MANDIBULAR Premolar
Mandibular 2nd Premolar Mandibular RIGHT 2nd Premolar
Mandibular LEFT 2nd Premoalr
Maxillary RIGHT 1st Molar
Maxillary 1st Molar Maxillary LEFT 1st Molar
Maxillary RIGHT 2nd Molar
MAXILLARY Molar Maxillary 2nd Molar Maxillary LEFT 2nd Molar
Maxillary RIGHT 3rd Molar
Maxillary 3rd Molar
MOLAR Maxillary LEFT 3rd Molar
Mandibular 1st Molar Mandibular RIGHT 1st Molar
Mandibular LEFT 1st Molar
MANDIBULAR Molar Mandibular 2nd Molar Mandibular RIGHT 2nd Molar
Mandibular LEFT 2nd Molar
Mandibular 3rd Molar Mandibular RIGHT 3rd Molar
Mandibular LEFT 3rd Molar
 Step 1
What Class of Tooth is it?
Is this tooth an Incisor, Canine, Premolar, or Molar? To
decide this, look at the number of cusps.

If the tooth has no cusp and the biting edge is flat (aka has
an incisal ridge), it is an Incisor.
If the tooth has 1 cusp, it is a Canine.
If the tooth has 2 or 3 cusps, it is a Premolar.
If the tooth has 4 or more cusps, it is a Molar.

Incisors: No Cusp Canines: 1 Cusp

Premolars: 2-3 Cusps Molars: 4 or More Cusps

 Don't Let the Canines Trick You

BONUS TIP: Don't get tricked into thinking

the maxillary canine is a premolar.
Sometimes the cingulum of the maxillary
canine is very prominent. A prominent
cingulum on the cervical 1/3 of the tooth is
not a 2nd cusp.

BONUS TIP: Don't get tricked into thinking the

mandibular canine is an incisor. Sometimes the mesial
cusp ridge is close to horizontal and may trick you into
M D thinking it is an incisal ridge. It is not. You can tell this is a
mandibular canine because there is a distal bulge, the
mesial outline of the crown is in line with the mesial
outline of the root, and there is a cusp (even if it is off
center and worn down sometimes).
 Step 2
Is it a Maxillary or Mandibular Tooth?
For Incisors, this is based on the For Canines, this is based on the
size/shape of the crown/roots. prominence of the features of the
Maxillary incisors are larger. The crown.
crowns are more square Maxillary canine has more
shaped and have more prominent cingulum, lingual
rounded angles. They also have fossae, distal bulge, and ridges.
more conical roots. Mandibular canine have less
Mandibular incisors are prominent cingulum, lingual
smaller/narrower and have fossae, distal bulge, and ridges.
more sharp/straight lines to the
crowns. The roots are very
narrow mesial-distally
compared to facial-lingually
giving them a ribbon-like shape.

Max Man
Max Man

For Premolars, this is based on the For Molars, this is based on the
lingual tilt of the crown. number of roots.
Cusps of maxillary premolars are Maxillary molars have 3 roots.
centered over the root. Mandibular molars have 2 roots.
Cusps of mandibular premolars
are tilted lingually.

Max Man
Max Man
 Step 4
Which Side is Which?
The following chart gives the key landmarks used to orient the tooth for
Step 5. You need to determine which side is mesial and which side is
facial before figuring out Right vs Left is step 5.

Tooth How to Tell Mesial vs Distal D M M D Facial

Max Central Distal outline and distal incisal angle

Incisor are more curved than mesial

Max Lateral Distal outline and distal incisal angle

Incisor are more curved than mesial
F

Max Canine Prominent distal bulge Convex side is

Facial

Mesial marginal developmental groove

Max 1st
crossing the mesial marginal ridge and
Premolar
lingual cusp is mesial to the center
F
Max 2nd Taller/Larger
Lingual cusp is mesial to the center
Premolar Cusp is Facial

Distal lingual cusp (which is smaller

Max 1st than the mesial lingual cusp) is on the
Molar distal and the cusp of carabelli is on the
mesial

Distal lingual cusp (which is significantly

Max 2nd
smaller than the mesial lingual cusp) is
Molar
on the distal

With the high variability in the anatomy F

Max 3rd
of this tooth, it is difficult to 2 Roots on the
Molar
differentiate between mesial and distal Facial
 Step 3
What Type of Tooth is it?
Maxillary Incisors: Central vs Lateral Incisors
The crown of the max central incisor is more
square while the crown of a max lateral incisor is
more rounded overall. Central Lateral
Mandibular Incisors: Central vs Lateral Incisors
The cingulum of the man central incisor is centered
while the cingulum of the man lateral central incisor
is twisted to the distal. Central Lateral
Maxillary Premolars: 1st vs 2nd
The occlusal grooves of the max 1st premolar are
shaped like 2 sideways peace signs and there is a
mesial marginal developmental groove crossing the
mesial marginal ridge while the grooves of the max
1st 2nd
2nd premolar are more in number and raisin like.
Mandibular Premolars: 1st vs 2nd
The man 1st premolar has 2 prominent pits that look
like "snake eyes" while the man 2nd premolar will
have grooves in the H or U shape (2 cusp form) or Y
shape (3 cusp form) without as prominent pits.
1st 2nd
Maxillary Molars: 1st vs 2nd vs 3rd
The max 1st molar has a prominent DL cusp and a cusp of carabelli.
The max 2nd molar has a less prominent DL cusp and usually absent
cusp of carabelli, with less flared roots. The max 3rd molar has a
bulbous crown with converging roots and inconsistent occlusal
anatomy. 3rd molars might still have open apices.

1st 2nd 3rd

Mandibular Molars: 1st vs 2nd vs 3rd

The man 1st molar has 5 cusps, the man 2nd molar has 4 cusps, and
the man 3rd molar has a bulbous crown with converging roots and
inconsistent occlusal anatomy. 3rd molars might still have open
apices.

1st 2nd 3rd

 Tooth How to Tell Mesial vs Distal D M M D Facial

Man Very symmetrical anatomy makes it Convex Side is

Central difficult to differentiate between Facial
Incisor mesial and distal
F
Man Cingulum is twisted to the distal
Lateral when looking at tooth with
Incisor horizontal incisal ridge

Man Distal bulge and the mesial of crown

Canine is in line with the mesial of root

Mesiolingual groove on the mesial Crown Tilts Away

Man 1st
and the distal fossa larger than from Facial
Premolar
mesial fossa
F

In the 2 cusp variation, the lingual

Man 2nd cusp is mesial to the center. In the 3
Premolar cusp variation, the mesiolingual cusp
is larger than the distolingual cusp

The distal cusp (which is the smallest

cusp of the 5 cusps) is to the distal. Crown Tilts Away
Man 1st The crown tapers toward the distal. from Facial
Molar The mesial outline of the occlusal is
straight and the distal is convex.
F
Roots tilt distally.

The crown tapers towards the distal.

Man 2nd The mesial outline of the occlusal is
Molar straight and the distal is convex.
Roots tilt distally.

With the high variability in the

Man 3rd anatomy of this tooth, it is difficult to
Molar differentiate between mesial and
distal.
 Step 5
Is it a Right or Left Tooth?
All that is left is to determine if it is the right or left tooth.

You do this by lining up the mesial side the tooth to the midline of
an imaginary mouth with the facial side facing you. Which ever
side you land in (left or right) is the side of the mouth that tooth is
from. Remember this is the PATIENT'S left and right. Not your left
and right.

Right Left

BONUS TIP: If you are given scratch paper for your test, draw or write
out a chart of teeth with the midline marked so you don't have to use
your imagination for lining teeth up with the midline. You can also use
this chart for quick reference for numbering teeth on your exam.
 Using the previous 4 steps/question, you have determined
Example 1: that this is the mandibular 1st molar. But is it the left or
right?

You need to look at key landmarks (see chart in step 4) to

determine which side is which... for the mandibular 1st
molar that landmark is the distal cusp. That is the smallest
cusp and is on the distal side of the tooth.

D M Now you know which side is distal and which side is mesial.

Right Left With the facial of the tooth facing you,

line that mesial up with the midline of an
imaginary mouth.

For this mandibular 1st molar, envision a

patient sitting in front of you. Hold the
tooth in front of you with the mesial at
the patient's midline. You are now
holding the tooth on the patient's left...
M D
so it is the mandibular LEFT 1st molar.
 Example 2: Using the previous 4 steps/question, you have determined
that this is the maxillary central incisor. But is it the left or
right?

You need to look at key landmarks (see chart in step 4) to

determine which side is which... for the maxillary central
incisor those landmarks are the mesial and distal outlines.
The outline that is straighter is the mesial and the outline
that is more curved is the distal.

Now you know which side is distal and which side is mesial.

D M

With the facial of the tooth facing you,

line that mesial up with the midline of an
imaginary mouth.
D M

For this maxillary central incisor, envision

Right Left a patient sitting in front of you. Hold the
tooth in front of you with the mesial at
the patient's midline. You are now
holding the tooth on the patients right
side... so it is the maxillary RIGHT central
incisor.
 Click here to a watch video explaining these 5 steps

Click here to watch a playlist of practice tooth identifications

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