Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 11, 2026

Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Tooth Numbering System in Saudi Arabia: Survey
1Department of Prosthetic Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, P.O. Box 60169, Riyadh 11545, Saudi Arabia.
Objective:
There were four aims of the current study: (1) to find the most commonly used Tooth Numbering System (TNS) in Saudi Arabia in both academic and non-academic institutions, (2) to identify the most commonly taught TNS in dental colleges, (3) to understand the reasons why dental practitioners prefer to use a specific TNS, and (4) the consequences of using more than one TNS.
Materials And Method:
Between May 2014 and May 2015, a self-administered questionnaire containing 21 questions was randomly distributed to 121 individuals (20 deans of dental colleges and 101 heads of governmental dental centers).
Results:
The most commonly used TNS is the Fédération Dentaire Internationale (FDI) TNS for both primary and permanent dentitions in both academic and non-academic institutions, followed by the Palmer TNS and then the Universal TNS.
Conclusion:
The FDI TNS proved to be the most taught TNS in dental colleges in Saudi Arabia. It is advised that the FDI TNS be implemented as a unified system in Saudi Arabia due to the advantages of this particular TNS and the benefits of using one single TNS.
Related Concept Videos
Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin...
Systematic Sampling Method
Systematic sampling is one of the simplest methods...
Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or...
Assessment of the Mouth
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.
Ordinal Level of Measurement
Data measured using an ordinal scale are similar to nominal scale data, but there is one major difference. The ordinal scale data can be ordered. An example of ordinal scale data is a list of the top five national parks...

