Annotating teeth
Mark caries, restorations, missing teeth, and planned work on the odontogram.
Overview
Every clinical visit generates a chart change — even "no changes detected" is recorded as confirmation. This article covers the mechanics of marking conditions per tooth and per surface.
Prerequisites
- Clinical role
- An open consultation (charts edited inside a consultation are linked to that visit)
advanced_chartingfeature flag if you want surface-level annotation (Professional+); basic per-tooth annotation works on Starter
Steps
Open the chart inside the consultation. Consultation form → Dental Chart tab.
Click the tooth you want to annotate. The detail panel opens.
Pick a condition from the palette. Caries, Restoration, Missing, Crown, Implant, Bridge, Sealant, Mobility, Sensitivity. Each has a colour code matching the legend.
Specify the surface (Professional+). For multi-surface conditions, click the surface diagram in the detail panel. M (mesial), O (occlusal), D (distal), B (buccal), L (lingual). Click multiple surfaces to apply to all.
Add details if applicable. Restoration material (composite, amalgam, ceramic), date placed (defaults to today), notes.
Save the change. Click Apply. The chart updates; the change is queued in the visit's chart-version draft.
Repeat for additional teeth. All changes accumulate in one chart version per consultation.
Mark "no changes" if no conditions changed. The No changes detected button creates an empty version with a confirmation note. Useful for hygiene visits where the chart didn't change but you want a recorded review.
Expected outcome
- A new chart version is created with all the changes from this visit
- The version is linked to the consultation so reviewing the visit shows the chart change
- The legend totals (caries count, restoration count) update for the patient
- Treatment plan suggestions surface — e.g., new caries on tooth 17 prompts a treatment recommendation
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Surface picker missing | advanced_charting flag off (Starter tier) | Per-tooth annotation only on Starter; upgrade for surface detail |
| Chart didn't save the change | Autosave glitched | Click Save chart at the bottom; an indicator shows last save time |
| Restoration material list incomplete | Materials are configurable | Add new materials in Settings → Materials |
| Want to revert a marking | Inside the visit | Click the tooth → Remove condition before consultation lock |
| Marking the wrong tooth | Wrong numbering system | Switch numbering and re-mark |