Dental chart overview
Read the odontogram — what each marker means and how to navigate the chart.
Overview
The odontogram is a graphical map of every tooth in the patient's mouth. Conditions, restorations, missing teeth, and planned work are marked on it. Each marking is a versioned record so you can audit how the patient's dentition changed over time.
Prerequisites
- Clinical role
- A patient with a dental chart (every patient gets a blank one at registration)
Steps
Open the chart. From the patient profile → Charts tab → Odontogram sub-tab. Or top nav Dental Charts → search the patient.
Switch numbering systems. Top-right toggle: Universal (1-32) or FDI (11-48). Change is per-user; the data underneath is system-agnostic.
Identify the tooth quadrants. The view shows upper arch and lower arch, split into left and right (from patient's perspective by default; toggle to dentist perspective via the eye icon).
Read the legend. Right panel lists every marker type and its colour: Healthy (white), Caries (red), Restoration (silver/blue depending on material), Missing (grey), Crown (gold), Implant (purple), Pending treatment (yellow stripe), Sealant (light green).
Hover any tooth for details. Tooltip shows current condition summary and timestamp of last change.
Click a tooth to see surface-level detail. A detail panel slides in showing each surface (Mesial, Occlusal, Distal, Buccal, Lingual) and its state. Restorations show material and date.
Switch to History view. Top tab in the chart panel. Each historical version is a card showing the date and the dentist who made the change. Click to load that version.
Compare versions. Compare button between two history cards highlights the changes. Useful for periodontal monitoring or noting what changed since last visit.
Expected outcome
- Reading the chart is a one-glance operation — no clicks needed for the overview
- History versions stay queryable for audit
- Comparison highlights changes accurately
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Chart is blank | New patient, no charting yet | Edit to add teeth conditions |
| Tooth appears in wrong arch | Wrong numbering system | Toggle Universal/FDI |
| History list is empty | Only one version exists | First chart edit creates version 1 |
| Compare shows no diff | The versions are identical | Pick different versions |
| Surface detail panel won't open | Some tooth states have no surface concept (e.g., missing) | The panel still opens but shows the high-level state |