Surface

Last updated: 2026-03-29

Tooth Surfaces

This module allows you to define and manage the different surfaces of a tooth (such as Mesial, Occlusal, or Lingual). These settings control how surfaces behave on the visual dental chart (odontogram) and ensure your billing codes are generated accurately.

When Do I Use This?

  • When setting up your clinic's dental charting software for the first time.
  • When you need to adjust where a specific surface appears on the graphical tooth chart.
  • When updating clinical rules, such as preventing staff from charting an "Occlusal" surface on a front tooth.

How To Use

Adding a New Tooth Surface

  1. Go to the Dentistry Setup area from the main menu and select Surfaces.
  2. Click + New.
  3. Enter the Name (e.g., "Mesial") and the short Code (e.g., "M").
  4. Check the boxes for Is Anterior and/or Is Posterior to dictate which teeth this applies to.
  5. Select the Map Position to tell the system where to draw this on the chart.
  6. Click Save.

Editing an Existing Surface

  1. Open the surface you wish to change from the list.
  2. Update the necessary fields (like the sequence or map position).
  3. Click Save.

Field Descriptions

Field Name Description
Name The full clinical name of the surface (e.g., Mesial, Occlusal, Incisal).
Code The standard abbreviation used in clinical notes and billing (e.g., M, O, I).
Description A brief explanation of the surface (e.g., "Towards the midline").
Sequence Controls the order in which surfaces appear in dropdowns or combined codes (e.g., MOD). Lower numbers appear first.
Is Anterior Check this box if this surface exists on front teeth (Incisors and Canines). This prevents clinical charting errors.
Is Posterior Check this box if this surface exists on back teeth (Premolars and Molars).
Map Position Tells the visual dental chart where to color in this surface. Options include Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Center, and Root.
Active Determines if this surface is currently usable. Uncheck this to hide the surface without deleting its historical data.
Tip: Pay close attention to the Is Anterior and Is Posterior checkboxes. Setting these correctly ensures that your staff cannot accidentally chart impossible conditions, like an "Incisal" cavity on a Molar!
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