orthodontic tooth movement table
The Orthodontic Tooth Movement Table Explained
A clear guide to the orthodontic tooth movement table: rotation, angulation, inclination, mesial, vestibular and occlusal movement, and IPR per tooth.
· 2 min read · DentoSim
The 3D simulation shows how the teeth move. The orthodontic tooth movement table shows how much. For a doctor reviewing an aligner plan, it is the quickest way to check whether any single movement is larger than they are comfortable with.
How the table is laid out
Each column is a tooth, usually in FDI notation: the first digit is the quadrant (1 upper right, 2 upper left, 3 lower left, 4 lower right) and the second is the tooth, from 1 (central incisor) to 8 (third molar). So 11 is the upper right central incisor and 36 is the lower left first molar. Each row is a type of movement, and the values are usually the total planned change from the start to the final position.
The rows, one by one
- Strip mesial / strip distal (mm): the IPR planned on each side of the tooth. See aligner IPR visualisation.
- Inclination (°) and inclination change: the labial or lingual tilt of the tooth, often called torque.
- Angulation (°) and angulation change: the mesial or distal tip of the crown.
- Rotation (°): rotation around the long axis of the tooth.
- Mesial (mm): movement along the arch, towards or away from the midline.
- Vestibular (mm): movement towards the cheek or lip (positive) or the tongue (negative).
- Occlusal (mm): extrusion or intrusion.
What doctors look for
Doctors scan the table for outliers: a rotation much larger than the others, a large intrusion, or a big inclination change on a single tooth. Those are the movements most likely to need extra attachments, more stages or a change of plan. An empty cell usually means no planned change.
Table and simulation together
The table is most useful next to the model. When a value looks large, the doctor can play the tooth movement simulation and watch that tooth. If something needs to change, they can request an adjustment on that tooth, which the lab sees next to the planned value. See how doctors review aligner setups.
In DentoSim, the movement table comes straight from the planning software's export, as planned, and opens from the viewer toolbar. See the 3D viewer.
Frequently asked questions
What does a negative value in the movement table mean?
It means movement in the opposite direction to the positive one, for example lingual instead of vestibular, or intrusion instead of extrusion. Check the planning software's sign convention.
Which tooth numbering does the table use?
Usually FDI notation, where 11 to 18 are upper right, 21 to 28 upper left, 31 to 38 lower left and 41 to 48 lower right.
See it on your own treatment plans
DentoSim turns aligner treatment plans into 3D simulations for doctors and patients, under your lab's brand.