Abscess
An acute or chronic, localized inflammation, with a collection of pus, associated with tissue destruction and swelling.
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Abutment
tooth or implant used to support a prosthesis.
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Acrylic
A plastic used to false teeth, retainers, and other dental products. Dental acrylic has been tested and thought to be perfectly safe.
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Alginate
A plaster like compound used to take impressions. It tastes awful, but is safe.
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Alveolar bone
The bone that surrounds the root of the tooth, holding it in place. Loss of this bone is typically associated with severe periodontal disease.
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Alveolus
An opening in the jaw-bone in which a tooth is attached
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Amalgam
Dental material used to repair cavities. Commonly referred to as "silver fillings", usually consists of a mixture of silver, copper, tin and sometimes zinc particles combined with mercury.
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Anaesthesia (Anesthesia)
Partial or total absence of sensation to stimuli. A controlled state of unconsciousness, accompanied by a partial or complete loss of protective reflexes, including loss of ability to independently maintain airway and respond purposefully to physical stimulation or verbal command, produced by a pharmacologic or non-pharmacologic method or combination thereof;
Intravenous Sedation/Analgesia:
A medically controlled state of depressed consciousness while maintaining the patient’s airway, protective reflexes and the ability to respond to stimulation or verbal commands. It includes intravenous administration of sedative and/or analgesic agent(s) and appropriate monitoring.
Local Anaesthesia (also Regional):
The loss of pain sensation over a specific area of the anatomy without loss of consciousness.
Non-Intravenous Conscious Sedation:
A medically controlled state of depressed consciousness while maintaining the patient’s airway, protective reflexes and the ability to respond to stimulation or verbal commands. It includes administration of sedative and/or analgesic agent(s) by a route other than IV; (PO, PR, Intranasal, IM) and appropriate monitoring.
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Analgesia
Loss of pain sensations without loss of consciousness.
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Anterior Teeth
These are the six teeth located in the front of the mouth, and are used as cutting (biting) surfaces rather than chewing surfaces - maxillary and mandibular incisors and canines.
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Apex
The very bottom of the root of the tooth
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Appliance
Any removable dental restoration or orthodontic device.
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Armamentarium
A general term for the dental chairs, lights and equipment used by your dentist or orthodontist.
Asepsis - The avoidance of potentially pathogenic microorganism. In practice,it refers to those techniques which aims to exclude all microorganisms.
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Articulator
A special holder for models of your teeth. The articulator holds the models in the same alignment as your jaw so the orthodontist can look carefully at your bite.
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Aspiration
Removal of fluids from the mouth with an aspirator.
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Aspirator
A tube like a straw which the dentist puts in the mouth to suck up all the saliva.
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Baby Teeth
The first set of teeth which come in. They are also called Primary teeth or Deciduous Teeth.
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Benign
The mild character of an illness or the non-malignant character of a neoplasm.
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Bicuspid
A premolar tooth; a tooth with two cusps.
First Bicuspid:
The teeth just behind the cuspids. These teeth have two cuspals (or points).
Second Bicuspid:
The teeth just behind the first bicuspids. These teeth also have two cuspals (or points).
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Bilateral
Pertaining to, or occurring on, both sides.
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Biopsy
The process of removing tissue for histological evaluation.
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Biteplane
A removable appliance made of acrylic designed to open a deep bite.
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Bitewig radiograph
interproximal view radiograph of the coronal portion of the tooth.
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Bonding
A technique for the restoration, repair, or cosmetic improvement of a tooth that involves the application of a high-impact resinous material to the tooth surface, where it adheres to existing enamel.
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Bridge
A fixed partial denture which is a prosthetic replacement of one or more missing teeth cemented or attached to the abutment teeth or implant abutments adjacent to the space; removable partial denture (removable bridge) is a prosthetic replacement of one or more missing teeth on a framework that can be removed by the patient.
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Bruxism
Basically the parafunctional grinding of the teeth.
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Buccal
The tooth surface which is next to cheeks. Usually only posterior teeth touch the cheeks, so people usually use the term "buccal" only when talking about back teeth.
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Buck Teeth
Malocclusion Class II, where the upper teeth stick out past the lower teeth. This is also called an Overbite.
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Calculus
Also called tartar. A tenacious, hardened material formed by mineralization (calcification) of dental plaque, which is attached to crowns and/or roots of teeth and once formed can only be removed by a dentist/hygienist.
Canal - A relatively narrow tubular passage or channel; space inside the root portion of a tooth containing pulp tissue; the passage which transmits vessels and nerves through the jaw to branches that distributes them to the teeth.
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Canal
A relatively narrow tubular passage or channel; space inside the root portion of a tooth containing pulp tissue; the passage which transmits vessels and nerves through the jaw to branches that distributes them to the teeth.
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Canine
The pointed conical teeth located between the incisors and the first molars.
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Canker sores
Small mouth ulcers that often make eating and talking uncomfortable.
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Cantilever extension
This is part of a fixed prosthesis that is supported at one end only.
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Caries
Tooth decay. An infection of the tooth caused by specific bacteria. It is this infection which results in many of the symptoms of a toothache
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Cavity
The space inside a tooth that remains once decay is removed; also referred to as carious lesion.
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Cementoenamel junction
Abbreviated as "CEJ", this is the point at which the tooth and root come together.
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Cementum
Located at the root of the tooth, cementum serves as the anchor point for the ligaments that join the tooth to the boney tooth socket. It is the softest part of the tooth structures.
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Central teeth
The two upper and two lower teeth in the very center of the mouth
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Cleft palate
A congenital deformity resulting in lack of fusion of the soft and/or hard palate, either partial or complete.
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Closed bite
A malocclusion where your upper teeth cover your lower teeth when you bite down. This is also called a Deep Bite.
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Cold sores
Also called a Fever blister or Herpes simplex type 1, are groups of painful, fluid-filled blisters. Unlike canker sores, cold sores are caused by a virus and are extremely contagious. Also, cold sores typically appear outside the mouth – usually, under the nose, around the lips, or under the chin while canker sores occur inside the mouth.
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Composite
White filling material for repairing cavities.
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Coronal
Referring to the crown of a tooth.
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Crossbite
A malocclusion where some of your upper teeth are inside of your lower teeth when you bite down.
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Crowding or Spacing problems
Too much or too little room for the teeth can cause spacing or crowding problems. Crowding can prevent permanent teeth from coming in properly or at all (impaction).
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Crown
Portion of tooth covered by enamel; also refers to a dental restoration shaped like the tooth it covers.
Abutment crown:
An artificial crown serving for the retention or support of a dental prosthesis.
Anatomical crown:
Portion of tooth normally covered by, and including, enamel.
Artificial crown:
The restoration covering or replacing the major part, or the entire clinical crown of a tooth.
Clinical crown:
Portion of a tooth not covered by supporting tissues.
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Crown inclination
A tooth movement in which the root of the tooth is tipped toward cheeks (lips) or toward the lingual (palate) of the mouth.
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Crown lengthening
A surgical procedure exposing more tooth for restorative purposes by apically positioning the gingival margin and/or removing supporting bone.
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Curettage
The removal of damaged or diseased tissue from the inside of a periodontal pocket.
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Cusp
A pointed or rounded eminence on or near the masticating surface of a tooth.
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Cuspal
The chewing or tearing points of the cuspids, bicuspids, and molars.
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Cyst
A pathological cavity containing fluid or soft matter.
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Debridement
Treatment of bacterial infection by removing irritants (bacteria, calculus) from the periodontal pocket so as to allow healing of the adjacent tissues.
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Decalcification
The loss of calcium from the teeth. This weakens the teeth and makes them more susceptible to decay.
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Decay
Term for carious lesions in a tooth; decomposition of tooth structure.
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Deciduous teeth
The first set of teeth which come in. They are also called Primary teeth or Baby Teeth.
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Demineralization
A loss of mineral from tooth enamel just below the surface in a carious lesion. May appear as a small white area on the tooth surface.
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Dental prophylaxis
The scaling and polishing procedure performed to remove coronal plaque, calculus, and stains.
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Dental resin
Dental material applied to the tooth which is used in cases of severe dentinal hypersensitivity. Typically not used unless all other treatment attempts have failed.
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Dental varnish
A hypersensitivity treatment which sometimes contains sodium fluoride. Varnishes are applied to the tooth surface, covering the outer surface of dentin and thus blocking transmission of painful stimuli to the pulp.
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Dentin
The hard part of the tooth below the enamel which surrounds the pulp chamber, most of the tooth is dentin. It has microscopic channels (pores) which can transmit both irritants and medicine to the pulp. Dentin is darker in color than enamel. It appears in the mouth as a somewhat darker or more yellowish part of the tooth between the gum and enamel.
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Dentinal hypersensitivity
A sharp, sudden painful reaction when the teeth are exposed to hot, cold, chemical, mechanical or osmotic (sweet or salt) stimuli.
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Dentinal tubules
Microscopic canals that run from the outside of the dentin to the nerve inside the tooth.
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Dentition
The teeth in the dental arch.
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Denture
A partial or complete set of artificial teeth for either the upper or lower jaw.
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Denture base
Part of a denture that makes contact with soft tissue and retains the artificial teeth
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Desensitization
Blocking the pain stimulus that causes dentinal hypersensitivity.
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Desquamation
A peeling of the tissue of the gingiva. In cases of desquamative gingivitis, the tissues may appear smooth and shiny, with patches of bright red and gray. Surface tissue may peel away, exposing a raw, bleeding and extremely painful surface.
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Diastema
A space, such as one between two adjacent teeth in the same dental arch.
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Dietary sugar
Sugar occurring in your diet, including sugar found in sweets, fruits and processed foods.
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Displaced tooth
A partial evulsion of a tooth.
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Distal
Referring to the tooth surfaces that face away from the midline of the mouth.
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Dorsal surface
The top surface, typically used when speaking of the tongue, i.e. the dorsal surface of the tongue.
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Drift
Unwanted movement of teeth.
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Dry Socket
Localized inflammation of the tooth socket following extraction due to infection or loss of blood clot.
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Edema
Swelling that occurs when fluid accumulates in the gingival tissues.
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Edentulous
Meaning without teeth, toothless.
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Enamel
Hardest part of the tooth found on the other surface of the crown. It is what you see in the mouth. Enamel is lighter in color than dentin.
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Enamel Mottling
Discoloration of the enamel due to too much fluoride ingestion (greater than one 1 part per million) systemically into the bloodstream, also called Fluorisis.
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Endodontist
A dental specialist who limits practice to treating disease and injuries of the pulp and associated perpendicular conditions.
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Endotoxins
A poisonous substance released from bacteria when it dies, and can cause tissue destruction directly or trigger an immune response which causes tissue breakdown.
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Equilibration
The reshaping of the occlusal surfaces of teeth to create harmonious contact relationships between the upper and lower teeth.
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Eruption
When teeth first peek through gums.
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Evulsion
A complete separation of the tooth from its socket due to trauma.
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Excision
The surgical removal of bone or tissue.
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Exostosis
An overgrowth of bone.
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Explorer
A probe used to detect tooth decay.
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Extrinsic stain
It refers to tooth stain located on the outside of the tooth surface originating from external substances such as tobacco, coffee, tea or food. This stain can often be removed by polishing the teeth with an abrasive prophylaxis paste. Intrinsic stain refers to tooth stain located within the tooth. It may originate from the ingestion of certain materials or chemical substances during tooth development. This stain is permanent and cannot be removed by polishing. Tooth bleaching may alter the stain.
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Extrusion
Tooth movement in the direction of eruption.
Mechanical extrusion:
To pull the teeth so that it extends farther out of the gums.
Natural extrusion:
Teeth grow until there is contact with another tooth.
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