Glossary

  1. Abscess: An infection that occurs around in the space between the teeth and gums or the root of a tooth.
  2. Amalgam: A commonly used dental filling that has been used for more than 150 years in hundreds of millions of patients worldwide.
  3. Anterior: Refers to the front section of the mouth.
  4. Apex: The end of the root of a tooth.
  5. Apicoectomy: A root-end resection is a surgical procedure commonly performed in dentistry. In certain cases, a root canal procedure may not suffice in alleviating discomfort, necessitating the extraction of the tooth’s apical portion, which encompasses the root tip.
  6. Arch: The upper or lower jaw.
  7. Articulator: A mechanical device that simulates jaw and temporomandibular joint movement when working on models of the mouth.
  8. Attrition: Natural wear of teeth due to chewing or grinding.
  9. Abutment: Tooth or teeth serving as the support for the replacement tooth/teeth in a bridge.
  10. Alveolar: Relating to the alveoli, the sockets of the teeth.
  11. Anesthesia: Medications used to relieve pain.
  12. Antibiotics are drugs that stop or slow down bacterial growth and fight infections.
  13. Asepsis: The absence of bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms, or a condition that results from their lack.
  14. Avulsion: The displacement of a tooth from its socket due to trauma.
  15. Ankylosis: Absence of movement between teeth due to fusion of the tooth to the bone.
  1. Bitewing: A type of X-ray that is used to help detect cavities between teeth and changes in bone density.
  2. Braces: Orthodontic devices used to align teeth and correct improper bites.
  3. Bridge: A fixed appliance that replaces missing teeth by joining an artificial tooth to adjacent teeth or dental implants.
  4. Bruxism: The involuntary or habitual grinding of teeth.
  5. Bicuspid: A type of tooth located in between the molars and the canine teeth, also known as premolars.
  6. Bleaching: A cosmetic dental procedure that whitens the teeth using a bleaching solution.
  7. Bonding: A restorative and cosmetic procedure where a tooth-colored resin material is applied to the tooth surface and hardened.
  8. Buccal: Related to or situated in the cheek area or the cheek side of the tooth.
  9. Biopsy: The removal of a small amount of tissue for diagnostic examination.
  10. Bite: The way in which the upper and lower teeth come together.
  11. Bone graft: The bone graft process involves the transplantation of bone tissue in order to restore and reconstruct bones that have been afflicted by illness or injury.
  12. Base: Material placed under a dental restoration to insulate the pulp (nerve chamber).
  13. Benign: Not malignant; not invasive; not spreading.
  14. Bifurcation: Division into two branches; the point at which two branches separate.
  15. Block Injection: An injection that numbs an area of nerves.
  1. Cavity: Decay in tooth caused by caries; also referred to as carious lesion.
  2. Crown: A prosthetic device that completely covers or “caps” a tooth or dental implant.
  3. Canine: The pointed tooth located just behind the lateral incisors; also referred to as cuspids.
  4. Calculus: Calculus, sometimes referred to as tartar, is a challenging residue that develops on teeth as a result of insufficient plaque management.
  5. Caries: Another term for tooth decay or cavities.
  6. Cementum: A layer of hard, yellowish tissue that covers the tooth root.
  7. Cleft Palate: Cleft Palate is a congenital anomaly characterized by incomplete fusion of the two cranial plates that constitute the hard palate, resulting in a separation.
  8. Composite Filling: Tooth-colored restorative material composed of plastic with small glass or ceramic particles.
  9. Cuspid: The pointed tooth located between the incisors and bicuspids, also referred to as canines.
  10. Cusp: The raised points on the chewing part of the tooth.
  11. Contouring: The process of reshaping teeth.
  12. Cytology: Cytology is an academic discipline that focuses on the examination and analysis of cellular structure, function, and pathology.
  13. Cephalometric X-ray: A type of X-ray used in orthodontic planning.
  14. Ceramic Braces: A type of orthodontic device made of a clear ceramic material.
  15. Core Buildup: A restorative procedure where a large amount of tooth structure is replaced in order to support a crown.
  1. Dentin: The hard, dense tissue forming the bulk of a tooth beneath the enamel.
  2. Deciduous Teeth: Also known as “baby teeth” or primary teeth.
  3. Dental Implants: Form of surgical apparatus that establishes a connection with the jawbone to provide support for various dental prostheses, including crowns, bridges, dentures, and other similar dental appliances.
  4. Dental Prophylaxis: A procedure to clean the teeth and support prevention of dental disease.
  5. Denture: Dentures are detachable replacements for teeth and the tissues around them that have been lost.
  6. Diastema: A space or gap between two teeth.
  7. Direct Restoration: Direct restoration is a method that entails placing a filling that is either pliable or soft into the tooth that has been prepped and then building the tooth back up.
  8. Dry Socket: A painful condition that can happen after a tooth extraction.
  9. Dental Plaque: A biofilm or mass of bacteria that grows on surfaces within the mouth.
  10. Dental Floss: The use of dental floss, which is a thin thread made up of small strands, serves the function of removing food particles as well as dental plaque that is situated in the interdental gaps.
  11. Distal: A term used to describe a position on a tooth in the mouth. Distal refers to the direction away from the midline of the face.
  12. Dentinogenesis: The formation of dentin, a substance that forms most of the tooth.
  13. Dentin Hypersensitivity: A