Dental Dictionary
Abscess
A collection of pus. Usually forms because of infection.
Abutment
A tooth or tooth structure which is responsible for the anchorage of a bridge
or a denture.
Amalgam
A silver filling material.
Anesthetic
An agent that causes temporary loss of sensation/feeling.
Anterior
The front position.
Apex
The end of the root.
Asepsis
No micro-organism.
Attrition
Wear of teeth due to activities such as chewing.
Avulsed
An injury that causes a tooth to be completely knocked out of the mouth.
Bitewing
A kind of dental x-ray which is taken with the teeth bite together. The main
function of this kind of x-ray is to detect cavities in between teeth and height
of bone support.
Bleaching
Whitening of teeth.
Bridge
A prosthesis which is fixed inside the mouth to replace missing teeth.
Bruxism
Teeth grinding.
Canine
The third tooth from the middle of the jaw. There are four of them. They are
the longest teeth in humans.
Canker sore
An ulceration with yellow base and red border in mouth. It can be caused by
trauma or herpes simplex virus.
Caries
Tooth decay.
Cavity
A hole on the tooth.
Cast
A model of teeth.
Cementation
The process of "gluing" the appliance/prosthesis on the associated area.
Chlorhexidine
An anti-microbial agent. It is available in many forms such as gels and
rinses. It is an effective agent in controlling gum diseases.
Clasp
A metal arm extended from a removable partial denture. It helps to hold onto
natural tooth structure and thus provide anchorage for the denture.
Cold sore
An ulcer or blister on lip. A form of herpes simplex.
Composite
White filling.
Cross-bite
An abnormal bite relationship of upper and lower jaw. The lower teeth/tooth
align toward the check/ lip side more than the upper teeth/tooth.
Crown (porcelain/plastic/metal)
A crown is almost like a "cap" on a tooth. It covers the tooth partially or
totally above the gum to restore its function and outlook.
Decay
A soft substance caused by the bacterial demineralization of enamel and
dentin. An infection within a tooth. Must be treated.
Dentistry
A branch of medicine that involves diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of
any disease concerning teeth, oral cavity, and associated structures.
Dentition
The position, type, and number of teeth in upper and lower jaw.
Denture
(Immediate/complete/partial) (overdenture, temporary)
An artificial
object to replace missing teeth and their neighboring structures. There are many
different types of denture to satisfy different treatment requirements and
patient preferences.
Denturist
The person who specializes in fabricating dentures. A Denturist is not
responsible for making any type of diagnosis or carrying out any other treatment
(e.g. removing teeth).
Desensitization
A procedure to reduce the sensitivity of teeth.
Diagnosis
The process of identifying dental disease.
Diastema
The space between two adjacent teeth.
Distal
A direction indication in the mouth. It indicates the direction away from the
middle of the jaw.
Edentulous
No teeth.
Endodontics
A department of dentistry involving diagnosis, prevention and treatment of
dental pulp (where the nerves and blood vessels are inside the tooth).
Eruption
The process of the tooth appearing in the mouth.
Excision
The action of cutting something off.
Extruded
When a tooth may be pushed partially out of the socket.
Filling
A restoration placed on a tooth to restore its function and appearance.
Flipper
A temporary denture to replace missing teeth during the waiting period for
long term treatment.
Floss
A thread/tape that goes in between teeth for cleaning.
Fluoride
A compound of fluorine (an element) which be put in different forms such as
water, gels, and rinses to strengthen teeth.
Fluoride Treatment
Teeth treatment with fluoride agents like gel or rinse. It helps to prevent
tooth decay.
Fracture
When a cusp of a tooth becomes weakened, a fracture may result. It is
possible for the crack to extend further into the root and damage to the pulp is
commonplace.
Framework
A metal skeleton of a removable partial denture to support the false teeth
and the plastic attachments.
Gingivitis
The mildest form of gum disease: inflammation of gum. The earliest sign is
bleeding gum.
Hemorrhage
Bleeding
Hemostasis
Stop bleeding.
Impaction
A condition where a tooth is not able to come in normally or is stuck
underneath another tooth or bone.
Implant
A device (usually "screw-like") put in the jaw bone to support a false tooth,
a denture or a bridge.
Impression
A mold taken by some jelly-like material loaded on a tray.
Incisal
The cutting edge of front teeth.
Incisor
The four upper and lower front teeth.
Inlay
A restoration (usually gold, composite or ceramics) fabricated in the lab
that cements on a tooth like a missing puzzle piece. It helps to restore the
normal function and outlook of the tooth.
Interproximal
The space between two adjacent teeth.
Lingual
The side of
the tooth towards the tongue.
Mesial
The side of the tooth towards the middle of the
jaw.
Molar
The last
three upper and lower teeth on both sides of the
mouth.
Mouthguard
A
device to be worn in the mouth. Depending on the design of it, it prevents
injury to teeth and/or jaw during teeth grinding or sport
events.
Nightguard
A
mouthguard which is worn at night time.
Occlusal
The biting surface of the back
teeth.
Occlusion
The
way how the upper and lower teeth close
together.
Onlay
A
restoration covers the entire biting surface of a
tooth.
Open bite
The
situation where the upper teeth not able to contact the opposing lower
teeth.
Orthodontics
A
special field in dentistry which involves diagnosis, prevention, and
treatment of bite abnormalities or facial
irregularities.
Over
bite
The overlap of upper teeth and lower teeth when they close
together.
Overhang
The portion of filling material that hangs beyond the border of the
cavity.
Palate
The
roof of the mouth.
Panoramic
Radiograph
An x-ray film used to obtain the wide view of upper and
lower jaw and their
associated
structures.
Perforation
An opening on a tooth or other oral
structure.
Periapical
The surrounding of the bottom of the root of a
tooth.
Periodontics
A specialty of dentistry involves diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of gum
(periodontal) disease.
Permanent
teeth
Adult's teeth. The first permanent tooth usually comes in
around 6 years
old.
Pin
A piece of "nail-like" metal. It usually is used for
better retention of a
filling.
Polish
A process to make the tooth or filling or other
denture smooth and
glossy.
Pontic
The false tooth in a bridge or denture to replace
the missing tooth.
Post
A big pin which can be made with different materials
such as metal or carbon.
Its function usually is to support a big buildup
on a tooth.
Posterior
Located at the back.
Pre-authorization
An approval from the particular authority
(usually insurance company in
dentistry) before any action (treatment) is
carried out.
Pre-medication
Medication needing to be taken before
treatment.
Premolar
The two teeth located in front of the
molar.
Prescription
A
written statement (from a doctor to a pharmacist) regarding the type, the
amount and direction of the use of a medication for a patient. In dentistry, a
prescription can also be a written statement for preparation of an
appliance
from a dentist to a lab
technician.
Primary
teeth
Baby teeth.
Prophylaxis/prophy
The procedure of teeth polishing. It
also means the prevention of
diseases.
Prosthesis
An artificial part to replace missing teeth and their associated
structures.
Prosthodontics
A specialty of dentistry involving
diagnosis, treatment planning, and
fabrication of artificial parts to
replace missing teeth and their associated
structures.
Pulp
The
innermost part of a tooth. It contains nerves and blood vessels inside a
tooth.
Pulpectomy
The
removal of the whole pulp inside a tooth.
Pulpotomy
The removal of the top part of the pulp inside a
tooth.
Q
Radiograph
An x-ray
picture.
Recall
The
regular checkup and teeth cleaning
appointment.
Recementation
The process of "gluing" the
appliance/prosthesis back on the associated
area.
Restoration
An
item a dentist uses to restore the normal function of a tooth or an area
in
the mouth. It can be a filling, a crown, a bridge,
etc.
Retainer
A
device used for maintaining the position of teeth in the jaw in orthodontic
treatment.
Retreatment
The process of repeating the root canal
treatment.
Root
The
bottom part of tooth. It anchors the tooth to its supporting
units.
Root canal
The
canal that runs inside the root of the tooth. It contains the nerves and
blood vessels inside the tooth.
Root canal treatment
A treatment for the root canal inside
the tooth.
Root
planing
The action of cleaning the root area of
teeth.
Rubber dam
A
rubber sheet that fits around teeth. It isolates the treatment area from
the rest of the oral cavity.
Scaling
The action of cleaning teeth below the
gumline.
Sealant
A
thin layer of plastic-like material covering the grooves and pits on a
tooth to prevent cavity.
Sedation
The use of medication to calm a
patient.
Space
Maintainer
An appliance to maintain the space between
teeth.
Splint
An
appliance or a material to prevent movement of a mobile
part.
Tempromandibular Joint
(TMJ)
The joint that links the two parts of the
jaw.
Torus
An
outgrowth of bone. It usually develops on the roof of the mouth or around
the premolar area on the lower jaw.
U
Veneer
A layer of tooth-colored
material (can be porcelain, composite, or ceramics)
that attaches to the
front of the tooth. It is usually used to improve the
appearance of the
tooth.
Wisdom tooth
The eighth (also the last) tooth from the middle of the
jaw.
Xerostomia
Dry
mouth
Y
Z
Abscess
A collection of pus. Usually forms because of infection.
Abutment
A tooth or tooth structure which is responsible for the anchorage of a bridge
or a denture.
Amalgam
A silver filling material.
Anesthetic
An agent that causes temporary loss of sensation/feeling.
Anterior
The front position.
Apex
The end of the root.
Asepsis
No micro-organism.
Attrition
Wear of teeth due to activities such as chewing.
Avulsed
An injury that causes a tooth to be completely knocked out of the mouth.
Bitewing
A kind of dental x-ray which is taken with the teeth bite together. The main
function of this kind of x-ray is to detect cavities in between teeth and height
of bone support.
Bleaching
Whitening of teeth.
Bridge
A prosthesis which is fixed inside the mouth to replace missing teeth.
Bruxism
Teeth grinding.
Canine
The third tooth from the middle of the jaw. There are four of them. They are
the longest teeth in humans.
Canker sore
An ulceration with yellow base and red border in mouth. It can be caused by
trauma or herpes simplex virus.
Caries
Tooth decay.
Cavity
A hole on the tooth.
Cast
A model of teeth.
Cementation
The process of "gluing" the appliance/prosthesis on the associated area.
Chlorhexidine
An anti-microbial agent. It is available in many forms such as gels and
rinses. It is an effective agent in controlling gum diseases.
Clasp
A metal arm extended from a removable partial denture. It helps to hold onto
natural tooth structure and thus provide anchorage for the denture.
Cold sore
An ulcer or blister on lip. A form of herpes simplex.
Composite
White filling.
Cross-bite
An abnormal bite relationship of upper and lower jaw. The lower teeth/tooth
align toward the check/ lip side more than the upper teeth/tooth.
Crown (porcelain/plastic/metal)
A crown is almost like a "cap" on a tooth. It covers the tooth partially or
totally above the gum to restore its function and outlook.
Decay
A soft substance caused by the bacterial demineralization of enamel and
dentin. An infection within a tooth. Must be treated.
Dentistry
A branch of medicine that involves diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of
any disease concerning teeth, oral cavity, and associated structures.
Dentition
The position, type, and number of teeth in upper and lower jaw.
Denture
(Immediate/complete/partial) (overdenture, temporary)
An artificial
object to replace missing teeth and their neighboring structures. There are many
different types of denture to satisfy different treatment requirements and
patient preferences.
Denturist
The person who specializes in fabricating dentures. A Denturist is not
responsible for making any type of diagnosis or carrying out any other treatment
(e.g. removing teeth).
Desensitization
A procedure to reduce the sensitivity of teeth.
Diagnosis
The process of identifying dental disease.
Diastema
The space between two adjacent teeth.
Distal
A direction indication in the mouth. It indicates the direction away from the
middle of the jaw.
Edentulous
No teeth.
Endodontics
A department of dentistry involving diagnosis, prevention and treatment of
dental pulp (where the nerves and blood vessels are inside the tooth).
Eruption
The process of the tooth appearing in the mouth.
Excision
The action of cutting something off.
Extruded
When a tooth may be pushed partially out of the socket.
Filling
A restoration placed on a tooth to restore its function and appearance.
Flipper
A temporary denture to replace missing teeth during the waiting period for
long term treatment.
Floss
A thread/tape that goes in between teeth for cleaning.
Fluoride
A compound of fluorine (an element) which be put in different forms such as
water, gels, and rinses to strengthen teeth.
Fluoride Treatment
Teeth treatment with fluoride agents like gel or rinse. It helps to prevent
tooth decay.
Fracture
When a cusp of a tooth becomes weakened, a fracture may result. It is
possible for the crack to extend further into the root and damage to the pulp is
commonplace.
Framework
A metal skeleton of a removable partial denture to support the false teeth
and the plastic attachments.
Gingivitis
The mildest form of gum disease: inflammation of gum. The earliest sign is
bleeding gum.
Hemorrhage
Bleeding
Hemostasis
Stop bleeding.
Impaction
A condition where a tooth is not able to come in normally or is stuck
underneath another tooth or bone.
Implant
A device (usually "screw-like") put in the jaw bone to support a false tooth,
a denture or a bridge.
Impression
A mold taken by some jelly-like material loaded on a tray.
Incisal
The cutting edge of front teeth.
Incisor
The four upper and lower front teeth.
Inlay
A restoration (usually gold, composite or ceramics) fabricated in the lab
that cements on a tooth like a missing puzzle piece. It helps to restore the
normal function and outlook of the tooth.
Interproximal
The space between two adjacent teeth.
Lingual
The side of
the tooth towards the tongue.
Mesial
The side of the tooth towards the middle of the
jaw.
Molar
The last
three upper and lower teeth on both sides of the
mouth.
Mouthguard
A
device to be worn in the mouth. Depending on the design of it, it prevents
injury to teeth and/or jaw during teeth grinding or sport
events.
Nightguard
A
mouthguard which is worn at night time.
Occlusal
The biting surface of the back
teeth.
Occlusion
The
way how the upper and lower teeth close
together.
Onlay
A
restoration covers the entire biting surface of a
tooth.
Open bite
The
situation where the upper teeth not able to contact the opposing lower
teeth.
Orthodontics
A
special field in dentistry which involves diagnosis, prevention, and
treatment of bite abnormalities or facial
irregularities.
Over
bite
The overlap of upper teeth and lower teeth when they close
together.
Overhang
The portion of filling material that hangs beyond the border of the
cavity.
Palate
The
roof of the mouth.
Panoramic
Radiograph
An x-ray film used to obtain the wide view of upper and
lower jaw and their
associated
structures.
Perforation
An opening on a tooth or other oral
structure.
Periapical
The surrounding of the bottom of the root of a
tooth.
Periodontics
A specialty of dentistry involves diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of gum
(periodontal) disease.
Permanent
teeth
Adult's teeth. The first permanent tooth usually comes in
around 6 years
old.
Pin
A piece of "nail-like" metal. It usually is used for
better retention of a
filling.
Polish
A process to make the tooth or filling or other
denture smooth and
glossy.
Pontic
The false tooth in a bridge or denture to replace
the missing tooth.
Post
A big pin which can be made with different materials
such as metal or carbon.
Its function usually is to support a big buildup
on a tooth.
Posterior
Located at the back.
Pre-authorization
An approval from the particular authority
(usually insurance company in
dentistry) before any action (treatment) is
carried out.
Pre-medication
Medication needing to be taken before
treatment.
Premolar
The two teeth located in front of the
molar.
Prescription
A
written statement (from a doctor to a pharmacist) regarding the type, the
amount and direction of the use of a medication for a patient. In dentistry, a
prescription can also be a written statement for preparation of an
appliance
from a dentist to a lab
technician.
Primary
teeth
Baby teeth.
Prophylaxis/prophy
The procedure of teeth polishing. It
also means the prevention of
diseases.
Prosthesis
An artificial part to replace missing teeth and their associated
structures.
Prosthodontics
A specialty of dentistry involving
diagnosis, treatment planning, and
fabrication of artificial parts to
replace missing teeth and their associated
structures.
Pulp
The
innermost part of a tooth. It contains nerves and blood vessels inside a
tooth.
Pulpectomy
The
removal of the whole pulp inside a tooth.
Pulpotomy
The removal of the top part of the pulp inside a
tooth.
Q
Radiograph
An x-ray
picture.
Recall
The
regular checkup and teeth cleaning
appointment.
Recementation
The process of "gluing" the
appliance/prosthesis back on the associated
area.
Restoration
An
item a dentist uses to restore the normal function of a tooth or an area
in
the mouth. It can be a filling, a crown, a bridge,
etc.
Retainer
A
device used for maintaining the position of teeth in the jaw in orthodontic
treatment.
Retreatment
The process of repeating the root canal
treatment.
Root
The
bottom part of tooth. It anchors the tooth to its supporting
units.
Root canal
The
canal that runs inside the root of the tooth. It contains the nerves and
blood vessels inside the tooth.
Root canal treatment
A treatment for the root canal inside
the tooth.
Root
planing
The action of cleaning the root area of
teeth.
Rubber dam
A
rubber sheet that fits around teeth. It isolates the treatment area from
the rest of the oral cavity.
Scaling
The action of cleaning teeth below the
gumline.
Sealant
A
thin layer of plastic-like material covering the grooves and pits on a
tooth to prevent cavity.
Sedation
The use of medication to calm a
patient.
Space
Maintainer
An appliance to maintain the space between
teeth.
Splint
An
appliance or a material to prevent movement of a mobile
part.
Tempromandibular Joint
(TMJ)
The joint that links the two parts of the
jaw.
Torus
An
outgrowth of bone. It usually develops on the roof of the mouth or around
the premolar area on the lower jaw.
U
Veneer
A layer of tooth-colored
material (can be porcelain, composite, or ceramics)
that attaches to the
front of the tooth. It is usually used to improve the
appearance of the
tooth.
Wisdom tooth
The eighth (also the last) tooth from the middle of the
jaw.
Xerostomia
Dry
mouth
Y
Z