Dental Dictionary
Abscess a collection of pus that usually forms because of infection
Abutment a tooth/tooth structure that’s responsible for anchorage of a bridge or denture
Amalgam silver filling material
Anesthetic an agent that causes temporary loss of sensation/feeling
Anterior front position
Apex 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 an x-ray taken with the teeth bite together to detect cavities in between teeth & height of bone support
Bleaching whitening of teeth
Bridge a prosthesis that’s fixed inside the mouth to replace missing teeth
Bruxism teeth grinding
Canine the third tooth, which are the longest, from the middle of the jaw; there are two on top & two on bottom
Canker sore a mouth ulceration with yellow base & red border that’s caused by trauma or herpes simplex virus
Caries tooth decay
Cavity hole on the tooth
Cast model of teeth
Cementation process of “gluing” the appliance/prosthesis on the associated area
Chlorhexidine an effective anti-microbial agent in controlling gum disease that’s available in many forms such as gels & rinses
Clasp a metal arm extended from a removable partial denture (RPD) that helps to hold onto natural tooth structure & thus provide anchorage for the denture
Cold sore an ulcer or blister on lip; a form of herpes simplex
Composite white filling material
Cross-bite an abnormal bite relationship of upper & lower jaw: the lower teeth align toward the check/lip side more than the upper teeth
Crown (porcelain/plastic/metal) like a “cap” on a tooth that covers the tooth partially or totally above the gum to restore its function & outlook
Decay soft substance caused by the bacterial demineralization of enamel & dentin; an infection within a tooth that must be treated
Dentistry branch of medicine that involves diagnosis, prevention, & treatment of any disease concerning teeth, oral cavity, & associated structures
Dentition the position, type, & number of teeth in upper & lower jaw
Denture an artificial object to replace missing teeth & their neighboring structures; there are many different types to satisfy different treatment requirements & patient preferences (e.g. immediate/complete/partial, overdenture, temporary)
Denturist person who specializes in fabricating dentures & 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 process of identifying dental disease
Diastema space between two adjacent teeth
Distal side of the tooth away from the middle of the jaw
Edentulous no teeth
Endodontics specialty of dentistry involving diagnosis, prevention & treatment of dental pulp
Eruption process of the tooth appearing in the mouth
Excision action of cutting something off
Extruded when a tooth may be pushed partially out of the socket
Explanation of Benefits (EOB) a statement listing rendered dental services & how much was paid by dental insurance company