Dental terms

Abutment

The teeth on either side of a missing tooth.

Amalgam

A silver/mercury mixture which is used for fillings.

Anatomy

1)The arrangement of the bones in your skeleton 2) The study of the arrangement of the bones in your skeleton.

Antiseptic

A chemical agent which can be applied to living tissues to destroy germs.

Anesthetic

A drug which a doctor or dentist uses to put you, your mouth, or some other part of your body asleep so you do not feel any pain during dental or medical procedures.

Anterior

An adjective used to describe things pertaining to your your Centrals, laterals and cuspids (your front teeth).

Arch

Collectively, either the teeth or the arch-shaped bone of either jaw.

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. See a picture of one here.

Aspirator

A tube like a straw which the dentist puts in your mouth to suck up all the saliva.

Aspiration

Removal of fluids from your mouth with an aspirator.

Bruxism

Clenching or grinding of your teeth especially at night.

Calculus

A hard deposit that forms when you do not brush your teeth so the plaque hardens. Calculus is also known as tartar.

Caries

Another name for a cavities (tooth decay)

Cavity

A small hole in one of your teeth caused by tooth decay.

Cross contamination

Passing bacteria or viruses indirectly from one patient to another through the use of improper sterilization procedures, unclean instruments, or "recycling" of orthodontic products.

Crown

1) An artifacial tooth, 2) an artificial replacement for the covering on a tooth.

Decalcification

The loss of calcium from your teeth. This weakens your teeth and makes them more succeptable to decay

Denture

A synthetic replacment for all of your teeth in either your upper or your lower jaw.

Distal

Behind towards the back of the mouth. For example you might say that the first bicuspid is distal to the cuspid.

Edentulous

Someone is said to be edentulous when all of their teeth are missing from either their upper or lower jaw.

Endodontist

A dentist who specializes in root canals and the treatment of diseases or injuries that affect the root tips or nerves in your teeth.

Erupt, Eruption

When a new tooth comes in, the tooth is said to erupt when the tooth breaks through the surface of your gums, so you can see the tooth in your mouth.

Exfoliate

to fall out. (Your Deciduous teeth exfoliate and permanent teeth erupt into the space.)

Extraoral

Outside of your mouth. For example, neck pads are said to be extra oral products since they go outside of your mouth.

Fluoride

A chemical solution or gel which you put on your teeth. The flouride hardens your teeth and prevents tooth decay.

Gingivitis

The inflammation of your gums caused by improper brushing. The first sign of periodontal (gum) disease.

Impacted tooth

An unerupted tooth that somehow has gotten stuck and cannot come in.

Implant

A replacement for one of your missing teeth. The implant is different than a bridge in that the implant is permenantly attached into your jaw.

Incisal

The biting edge of your centrals and laterals.

Interproximal

the space between adjacent teeth

Intraoral

Inside your mouth. For example, orthodontic rubber bands are called intraoral products since the rubber bands are designed to go in your mouth.

Irrigation

the technique of using a solution to wash out your mouth and to flush debris.

Labial

The tooth surface next to your lips or things mounted on the tooth surfaces next to your lips.

Lingual

The tooth surface next to your tongue or things mounted on the tooth surfaces next to your tongue.

Mandible

Your lower jaw

Mandibular

Pertaining to your lower jaw

Masticate

To chew your food and mix the food with saliva

Maxilla

Your upper jaw

Maxillary

Pertaining to your upper jaw

Mesial

Forward or front. For example your cuspid is mesial to you bicuspid. The mesial surface of your bicuspid is the part of the bicuspid closest to your cuspid.

Midline

A plane through the very center of your mouth perpendicular to your nose.

Mixed dentition

The situation when both deciduous and permanent teeth are present.

Occlusal

the chewing or grinding surface of the bicuspid and molar teeth.

Occlusal plane

the imaginary surface on which upper and lower teeth meet.

Oral

pertaining to the mouth.

Pedodontist

A dentist who specializes in the treatment of children's teeth.

Periapical

x-ray of individual teeth or groups of teeth.

Plaque

is a colorless, odorless, sticky substance containing acids and bacteria that causes tooth decay.

Periodontal

Pertaining to your gums. For example periodontal desiese is gum disease.

Periodontist

A dentist who specializes in the treatment of gum disease.

Posterior

An adjective used to describe things pertaining to the back of your mouth or your back teeth.

Prophylaxis

Cleaning your teeth

Prosthodontist

A dentist who specializes in the replacement of missing teeth.

Proximal

Refers to the surfaces of teeth that touch the next tooth; the space between adjacent teeth is the interproximal space.

Radiograph

Another name for an x-ray

Root canal

A procedure where the nerve of a heavily decayed tooth is removed from the tooth replaced with a filling material

Sagittal plane

The longitudinal vertical plane that divides the mouth into two halves (left and right.)

Space maintainer

A gadget used to maintain a space in your mouth. You would use a space maintainer when you lose one of your baby teeth. The space maintainer will keep a space in your mouth until a permenant tooth comes in to fill the space.

Supernumerary teeth

Some people have extra teeth. These are called "supernumerary teeth".

Tartar

Another name for calculus

TMJ

An abreviation for the "temporomandibular joint" The "temporomandibular joint" is the joint where your lower jaw connects to your skull.

Treatment card

a sheet of paper or special index card used to record your treatment progress.