GLOSSARY
A
- Amalgam
- Material made from mercury and other alloy mixtures used to restore a drilled portion of a tooth.
- Anesthesia
- Medications used to relieve pain.
- Anterior teeth
- Front teeth. Also called incisors and cuspids.
- Arch
- The upper or lower jaw.
B
- Baby bottle tooth decay
- Caused by sugary substances in breast milk and some juices, which combine with saliva to form pools inside the baby's mouth.
- Bicuspids
- A premolar tooth; tooth with two cusps.
- Bitewings
- X-rays that help a dentist diagnose cavities.
- Bonding
- Application of tooth-colored resin materials to the surface of the teeth.
- Bridge
- A prosthetic replacement of one or more missing teeth cemented or otherwise attached to the abutment teeth or implant replacements.
- Bruxism
- Teeth grinding.
C
- Calculus
- A hard deposit of mineralized substance adhering to crowns and/or roots of teeth or prosthetic devices.
- Canal
- The narrow chamber inside the tooth's root.
- Canines
- Also called cuspids.
- Canker sore
- Occurs on the delicate tissues inside your mouth, usually light-colored at its base with a red border.
- Caries
- A commonly used term for tooth decay, or cavities.
- Cold sore
- Occurs on the outside of the mouth; contagious and caused by the herpes simplex virus.
- Composite filling
- Tooth colored restorations, also known as resin fillings.
- Composite resin
- A tooth colored resin combined with silica or porcelain and used as a restoration material.
- Contouring
- The process of reshaping teeth.
- Crown
- An artificial tooth replacement that restores missing tooth structure.
- Cusps
- The pointed parts on top of the back teeth's chewing surface.
- Cuspids
- Front teeth that typically have a protruding edge.
D
- Dentin
- The tooth layer underneath the enamel.
- Denture
- A removable set of teeth.
E
- Endodontics
- A form of dentistry that addresses problems affecting the tooth's root or nerve.
F
- Fluoride
- A mineral that helps prevent tooth decay.
- Fluorosis
- A harmless over-exposure to fluoride resulting in tooth discoloration.
G
- Gingiva
- Another word for gum tissue.
- Gingivitis
- A minor disease of the gums caused by plaque.
- Gum disease
- An infection of the gum tissues. Also called periodontal disease.
I
- Impacted teeth
- A condition in which a tooth fails to erupt or only partially erupts.
- Implant
- A permanent appliance used to replace a missing tooth.
- Incisor
- Front teeth with cutting edges.
- Inlay
- An artificial filling made of porcelain, resin, or gold.
L
- Laminate veneer
- A thin shell bonded to the enamel of a front tooth.
M
- Malocclusion
- Bad bite relationship.
- Mandible
- The lower jaw.
- Maxilla
- The upper jaw.
- Molar
- Usually the largest teeth, near the rear of the mouth.
N
- Neuromuscular Dentistry
- Addresses issues in the head and neck associated with teeth and jaw alignment.
O
- Onlay
- A filling designed to protect the chewing surface of a tooth.
- Orthodontics
- A field of dentistry that deals with tooth and jaw alignment.
- Overdenture
- A removable dental appliance applied to natural teeth or implants.
P
- Palate
- Roof of the mouth.
- Partial denture
- A removable appliance that replaces missing teeth.
- Pediatric Dentistry
- A field of dentistry that deals with children’s teeth.
- Perio pocket
- An opening formed by receding gums.
- Periodontal disease
- Infection of the gum tissues.
- Periodontist
- A dentist who treats diseases of the gums.
- Permanent teeth
- The adult teeth that erupt after primary teeth.
- Plaque
- A sticky, colorless substance that covers the teeth.
- Posterior teeth
- The bicuspids and molars.
- Primary teeth
- A person's first set of teeth.
- Prophylaxis
- The act of cleaning the teeth.
- Prosthodontics
- The field of dentistry that deals with artificial dental appliances.
- Pulp
- The inner tissues of the tooth containing blood, nerves and connective tissue.
R
- Receding gum
- A condition in which the gums separate from the tooth.
- Resin filling
- An artificial filling used to restore teeth.
- Root canal
- A procedure in which a tooth's nerve is removed.
- Root planing
- Scraping or cleansing of teeth to remove tartar below the gum line.
S
- Sealant
- A synthetic material placed on the tooth's surface that protects the enamel.
T
- TMJ
- Temporomandibular joint disorder.
- Tarter
- A hardened substance that sticks to the tooth’s surface.
V
- Veneer
- A laminate applied or bonded to the tooth.
W
- Whitening
- A process that employs special bleaching agents.
- Wisdom tooth
- Third set of molars that erupt last in adolescence.
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