Glossary of dental terminology you need to know

Confused by the dental terms you hear at your dental appointment? There are many words dental professionals use that someone outside of the field may not understand. Not to mention, the dictionary of dental terms has grown significantly in recent years! We created a quick and easy glossary to help you out.

A

Abscess: Local inflammation (chronic or acute), usually filled with pus; a sign of infection and tissue decay Abutment: Implant fixture or tooth used to support the prosthesis Alveolar: Reference to jaw bone where teeth are attached Anesthesia, general: Medically induced unconsciousness during which patients are asleep and cannot be roused by/feel pain Anesthesia, local: Numbing sensation in one part of the mouth by using gels or injection

B

Bicuspid: Premolar tooth Bonding: Process of joining fillings, dentures, and other oral appliances to teeth Bridge: Tooth replacement prosthetic; may or may not be removable by a patient Bruxism: Condition of grinding teeth or clenching teeth; can occur while awake or asleep

C

Calculus: Mineralized substance deposited on roots of teeth, crowns, and prosthetic devices like implants Cavity: Space/hole in a tooth caused by decay or abrasion of the tooth Crown: Prosthetic made of metal, ceramic, or polymers to restore the missing structure of teeth

D

Decay: Decomposition/erosion of the surface of a tooth Dentin: Hard tissue forming a majority of the tooth structure Denture: Partial or complete replacement for natural teeth

E

Enamel: Thin, hard covering surrounding the dentin composed mostly of calcium; hardest tissue in the human body Evulsion: Tooth becoming dislodged/falling out of its socket due to decay or trauma (also called avulsion) Extraction: Removal of whole or part of tooth/teeth

F

Filling: Plastic, porcelain, metal, or alloy used to ‘fill’ gaps in teeth or lost tooth structure

G

Gingivitis: Inflammation of gum or gingival tissue due to the accumulation of plaque on the surface of the teeth

I

Imaging: Capturing images of teeth and jawbone to diagnose and plan procedures; includes MRIs, CAT scans, photographs, radiographs, X-rays, and more Impacted tooth: A tooth that will erupt or has erupted partially into the side of another tooth, bone, or tissue Implant: Artificial root implanted into the jaw bone; supports artificial teeth/prosthetics Incisor: Teeth located at the front of the mouth on upper and lower jaws; used for cutting

M

Malocclusion: Misalignment between biting/chewing surfaces of teeth on upper and lower jaws Mandible: Low jaw Maxilla: Upper jaw Molar: Teeth behind premolars; used for grinding and chewing

P

Palate: Roof of the mouth comprised of hard and soft tissues Periodontitis: Inflammation of gingival tissue or tissue supporting tooth causing pockets and alveolar bone loss (also called periodontal disease) Plaque: Soft and sticky yellow substance comprised of bacteria and bacterial secretions; causes teeth yellowing, gingivitis, and periodontitis Prophylaxis: Removal of calculus, plaque, and stains from teeth

R

Root canal: Pulp cavity inside the root of the tooth; also refers to procedure removing nerve and pulp of tooth and cleaning of the cavity

S

Scaling: Procedure to remove plaque, deposits, and stains on teeth Splint: Used to support and hold oral structures in place Succedaneous tooth: Permanent tooth that replaces primary ‘baby’ teeth (deciduous) Supernumerary teeth: Extra or unerupted teeth that resemble the shape of normal teeth

U

Unerupted tooth: A tooth that has not penetrated/started to penetrate in the mouth

V

Veneer: Thin covering applied to the surface of the tooth; restores discoloured, damaged, and uneven teeth Want another term explained? If you want any other dental terminology added to this list, write to us. At Dawson Dental we believe information is essential. Our dental professionals take care to explain procedures thoroughly to patients. Speak to an experienced dentist about your oral concerns.

Glossary of dental terminology you need to know

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