NavigationDental Dictionary
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, 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 the upper and lower teeth close together.
Onlay
A restoration that covers the entire biting surface of a tooth.
Open Bite
The situation in which the upper teeth are 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.
Overbite
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 area surrounding of the tip of the root of a tooth.
Periodontics
A special field in dentistry involving diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of gum (periodontal) disease.
Permanent Teeth
Adult teeth. The first permanent tooth usually comes in at around 6 years of age.
Pin
A tiny metal “nail-like” device that is used for better retention of a filling.
Polish
A process to make a tooth or restoration or denture smooth and glossy.
Pontic
The false tooth in a bridge or denture that replaces a missing tooth.
Post
A big pin which can be made with different materials such as metal or carbon. It is used to support a buildup on a tooth that has been root canal treated.
Posterior
Located at the back.
Pre-authorization
An approval from an insurance company which is obtained before treatment is begun.
Pre-medication
Medication a patient needs to take 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, strength, and amount of a medication, along with instructions for use. In dentistry, a prescription can also be a written statement (from the dentist to a lab technician) for fabrication of a restoration or appliance.
Primary Teeth
Baby teeth.
Prophylaxis (Prophy)
The procedure of teeth cleaning. It also means the prevention of disease.
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, containing nerves and blood vessels.
Pulpectomy
The complete removal of the pulp from inside a tooth.
Pulpotomy
The removal of only the top part of the pulp inside a tooth.
Q
Radiograph
An x-ray.
Recall
The regular appointment for checkup and teeth cleaning.
Recementation
The process of “gluing” a prosthesis back on the associated area.
Restoration
An item a dentist uses to restore the normal function and appearance of a tooth. It can be a filling, a crown, a bridge, an inlay, an onlay, or a veneer..
Retainer
A device used for maintaining the position of teeth in the jaw in orthodontic treatment.
Retreatment
The process of repeating root canal treatment.
Root
The part of the tooth that anchors the tooth to its supporting structures.
Root Canal
The canal that runs inside the root of the tooth containing the nerves and blood vessels.
Root Canal Therapy
The treatment of a tooth whose nerve is infected or has died. The infected nerves and blood vessels are removed, and the inside of the tooth is disinfected, filled, and sealed.
Root Planing
The action of cleaning the roots 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 formation.
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.
Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)
The joint between the lower jaw and the skull.
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 (porcelain, composite, or ceramic) that is bonded to the front of the tooth. It is usually used to improve the appearance of the tooth.
Wisdom tooth
The eighth (and also the last) tooth from the middle of the jaw.
Xerostomia
Dry mouth
Y
Z
Abscess
A collection of pus that 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 or bruxism.
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 biting 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.
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 provides anchorage for the denture.
Cold sore
An ulcer or blister on the 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 cheek/lip side more than the upper teeth/tooth.
Crown (porcelain/plastic/metal)
A crown is like a “cap” on a tooth. It covers the tooth partially or totally above the gum to restore its function and outlook.
Decay
A softening of the tooth caused by the bacterial demineralization of enamel and dentin. An infection within a tooth which 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
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. It may be complete or partial. It may be immediate (delivered the same day that teeth are removed). It may be transitional, to be worn temporarily during healing, after which a different appliance is made.
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 special field in 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 or tape that goes in between teeth for cleaning.
Fluoride
A compound of fluorine (an element) available 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 fracture to extend deeply enough into the tooth that damage to the pulp occurs.
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.
Hemorrhage
Bleeding
Hemostasis
Stop bleeding.
Impaction
A condition in which 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 with 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 ceramic) fabricated in the lab that is cemented on a tooth like a missing puzzle piece. It helps to restore the normal function of the tooth.
Interproximal
The space between two adjacent teeth.