Prairie Lakes Dental
GLOSSARY
Dental Glossary
A
- Abscess– infection caused by severe tooth decay, trauma or gum disease.
- Amalgam– a silver and mercury material used for fillings.
- Anesthetic– a drug used by your doctor to eliminate a patient’s localized pain during certain dental procedures.
- Anterior– the teeth in the front of your mouth.
- Antiseptic– an agent that can be applied to living tissues to destroy germs.
- Apex– the very tip of the root of a tooth.
- Aspirator– a suction device your dentist uses to remove saliva from your mouth.
B
- Bleaching Agent– a gel used to whiten and brighten teeth.
- Bonding– a plastic composite painted on the teeth to correct stains or damage.
- Bridge– one or more artificial teeth attached to your adjacent teeth.
- Bruxism– the clenching or grinding of teeth, most commonly while sleeping.
C
- Calculus– the hardened plaque that can form on teeth, commonly known as tartar.
- Canine– the pointy teeth just behind the laterals.
- Caries– another name for cavities or decayed teeth.
- Cavity– a tiny hole in the tooth caused by decay.
- Central– the two upper and two lower teeth in the center of the mouth.
- Crown– an artificial tooth or cover made of porcelain or metal.
- Cuspid– the pointy teeth just behind the laterals, also known as canines.
D
- Decalcification– the loss of calcium from the teeth.
- Deciduous Teeth– also called “baby teeth.”
- Dental Implants– an implant permanently attached to the jawbone that replaces a missing tooth or teeth. Denture– a removable set of artificial teeth.
E
- Enamel– the hard surface of the tooth above the gum line.
- Extraction– the removal of a tooth or teeth.
F
- Filling– a plug made of metal or composite material used to fill a tooth cavity.
- Fluoride– a chemical solution used to harden teeth and prevent decay.
G
- Gingivitis– inflammation of gums around the roots of the teeth.
- Gums– the firm flesh that surrounds the roots of the teeth.
I
- Impacted Tooth– often occurring with wisdom teeth, it is a tooth that sits sideways below the gum line, often requiring extraction.
- Incisal– related to incisors (see below).
- Incisor– one of the flat, sharpedged teeth in the front of the mouth.
- Inlays– a custommade filling cemented into an unhealthy tooth.
- Instant Orthodontics– alternative to braces using bonded porcelain veneers or crowns.
L
- Lateral– these are the teeth adjacent to the centrals.
N
- Night Guard– a plastic mouthpiece worn at night to prevent grinding of the teeth. Often used to treat TMJ.
P
- Pedodontist– also known as a pediatric dentist, a dentist that specializes in the treatment of children’s teeth.
- Periodontist– a dentist specializing in the treatment of gum disease.
- Plaque– a sticky buildup of acids and bacteria that causes tooth decay.
- Posterior Teeth– the teeth in the back of the mouth.
- Primary Teeth– also known as “baby teeth” or deciduous teeth.
R
- Root– the portion of the tooth below your gum line.
- Root Canal– cleaning out and filling the inside nerve of a tooth that is heavily decayed.
S
- Sealant– plastic coating applied to teeth to prevent decay. Used most commonly for children.
- Secondary Teeth– the permanent teeth.
- SixYear Molar– commonly known as “the first molar.”
- Sleep Apnea– a potentially serious disorder in which a sleeping person may stop breathing for 10 seconds or more, often continuously throughout the night.
T
- Tartar– see calculus.
- TMJ Syndrome– a disorder associated with the joint of the jaw. Often caused by a misalignment of or a disparity in upper and lower jaw sizes.
- Tooth Whitening– a process designed to whiten and brighten teeth.
- TwelveYear Molar– commonly known as “the second molar.”
V
- Veneer– a plastic, porcelain or composite material used to improve the attractiveness of a stained or damaged tooth.
Orthodontic Glossary
A
- Archwire– a wire engaged in orthodontic attachments, affixed to the crowns of two or more teeth and capable of causing or guiding tooth movement.
B
- Band (orthodontic)– a thin metal ring, usually stainless steel, which serves to secure orthodontic attachments to a tooth. The band, with orthodontic attachments welded or soldered to it, is closely adapted to fit the contours of the tooth and then cemented into place.
- Bracket– an orthodontic attachment that is secured to a tooth (either by bonding or banding) for the purpose of engaging an archwire. Brackets can be fabricated from metal, ceramic or plastic.
C
- Ceramic Brackets– crystalline, alumina, toothshade or clear synthetic sapphire brackets that are aesthetically more attractive than conventional metal attachments.
- Crowding– dental malalignment caused by inadequate space for the teeth.
D
- Debanding– the removal of cemented orthodontic bands.
E
- Elastics (rubber bands)– used to move teeth in prescribed direction (commonly connected to molar band and upper ball hook). Found in numerous colors for better appearance.
G
- Gingiva– the tissue that surrounds the teeth, consisting of a fibrous tissue that is continuous with the periodontal ligament and mucosal covering.
H
- Headgear– generic term for extraoral traction (attached around the back side of the head) for growth modification, tooth movement and anchorage.
- Herbst Appliance– fixed or removable appliance designed commonly for overbite problems and more.
I
- Imaging– the process of acquiring representations of structures in either two or three dimensions.
L
- Lingual– of or pertaining to the tongue. A term used to describe surfaces and directions toward the tongue.
- Lingual Appliances– orthodontic appliances fixed to the lingual surface of the teeth.
M
- Maxillary– of or pertaining to the upper jaw. May be used to describe teeth, dental restorations, orthodontic appliances or facial structures.
O
- Orthognathic Surgery– surgery to alter relationships of teeth and/or supporting bones, usually accomplished in conjunction with orthodontic therapy.
- Overbite– vertical overlapping of upper teeth over lower teeth, usually measured perpendicular to the occlusal plane.
R
- Radiograph– a permanent image, typically on film, produced by ionizing radiation. Sometimes called an X-Ray after the most common source of image producing radiation.
- Retainer– any orthodontic appliance, fixed or removable, used to maintain the position of the teeth following corrective treatment.
- Retention– the passive treatment period following active orthodontic correction during which retaining appliances may be used.
S
- Straight Wire Appliance– a variation of the edgewise appliance in which brackets are angulated to minimize multiple archwire bends. Brackets and molar tubes have specific orientation in three planes of space.
