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A
Abscess – a collection of pus. 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
B
Bitewing – a kind of dental x-ray which is taken with the teeth bite 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
C
Canine – the third tooth from the middle of the jaw. There are four of them and 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 or herpes simplex virus.
Caries – tooth decay
Cavity – a hole on the tooth
Cementation – The process of “gluing” the appliance/prosthesis on the associated area.
Cold sore – an ulcer or blister on lip. A form of herpes simplex.
Composite – white filling
Cross-bite – an abnormal bite relationship of upper and lower jaw. The lower teeth/tooth aligns toward the cheek/lip
side more than the upper teeth/tooth.
Crown – 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.
D
Decay – The rotten part of the tooth.
Denture – an artificial object to replace missing teeth and their neighboring structures. There are many different
types of dentures to satisfy different treatment requirements and patient preferences.
Desensitization – a procedure to reduce the sensitivity of teeth.
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.
E
Endodontics – a department of 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.
F
Filling – a restoration placed on a tooth to restore its function and appearance.
Fluoride – a compound of fluorine (an element) which can be put in different forms such as water, gels and rinses to
strengthen teeth.
Fluoride Treatment – teeth treatment with fluoride agents like a gel of 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 crack to extend
further into the root and cause damage.
G
Gingivitis – the mildest form of gum disease: inflammation of gum. The earliest sign is bleeding of the gums.
H
I
Impaction – a condition where 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 of your teeth by some “jelly-like” material loaded on a tray.
Incisal – the cutting edge of front teeth.
Incisor – the four upper and lower front teeth.
Interproximal – the space between two adjacent teeth
J
K
L
Lingual – the side of the tooth towards the tongue.
M
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.
N
O
Occlusal – the biting surface of the back teeth.
Occlusion – the way how the upper and lower teeth close together.
Onlay – a restoration that covers the entire biting surface of a tooth.
Orthodontics – a special field in dentistry which involves diagnosis, prevention and treatment of bite abnormalities or
facial irregularities.
P
Panoramic Radiograph – an x-ray film used to obtain the wide view of the upper and lower jaw and their associated
structures.
Periapical – the surrounding of the bottom of the root of a tooth.
Periodontics – a specialty of dentistry involving diagnosis, prevention and treatment of gums (periodontal disease).
Pontic – the false tooth in a bridge or denture to replace the missing tooth.
Post – A big pin which can be made with different materials such as metal or carbon. Its function usually is to support
big buildup on a tooth.
Posterior – located at the back.
Per-authorization – an approval from the particular authority (usually insurance company in dentistry) before any action
(treatment) is carried out.
Pre-medication – medication needing to be taken before treatment.
Premolar – the two teeth located in front of the molar.
Primary teeth – baby teeth
Prophylaxis/prophy – the procedure of teeth polishing. It also means the prevention of diseases.
Prosthesis – an artificial part to replace missing teeth and their associated structures.
Pulp – the innermost part of a tooth. It contains nerves and blood vessels inside a tooth.
Q
R
Radiograph – an x-ray picture
Restoration – an item a dentist uses to restore the normal function of a tooth or an area in the mouth. It can be a filling,
a crown, a bridge, etc.
Root – the bottom part of a tooth. It anchors the tooth to its supporting units.
Root canal – the canal that runs inside the root of the tooth. It contains the nerves and blood vessels inside the tooth.
Root planing – the action of cleaning the root area of teeth.
Rubber dam – a rubber sheet that fits around teeth. It isolates the treatment area from the rest of the oral cavity.
S
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 cavities.
Splint – an application or a material to prevent movement of a mobile part.
T
Tempromandibular Joint (TMJ) – the joint that links the two parts of the jaw.
Torus – an outgrowth of bone. It usually develops on the roof of the mouth or around the premolar area on the lower jaw.
U
V
Veneer – a layer of tooth-colored material (usually porcelain) that attaches to the front of the tooth. It is usually used to
improve the appearance of the tooth.
W
Wisdom tooth – the eighth (also the last) tooth from the middle of the jaw.
X
Y
Z
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