| DENTAL
GLOSSARY
This is a
glossary of dental terms to explain some
of those confusing words you may hear at
the dental office. Remember that your
dentist can offer the best explanations of
dental terms for you, and can also help
you understand more complex dental
procedures.
A
| B | C
| D | E
| F | G
| H | I
| J | K
| L | M
| N | O
| P | Q
| R | S
| T | U
| V | W
| X | Y
| Z
A
ABSCESS
acute or
chronic, localized inflammation, with a
collection of pus, associated with tissue
destruction and, frequently, swelling.
Periapical
abscess - acute or chronic
inflammation and pus formation at the end
of a tooth root in the alveolar bone,
secondary to infection.
Periradicular
abscess - acute or chronic
inflammation around a tooth root in the
alveolar bone, secondary to infection.
Periodontal
abscess - abscess of the gingiva or
periodontal tissue secondary to
periodontal infection, as contrasted to
periapical abscess or periradicular
abscess.
ABUTMENT
a tooth or
implant used to support a prosthesis.
ABUTMENT
CROWN
see crown.
ACID
ETCHING
use of an
acidic chemical substance to prepare the
tooth enamel surface to provide retention
for bonding.
ADHESIVE
any
substance that joins or creates close
adherence of two or more surfaces.
ALLOGENIC
see graft.
ALLOPLASTIC
refers to
synthetic material often used for tissue
augmentation.
ALVEOLAR
referring
to the bone to which a tooth is attached.
ALVEOLOPLASTY
surgical
procedure for recontouring alveolar
structures, usually in preparation for a
prosthesis.
AMALGAM
an alloy
used in direct dental restorations.
ANALGESIA
loss of
pain sensations without loss of
consciousness.
ANATOMICAL
CROWN
see crown.
ANESTHESIA
partial or
total absence of sensation to stimuli.
General
anesthesia - a controlled state of
unconsciousness, accompanied by a partial
or complete loss of protective reflexes,
including loss of ability to independently
maintain airway and respond purposefully
to physical stimulation or verbal command,
produced by a pharmacologic or non-pharmacologic
method or combination thereof.
Intravenous
conscious sedation - a depressed level
of consciousness that retains the
patient's ability to independently and
continuously maintain an airway and to
respond appropriately to physical
stimulation or verbal command, produced by
a pharmacologic or non-pharmacologic
method or combination thereof.
Local
anesthesia - elimination of
sensations, especially pain, in one part
of the body by the topical application or
regional injection of an anesthetic drug.
Regional
block anesthesia - loss of sensation
caused by injecting a local anesthetic
agent close to a nerve trunk.
ANTERIOR
refers to
the teeth and tissues located towards the
front of the mouth - maxillary and
mandibular incisors and canines.
APEX
the tip or
end of the root end of the tooth.
APICOECTOMY
amputation
of the apex of a tooth.
ARCH,
DENTAL
the curved
composite structure of the natural
dentition and the residual ridge, or the
remains thereof after the loss of some or
all of the natural teeth.
ARTIFICIAL
see crown.
AUTOGENOUS
see graft.
AVULSION
separation
of tooth from its socket due to trauma (evulsion).
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B
BENIGN
the mild
character of an illness or the
non-malignant character of a neoplasm.
BICUSPID
a premolar
tooth; a tooth with two cusps.
BILATERAL
occurring
on, or pertaining to, both sides.
BIOPSY
process of
removing tissue for histologic evaluation.
BITEWING
RADIOGRAPH
interproximal
view radiograph of the coronal portion of
the tooth.
BONDING
process by
which two or more components are made
integral by mechanical and/or chemical
adhesion at their interface.
BRIDGE
a fixed
partial denture which is a prosthetic
replacement of one or more missing teeth
cemented or attached to the abutment teeth
or implant abutments adjacent to the
space; removable partial denture
(removable bridge) is a prosthetic
replacement of one or more missing teeth
on a framework that can be removed by the
patient.
BRUXISM
the
parafunctional grinding of the teeth.
BUCCAL
pertaining
to or around the cheek.
BY REPORT
a narrative
description used to report a service that
does not have a procedure code or is
specified in a code as 'by report'; may be
requested by a third-party payer to
provide additional information for claims
processing.
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C
CALCULUS
hard
deposit of mineralized plaque which is
attached to crowns and/or roots of teeth.
CANAL
a
relatively narrow tubular passage or
channel; space inside the root portion of
a tooth containing pulp tissue; the
passage which transmits vessels and nerves
through the jaw to branches that
distributes them to the teeth.
CANTILEVER
EXTENSION
part of a
fixed prosthesis that is supported at one
end only.
CARIES
commonly
used term for tooth decay.
CAST
see
diagnostic cast or study model.
CAVITY
decay in
tooth caused by caries; also referred to
as carious lesion.
CEMENT BASE
material
used under a filling to replace lost tooth
structure.
CEMENTUM
hard
connective tissue covering the tooth root.
CEPHALOMETRIC
RADIOGRAPH
a
radiographic head film utilized in the
scientific study of the measurements of
the head with relation to specific
reference points.
CLEFT
PALATE
congenital
deformity resulting in lack of fusion of
the soft and/or hard palate, either
partial or complete.
CLENCHING
the
clamping and pressing of the jaws and
teeth together in centric occlusion,
frequently associated with psychological
stress or physical effort.
CLINICAL
CROWN
see crown.
CLOSED
REDUCTION
the
repositioning of a fractured bone without
open surgery.
COMPOSITE
a dental
restorative material made up of disparate
or separate parts (e.g. resin and quartz
particles).
COMPOUND
FRACTURE
break in
bone which is exposed to external
contamination.
COMPREHENSIVE
ORAL EVALUATION
see
evaluation.
COPING
a thin
covering of the coronal portion of the
tooth usually without anatomic conformity.
It can be used as a definitive restoration
or as part of a transfer procedure.
CORONAL
refers to
the crown of a tooth.
CROWN
Anatomical
crown - that portion of tooth normally
covered by, and including, enamel.
Abutment
crown - artificial crown serving for
the retention or support of a dental
prosthesis.
Artificial
crown - restoration covering or
replacing the major part, or the whole of
the clinical crown of a tooth.
Clinical
crown - that
portion of a tooth not covered by
supporting tissues.
CROWN
LENGTHENING
a surgical
procedure exposing more tooth for
restorative purposes by apically
positioning the gingival margin and/or
removing supporting bone.
CURETTAGE
scraping or
cleaning the walls of a cavity or gingival
pocket.
CUSP
pointed or
rounded eminence on or near the
masticating surface of a tooth.
CYST
pathological
cavity, usually lined with epithelium,
containing fluid or soft matter.
Odontogenic
cyst - cyst
derived from the epithelium of odontogenic
tissue (developmental, primordial).
Periapical
cyst - cyst
at the apex of a tooth with a non-vital
pulp.
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D
DEBRIDEMENT
removal of
subgingival and/or supragingival plaque
and calculus which obstructs the ability
to perform an evaluation; removal of
contused and devitalized tissue; from a
wound surface.
DECAY
the lay
term for carious lesions in a tooth;
decomposition of tooth structure.
DECIDUOUS
to fall off
or shed; a name used for the primary
teeth.
DENTAL
PROPHYLAXIS
scaling and
polishing procedure performed to remove
coronal plaque, calculus, and stains.
DENTIN
that part
of the tooth that is beneath enamel and
cementum.
DENTITION
the teeth
in the dental arch.
Permanent
dentition -
refers to the permanent teeth in the
dental arch.
Deciduous
dentition -
refers to the deciduous or primary teeth
in the dental arch.
DENTURE
an
artificial substitute for natural teeth
and adjacent tissues.
DENTURE
BASE
that part
of a denture that makes contact with soft
tissue and retains the artificial teeth.
DETAILED
AND EXTENSIVE
see
evaluation.
DIAGNOSTIC
CAST
plaster or
stone model of teeth and adjoining
tissues; also referred to as study model.
DIASTEMA
a space,
such as one between two adjacent teeth in
the same dental arch.
DIRECT PULP
CAP
procedure
in which the exposed pulp is covered with
a dressing or cement with the aim of
maintaining pulp vitality.
DISCECTOMY
excision of
the intra-articular disc of a joint.
DISPLACED
TOOTH
a partial
evulsion of a tooth-may be mesial, distal,
facial, lingual or incisal.
DISTAL
toward the
back of the dental arch (or away from the
midline).
DRY SOCKET
localized
inflammation of the tooth socket following
extraction due to infection or loss of
blood clot; osteitis.
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E
EDENTULOUS
without
teeth.
ENAMEL
hard
calcified tissue covering dentin of the
crown of tooth.
ENDODONTIST
a dental
specialist who limits his/her practice to
treating disease and injuries of the pulp
and associated perpendicular conditions.
EQUILIBRATION
reshaping
of the occlusal surfaces of teeth to
create harmonious contact relationships
between the upper and lower teeth; also
known as occlusal adjustment.
EVALUATION
Periodic
oral evaluation
- an evaluation performed on a patient of
record to determine any changes in the
patient's dental and medical health status
since a previous comprehensive or periodic
evaluation. This may require
interpretation of information acquired
through additional diagnostic procedures.
Report additional diagnostic procedures
separately.
Limited
oral evaluation
- problem focused - an evaluation or
re-evaluation limited to a specific oral
health problem. This may require
interpretation of information acquired
through additional diagnostic procedures.
Report additional diagnostic procedures
separately. Definitive procedures may be
required on the same date as the
evaluation. Typically, patients receiving
this type of evaluation have been referred
for a specific problem and/or present with
dental emergencies, trauma, acute
infections, etc.
Comprehensive
oral evaluation
- Typically used by a general dentist
and/or a specialist when evaluating a
patient comprehensively. It is a thorough
evaluation and recording of the extraoral
and intraoral hard and soft tissues. It
may require interpretation of information
acquired through additional diagnostic
procedures. Additional diagnostic
procedures should be reported separately.
This would include the evaluation and
recording of the patient's dental and
medical history and a general health
assessment. It may typically include the
evaluation and recording of dental caries,
missing or unerupted teeth, restorations,
occlusal relationships, periodontal
conditions (including periodontal
charting), hard and soft tissue anomalies,
etc.
Detailed
and extensive oral evaluation
- problem - focused, by report - a
detailed and extensive problem-focused
evaluation entails extensive diagnostic
and cognitive modalities based on the
findings of a comprehensive oral
evaluation. Integration of more extensive
diagnostic modalities to develop a
treatment plan for a specific problem is
required. The condition requiring this
type of evaluation should be described and
documented. Examples of conditions
requiring this type of evaluation may
include dentofacial anomalies, complicated
perio-prosthetic conditions, complex
temporomandibular dysfunction, facial pain
of unknown origin, severe systemic
diseases requiring multi-disciplinary
consultation, etc.
EVULSION
complete
separation of the tooth from its socket
due to trauma (avulsion).
EXCISION
surgical
removal of bone or tissue.
EXOSTOSIS
overgrowth
of bone (see torus).
EXTRACORONAL
outside the
crown of a tooth.
EXTRAORAL
outside the
oral cavity.
EXUDATE
a material
usually resulting from inflammation or
necrosis that contains fluid, cells,
and/or other debris.
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F
FACIAL
the surface
of a tooth directed toward the face
(including the buccal and labial surfaces)
and opposite the lingual surface.
FILLING
a lay term
used for the restoring of lost tooth
structure by using materials such as
metal, alloy, plastic, or cement.
FORAMEN
natural
opening into or through bone.
FRACTURE
the
breaking of a part, especially of a bony
structure; breaking of a tooth.
FRENUM
muscle
fibers covered by a mucous membrane that
attaches the cheek, lips and or tongue to
associated dental mucosa.
FURCATION
the
anatomic area of a multirooted tooth where
the roots diverge.
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G
GENERAL
ANESTHESIA
see
anesthesia.
GINGIVA
soft
tissues overlying the crowns of unerupted
teeth and encircling the necks of those
that have erupted, serving as the
supporting structure for sub-adjacent
tissues.
GINGIVECTOMY
the
excision or removal of gingiva.
GINGIVITIS
inflammation
of gingival tissue without loss of
connective tissue.
GINGIVOPLASTY
surgical
procedure to reshape gingiva to create a
normal, functional form.
GLASS
IONOMER
glass
polyalkenoate cement: material in which
the solid powdered phase is a
fluoride-containing aluminosilicate glass
powder. The material is translucent and
can be used as a restoration, a liner and
a luting agent.
GRAFT
a piece of
tissue or alloplastic material placed in
contact with tissue to repair a defect or
supplement a deficiency;
Allogenic
graft -
having cell types that are antigenetically
distinct from patient's cell type (usually
freeze dried and/or irradiated);
Autogenous
graft -
taken from one part of a patient's body
and transferred to another;
Homologous
graft - a
graft transplanted from a donor of the
same species.
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H
HEMISECTION
surgical
separation of a multirooted tooth so that
one root and/or the overlaying portion of
the crown can be surgically removed.
HETEROLOGOUS
made up of
tissue not normal to the part.
HISTOPATHOLOGY
the study
of composition and function of tissues
under pathological conditions.
HOMOLOGOUS
see graft.
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I
IMAGING,
DIAGNOSTIC
this would
include, but is not limited to, CAT scans,
MRIs, photographs, radiographs, etc.
IMMEDIATE
DENTURE
prosthesis
constructed for placement immediately
after removal of remaining natural teeth.
IMPACTED
TOOTH
an
unerupted or partially erupted tooth that
is positioned against another tooth, bone,
or soft tissue so that complete eruption
is unlikely.
IMPLANT
material
inserted or grafted into tissue; dental
implant - device specially designed to be
placed surgically within or on the
mandibular or maxillary bone as a means of
providing for dental replacement;
endosteal (endosseous); eposteal (subperiosteal);
transosteal (transosseous).
IMPLANTATION,
TOOTH
placement
of an artificial or natural tooth into an
alveolus.
INCISAL
ANGLE
one of the
angles formed by the junction of the
incisal and the mesial or distal surfaces
of an anterior tooth; called the mesial
and distal incisal angle respectfully.
INDIRECT
PULP CAP
procedure
in which the nearly exposed pulp is
covered with a protective dressing to
protect the pulp from additional injury
and to promote healing and repair via
formation of secondary dentin.
INLAY
an
intracoronal restoration; a dental
restoration made outside of the oral
cavity to correspond to the form of the
prepared cavity, which is then luted into
the tooth.
INTENTIONAL
REIMPLANTATION
the
intentional removal, radicular repair and
replacement of a tooth into its alvelous.
INTERPROXIMAL
between the
adjoining surfaces of adjacent teeth.
INTRACORONAL
referring
to 'within' the crown of a tooth.
INTRAORAL
inside the
mouth.
INTRAVENOUS
CONSCIOUS SEDATION
see
anesthesia.
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J
JAW
a common
name for either the maxilla or the
mandible.
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K
KERATIN
a protein
present in all cuticular structures of the
body, such as hair, epidermis, horns, and
the organic matrix of the enamel of the
teeth.
KERATINIZED
GINGIVA
the oral
surface of the gingiva extending from the
mucogingival junction to the gingival
margin. In gingival health, the coronal
portion of the sulcular epithelium may
also be keratinized.
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L
LABIAL
pertaining
to or around the lip.
LESION
an injury
or wound; area of diseased tissue.
LIMITED
ORAL EVALUATION
see
evaluation.
LINE ANGLE
an angle
formed by the junction of two planes; used
to designate the junction of two surfaces
of a tooth, or of two walls of a tooth
cavity preparation.
LINGUAL
pertaining
to or around the tongue.
LOCAL
ANESTHESIA
see
anesthesia.
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M
MAINTENANCE,
PERIODONTAL
therapy for
preserving the state of health of the
periodontium.
MALAR
pertaining
to the cheek bone; see zygomatic bone.
MALIGNANT
having the
properties of dysplasia, invasion, and
metastasis.
MALOCCLUSION
improper
alignment of biting or chewing surfaces of
upper and lower teeth.
MANDIBLE
lower jaw.
MARYLAND
BRIDGE
trade name
that has become synonymous with any resin
bonded fixed partial denture (bridge).
MAXILLA
the upper
jaw.
MESIAL
toward the
midline of the dental arch.
METALS,
CLASSIFICATION OF
the noble
metal classification system has been
adopted as a more precise method of
reporting various alloys used in
dentistry. The alloys are defined on the
basis of the percentage of noble metal
content: high noble - Gold (Au), Palladium
(Pd), and/or Platinum (Pt) > 60% (with
at least 40% Au); noble - Gold (Au),
Palladium (Pd), and/or Platinum (Pt) >
25%; and predominantly base - Gold (Au),
Palladium (Pd), and/or Platinum (Pt) <
25%.
MOLAR
teeth
posterior to the premolars (bicuspids) on
either side of the jaw; grinding teeth,
having large crowns and broad chewing
surfaces.
MOULAGE
a cast mold
reproduction of the face which may be wax
or plaster.
MUCOUS
MEMBRANE
lining of
the oral cavity as well as other canals
and cavities of the body; also called 'mucosa.'
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N
NON-AUTOGENOUS
a graft
from donor other than patient.
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O
OBTURATOR
a disc or
plate which closes an opening; a
prosthesis that closes an opening in the
palate.
OCCLUSAL
RADIOGRAPH
an
intraoral radiograph made with the film
being held between the occluded teeth.
OCCLUSION
any contact
between biting or chewing surfaces of
maxillary (upper) and mandibular (lower)
teeth.
ODONTOGENIC
CYST
see cyst.
ONLAY
a
restoration made outside the oral cavity
that replaces a cusp or cusps of the
tooth, which is then luted to the tooth;
metallic onlays have intracoronal designs
while resin onlays may not have
intracoronal designs.
OPEN
REDUCTION
providing
access to a fracture for purposes of
anatomic approximation by cutting tissue
or surrounding bone.
OPERCULECTOMY
removal of
the operculum.
OPERCULUM
the flap of
tissue over an unerupted or partially
erupted tooth.
ORAL
pertaining
to the mouth.
ORAL AND
MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEON
a dental
specialist whose practice is limited to
the diagnosis, surgical and adjunctive
treatment of diseases, injuries,
deformities, defects and esthetic aspects
of the oral and maxillofacial regions.
ORAL
PATHOLOGY
the
specialty of dentistry and pathology
concerned with recognition, diagnosis,
investigation and management of diseases
of the oral cavity, jaws, and adjacent
structures.
ORTHODONTIST
a dental
specialist whose practice is limited to
the interception and treatment of
malocclusion of the teeth and their
surrounding structures.
ORTHOGNATHIC
functional
relationship of maxilla and mandible.
OSTEOPLASTY
surgical
procedure that modifies the configuration
of bone.
OSTEOTOMY
surgical
cutting of bone.
OVERDENTURE
prosthetic
device that is supported by retained teeth
roots or implants.
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P
PALATE
the hard
and soft tissues forming the roof of the
mouth that separates the oral and nasal
cavities.
PALLIATIVE
action that
relieves pain but is not curative.
PANORAMIC
RADIOGRAPH
an
extraoral radiograph on which the maxilla
and mandible are depicted on a single
film.
PARTIAL
DENTURE
usually
refers to the prosthetic device that
replaces the missing teeth on a framework
that can be removed by the patient (see
fixed partial denture or removable partial
denture).
PATIENT
an
individual who has established a
professional relationship with a dentist
for the delivery of dental health care.
For matters relating to communication of
information and consent this term includes
the patient's parent, caretaker, guardian,
or other individual as appropriate under
state law and the circumstances of the
case.
PEDIATRIC
DENTIST
a dental
specialist whose practice is limited to
treatment of children from birth through
adolescence; formerly known as a
pedodontist.
PEDODONTIST
see
pediatric dentist.
PERIAPICAL
the area
surrounding the end of the tooth root.
PERIAPICAL
ABSCESS
see
abscess.
PERIAPICAL
CYST
see cyst.
PERIAPICAL
RADIOGRAPH
a
radiograph made by the intraoral placement
of film for disclosing the apices of the
teeth.
PERICORONAL
around the
crown of a tooth.
PERIODIC
ORAL EVALUATION
see
evaluation.
PERIODONTAL
pertaining
to the supporting and surrounding tissues
of the teeth.
PERIODONTAL
ABSCESS
see
abscess.
PERIODONTAL
DISEASE
inflammatory
process of the gingival tissues and/or
periodontal membrane of the teeth,
resulting in an abnormally deep gingival
sulcus, possibly producing periodontal
pockets and loss of supporting alveolar
bone.
PERIODONTAL
POCKET
pathologically-deepened
gingival sulcus; a feature of periodontal
disease.
PERIODONTIST
a dental
specialist whose practice is limited to
the treatment of diseases of the
supporting and surrounding tissues of the
teeth.
PERIODONTITIS
inflammation
and loss of the connective tissue of the
supporting or surrounding structure of
teeth with loss of attachment.
PERIRADICULAR
surrounding
a portion of the root of the tooth.
PLAQUE
a soft
sticky substance that accumulates on teeth
composed largely of bacteria and bacterial
derivatives.
PONTIC
the term
used for the artificial tooth on a fixed
partial denture (bridge).
POST
an
elongated metallic projection fitted and
cemented within the prepared root canal,
serving to strengthen and retain
restorative material and/or a crown
restoration.
POSTERIOR
refers to
teeth and tissues towards the back of the
mouth (distal to the canines) - maxillary
and mandibular premolars and molars.
PRECISION
ATTACHMENT
interlocking
device, one component of which is fixed to
an abutment or abutments and the other is
integrated into a fixed or removable
prosthesis in order to stabilize and/or
retain it.
PREMEDICATION
the use of
medications prior to dental procedures.
PREMOLAR
see
bicuspid.
PRIMARY
DENTITION
the first
set of teeth; see deciduous.
PROPHYLAXIS
scaling and
polishing procedure performed to remove
coronal plaque, calculus and stains.
PROSTHESIS
artificial
replacement of any part of the body;
Dental
prosthesis -
any device or appliance replacing one or
more missing teeth and/or, if required,
associated structures. This is a broad
term which includes abutment crowns and
abutment inlays/ onlays, bridges,
dentures, obturators, gingival prostheses.
Definitive
prosthesis -
a prosthesis to be used over an extended
period of time.
Fixed
prosthesis -
non-removable tooth-borne dental
prosthesis which is solidly attached to
abutment teeth or roots or implants.
Interim
prosthesis -
a provisional prosthesis designed for use
over a limited period of time, after which
it is to be replaced by a more definitive
restoration.
Removable
prosthesis -
dental prosthesis designed to be removed
and reinserted by the patient.
PROSTHODONTIST
a dental
specialist whose practice is limited to
the restoration of the natural teeth
and/or the replacement of missing teeth
with artificial substitutes.
PROVISIONAL
formed or
preformed for temporary purposes or used
over a limited period; a temporary or
interim solution; usually refers to a
prosthesis or individual tooth
restoration.
PULP
the blood
vessels and nerve tissue that occupies the
pulp cavity of a tooth.
PULP CAVITY
the space
within a tooth which contains the pulp.
PULPECTOMY
complete
removal of pulp tissue from the root canal
space.
PULPITIS
inflammation
of the dental pulp.
PULPOTOMY
surgical
removal of a portion of the pulp with the
aim of maintaining the vitality of the
remaining portion by means of an adequate
dressing; pulp amputation.
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Q
QUADRANT
one of the
four equal sections into which the dental
arches can be divided; begins at the
midline of the arch and extends distally
to the last tooth.
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R
RADICULAR
pertaining
to the root.
RADIOGRAPH
x-ray.
REBASE
process of
refitting a denture by replacing the base
material.
REGIONAL
BLOCK ANESTHESIA
see
anesthesia.
REIMPLANTATION,
TOOTH
the return
of a tooth to its alveolus.
RELINE
process of
resurfacing the tissue side of a denture
with new base material.
RETAINER
Orthodontic
retainer -
appliance to stabilize teeth following
orthodontic treatment.
Prosthodontic
retainer - a
part of a fixed partial denture that
attaches a pontic to the abutment tooth.
RETROGRADE
FILLING
a method of
sealing the root canal by preparing and
filling it from the root apex.
ROOT
the
anatomic portion of the tooth that is
covered by cementum and is located in the
alveolus (socket) where it is attached by
the periodontal apparatus; radicular
portion of tooth.
ROOT CANAL
the portion
of the pulp cavity inside the root of a
tooth; the chamber within the root of the
tooth that contains the pulp.
ROOT CANAL
THERAPY
the
treatment of disease and injuries of the
pulp and associated periradicular
conditions.
ROOT
PLANING
a procedure
designed to remove microbial flora,
bacterial toxins, calculus, and diseased
cementum or dentin on the root surfaces
and in the pocket.
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S
SCALING
removal of
plaque, calculus, and stain from teeth.
SEXTANT
one of the
six relatively equal sections into which a
dental arch can be divided, for example:
tooth numbers 1-5; 6-11; 12-16; 17-21;
22-27; 28-32. Sometimes used for recording
periodontal charting.
SIALODOCHOPLASTY
surgical
procedure for the repair of a defect
and/or restoration of a portion of a
salivary gland duct.
SIALOGRAPHY
inspection
of the salivary ducts and glands by
radiograph after the injection of a
radiopaque medium.
SIALOLITHOTOMY
surgical
procedure by which a stone within a
salivary gland or its duct is removed,
either intraorally or extraorally.
SPLINT
a device
used to support, protect, or immobilize
oral structures that have been loosened,
replanted, fractured or traumatized. Also
refers to devices used in the treatment of
temporomandibular joint disorders.
STOMATITIS
inflammation
of the membranes of the mouth.
STRESS
BREAKER
that part
of a tooth-borne and/or tissue-borne
prosthesis designed to relieve the
abutment teeth and their supporting
tissues from harmful stresses.
STUDY MODEL
plaster or
stone model of teeth and adjoining
tissues; also referred to as diagnostic
cast.
SUTURE
stitch used
to repair incision or wound.
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T
TEMPORARY
REMOVABLE PARTIAL DENTURE
an interim
prosthesis designed for use over limited
period of time.
TEMPOROMANDIBULAR
JOINT (TMJ)
the
connecting hinge mechanism between the
mandible (lower jaw) and base of the skull
(temporal bone).
TEMPOROMANDIBULAR
JOINT DISFUNCTION
abnormal
functioning of temporomandibular joint;
also refers to symptoms arising in other
areas secondary to the disfunction.
TISSUE
CONDITIONING
material
intended to be placed in contact with
tissues, for a limited period, with the
aim of assisting their return to healthy
condition.
TORUS
a bony
elevation or protuberance of bone; see
exostosis.
TRANSITIONAL
a passage
or change from a position, state, phase or
concept to another.
TRANSPLANTATION,
TOOTH
transfer of
a tooth from one socket to another, either
in the same or a different person.
TRANSSEPTAL
through or
across a septum.
TRISMUS
restricted
ability to open the mouth, usually due to
inflammation or fibrosis of the muscles of
mastication.
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U
UNERUPTED
tooth/teeth
that have not penetrated into the oral
cavity.
UNILATERAL
one-sided;
pertaining to or affecting but one side.
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V
VENEER
in the
construction of crowns or pontics, a layer
of tooth-colored material, usually, but
not limited to, composite, porcelain,
ceramic or acrylic resin, attached to the
surface by direct fusion, cementation, or
mechanical retention; also refers to a
restoration that is luted to the tooth.
VESTIBULOPLASTY
any of a
series of surgical procedures designed to
increase relative alveolar ridge height.
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W
WAX PATTERN
a wax form
that is the positive likeness of an object
to be fabricated.
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X
X-RAY
radiograph.
XEROSTOMIA
decreased
salivary secretion that produces a dry and
sometimes burning sensation of the oral
mucosa and/or cervical caries.
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Y
YEAST
a general
term for a fungus occurring as a
unicellular, nucleated organism that
usually reproduces by budding, although
some yeasts may reproduce by fission, many
producing mycelia or pseudomycelia.
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Z
ZYGOMATIC
BONE
quadrangular
bone on either side of face that forms the
cheek prominence (see malar).
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