Your Guide to Common Dental Terminology
June 10th, 2010 by Bill E. Kidd
If you are planning a visit to your dentist, or even if you are just curious about what all that chicken scratch in your dental chart means, you might be interested in brushing up on some common dental terminology. Here are some of the terms you may hear in the dentist’s office, along with their everyday definitions.
Dental Terminology
Abscess: An infection of a tooth, bone, or tissue.
Amalgam – Silver-colored filling material. Amalgam may also be called a restoration or filling.
Antibiotic- mediation prescribed for the treatment of an infection
Bitewings – X-rays of the top and bottom molars and pre-molars. This process is used to diagnose any decay between teeth or underneath fillings.
Bonding – Bonding is intended to restore the appearance of a tooth by applying a dental adhesive that is colored to match the enamel of the natural tooth. an adhesive dental restoration technique. This process can be used to correct the shape or coloring of a tooth, such as when a tooth becomes chipped or damaged.
Bridge – Apparatus that attaches artificial teeth to health teeth in order to replace missing teeth for cosmetic reasons or to assist in chewing. This device is not removable like dentures
Bruxism- grinding of the teeth during sleep
Calculus- this hard plaque builds up over time and requires removal by scaling. It is often referred to as tartar.
Caries – Cavities, rotted tooth, or tooth decay.
Crown- A crown is a restorative technique that covers all or the majority of your natural tooth. These caps are used to fix damaged teeth.
DDS- Doctor of Dental Surgery, these initials may follow your dentist’s name, indicating his level of schooling and specialty.
DMD- Doctor of Medical Dentistry, these initials mean essentially the same thing as DDS in regards to education and qualifications.
Dentures- complete set of false teeth
Edentulous- “without teeth”
Extraction- removal of a tooth
Gingivitis- inflammation of the gums caused by infection or plaque buildup.
Impacted – a tooth not visible in the mouth, but is apparent on x-rays.
Impression- mold of the teeth made by biting into a soft substance that later hardens to create a replica of the patient’s mouth.
Pediatric Dentistry- special branch of dentistry providing services for children under the age of 16.
Plaque – Soft deposits of bacteria and debris on the teeth that can be removed by brushing or flossing.
Root Canal- removal of damaged or painful nerve inside a tooth.
Veneer- a cosmetic shell that covers the visible portion of a tooth to improve its appearance.
These common dentistry terms provide you with a basic framework of understanding for what goes on during your dental visit. There are many more complex terms to be found at: The American Dental Association website: http://www.ada.org/495.aspx.
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