A
- Amalgam - Material made from mercury and other alloy mixtures used to restore a drilled portion of a tooth.
- Anesthesia - Medications used to relieve pain.
- Anterior teeth - Front teeth. Also called incisors and cuspids.
- Arch - The upper or lower jaw.
B
- Baby bottle tooth decay - Caused by sugary substances in breast milk and some juices, which combine with saliva to form pools inside the baby's mouth.
- Bicuspids -A premolar tooth; tooth with two cusps, which are pointed or rounded eminences on or near the masticating surface of a tooth.
- Bitewings - X-rays that help a dentist diagnose cavities.
- Bonding - Application of tooth-colored resin materials to the surface of the teeth.
- Bridge - A prosthetic replacement of one or more missing teeth cemented or otherwise attached to the abutment teeth or implant replacements.
- Bruxism - Teeth grinding.
C
- Calculus - A hard deposit of mineralized substance adhering to crowns and/or roots of teeth or prosthetic devices.
- Canal - The narrow chamber inside the tooth's root.
- Canines - Also called cuspids.
- Canker sore - One that occurs on the delicate tissues inside your mouth. A canker sore is usually light-colored at its base and can have a red exterior border.
- Caries - A commonly used term for tooth decay, or cavities.
- Cold sore - Usually occurs on the outside of the mouth, usually on or near the nose or lips. A cold sore is contagious because it is caused by the herpes simplex virus, and it is usually painful and filled with fluid.
- Composite filling - Tooth colored restorations, also known as resin fillings.
- Composite resin - A tooth colored resin combined with silica or porcelain and used as a restoration material.
- Contouring - The process of reshaping teeth.
- Crown - An artificial tooth replacement that restores missing tooth structure by surrounding the remaining coronal tooth structure. It is also placed on a dental implant.
- Cusps - The pointed parts on top of the back teeth's chewing surface.
- Cuspids - Front teeth that typically have a protruding edge.
D
- Dentin - The tooth layer underneath the enamel.
- Denture - A removable set of teeth.
E
- Endodontics - A form of dentistry that addresses problems affecting the tooth's root or nerve.
F
- Fluoride - A harmless over-exposure to fluoride resulting in tooth discoloration.
- Fluorosis - A harmless over-exposure to fluoride and resulting sometimes in tooth discoloration.
G
- Gingiva - Another word for gum tissue.
- Gingivitis - A minor disease of the gums caused by plaque.
- Gum disease - An infection of the gum tissues. Also called periodontal disease.
I
- Impacted teeth - A condition in which a tooth fails to erupt or only partially erupts.
- Implant - A permanent appliance used to replace a missing tooth.
- Incisor - Front teeth with cutting edges; located in the center or on the sides near the front.
- Inlay - An artificial filling made of various materials, including porcelain, resin, or gold.
L
- Laminate veneer - A shell that is bonded to the enamel of a front tooth. The shell is usually thin and made from porcelain resin.
M
- Malocclusion - Bad bite relationship.
- Mandible - The lower jaw.
- Maxilla - The upper jaw.
- Molar - Usually the largest teeth, near the rear of the mouth. Molars have large chewing surfaces.
N
- Neuromuscular Dentistry - Addresses more than the aches and pains felt in and around the neck and head that are associated with your teeth and jaw.
O
- Onlay - A filling designed to protect the chewing surface of a tooth.
- Orthodontics - A field of dentistry that deals with tooth and jaw alignment.
- Overdenture - A non-fixed dental appliance applied to a small number of natural teeth or implants.
P
- Palate - Roof of the mouth.
- Partial denture - A removable appliance that replaces missing teeth.
- Pediatric Dentistry - A field of dentistry that deals with children’s teeth
- Perio pocket - An opening formed by receding gums.
- Periodontal disease - Infection of the gum tissues. Also called gum disease.
- Periodontist - A dentist who treats diseases of the gums.
- Permanent teeth - The teeth that erupt after primary teeth. Also called adult teeth.
- Plaque - A sticky, colorless substance that covers the teeth after sleep or periods between brushing.
- Posterior teeth - The bicuspids and molars. Also called the back teeth.
- Primary teeth - A person's first set of teeth. Also called baby teeth or temporary teeth.
- Prophylaxis - The act of cleaning the teeth.
- Prosthodontics - The field of dentistry that deals with artificial dental appliances.
- Pulp - The inner tissues of the tooth containing blood, nerves and connective tissue.
R
- Receding gum - A condition in which the gums separate from the tooth, allowing bacteria and other substances to attack the tooth's enamel and surrounding bone.
- Resin filling - An artificial filling used to restore teeth. Also called a composite filling.
- Root canal - A procedure in which a tooth's nerve is removed and an inner canal cleansed and later filled.
- Root planing - Scraping or cleansing of teeth to remove heavy buildup of tartar below the gum line.
S
- Sealant - A synthetic material placed on the tooth's surface that protects the enamel and chewing surfaces.
T
- TMJ - Temporomandibular joint disorder. Health problems related to the jaw joint just in front of the ear.
- Tarter - A hardened substance (also called calculus) that sticks to the tooth’s surface.
V
- Veneer - A laminate applied or bonded to the tooth.
W
- Whitening - A process that employs special bleaching agents for restoring the color of teeth.
- Wisdom tooth - Third set of molars that erupt last in adolescence.
