THE ABC’S OF DENTISTRY (Dr. Jenna Shevlin/Dentist Xenia)

Dr. Jenna Shevlin/Dentist Xenia

Below is a list of terms commonly used in our dental office.  Not to worry, there will be no pop quiz, but you CAN impress your friends with your new-found knowledge.  Read on to become smarter..

• Abscess – A painful infection at the root of a tooth or between the tooth and gum.  Usually forms because of infection.
• Abutment – A tooth or tooth structure which is responsible for the anchorage of a bridge or denture.
• Amalgam – A silver filling material.
• Anterior – The front position.
• Apex – The end of the root.
• Bitewing – A kind of dental x-ray which is taken with the teeth biting together.  Done as a means to detect cavities in between teeth and at the height of bone support.
• Bridge – A prosthesis which is fixed inside the mouth to replace missing teeth.
• Bruxism – Teeth grinding.
• Canine – The third tooth from the middle of the jaw.  There are 4 of them.  They are the longest teeth in humans.
• Caries – Tooth decay.
• Cavity – A hole on the tooth.
• Cast – A model of teeth.
• Chlorhexidine – An anti-microbial agent.  It is available in many forms such as gels and rinses.  It is an effective agent in controlling gum disease.
• Composite – A white filling material.
• 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.
• Decay – The disintegrating part of the tooth.
• Denture – An artificial prosthesis to replace missing teeth and their neighbooring structures.
• Distal – A direction indication in the mouth.  It indicates the direction away from the middle of the jaw.
• Filling – A restoration placed on a tooth to restore its function and appearance.
• Flipper – A temporary denture to replace missing teeth during the waiting period for long term treatment.
• Fluoride Treatment – Teeth treatment with fluoride agents like gel or rinse.
• Gingivitis – The mildest form of gum disease:  inflammation of the gum.  The earliest sign is bleeding gums.
• Impaction – A condition where a tooth is not able to come in normally or is stuck underneath another tooth or bone.
• Implant – A device put in the jaw bone to support a false tooth, a denture or a bridge.
• Impression – A mold taken with some jelly-like material loaded on a tray.
• Incisal – The cutting edge of a front tooth.
• Incisor – The four upper and lower front teeth.
• Lingual – The side of the tooth towards the tongue.
• Mesial – The side of the tooth toward the middle of the jaw.
• Molar – The last three upper and lower teeth on both sides of the mouth.
• Mouthguard – A device to be worn in the mouth.  Depending on the design of it, it prevents injury to teeth and/or jaw during teeth grinding or sports events.
• Occlusal – The biting surface of the back teeth.
• Occlusion – The way the upper and lower teeth close together.
• Overbite – The overlap of upper teeth and lower teeth when they close together.
• Palate – The roof of the mouth.
• Panoramic Radiograph (Pano) – An x-ray film to obtain the wide view of upper and lower jaw and their associated structures.
• Polish – A process to make the tooth or filling or other denture smooth and glossy.
• Pontic – The false tooth in a bridge or denture to replace the missing tooth.
• Post – A pin which can be made with different materials such as metal or carbon.  Its function usually is to support a big buildup on a tooth.
• Posterior – Located at the back.
• Prophylaxis/Prophy – The procedure of teeth polishing.  It also means the prevention of diseases.
• Pulp – The innermost part of a tooth.  It contains nerves and blood vessels inside a tooth.
• Recall – The regular checkup and teeth cleaning appointment.
• 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, crown, bridge or implant.
• Retainer – A device used for maintaining the position of teeth in the jaw in orthodontic treatment.
• Root – The bottom part of the 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 the teeth.
• 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 a cavity.
• Tempromandibular Joint (TMJ) – The joint that links the jaw to the skull.
• Veneer – A layer of tooth-colored material (can be porcelain, composite, or ceramics) that attaches to the front of the tooth.  It is usually used to improve the appearance of the tooth.
• Wisdom Tooth – The eighth (and last) tooth from the middle of the jaw.

Dr. Jenna Shevlin/Dentist Xenia