Amalgam | silver/mercury alloy used to fill cavities |
Baby Bottle Tooth Decay (Early Childhood Caries) | an infectious disease defined as the presence of one or more decayed, missing (due to caries) or filled tooth surfaces in any primary tooth in a preschool-age child between birth and 71 months of age. |
Bleaching | cosmetic whitening of teeth using peroxides |
Bridge | replaces missing teeth with artificial teeth that bridge the gap where one or more teeth may have been. The restoration can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain or a combination of these materials and is permanently bonded onto surrounding teeth for support. |
Bruxism | technical term for grinding and clenching of the teeth that may cause facial pain. People who grind and clench their teeth, unintentionally bite down too hard at inappropriate times, such as in their sleep. |
Caries | cavities, tooth decay |
Carcinogenic | cancer-causing |
Cariogenic | decay-causing |
Cold Sores | also known as fever blisters, are tiny, clear, fluid-filled blisters that form around the mouth and are caused by the herpes simplex virus (usually type 1) living inside your nerve tissue. |
Composites | tooth-colored restorative materials |
Cosmetic dentistry | aesthetic improvement of the color and shape of teeth performed by a general dentist |
Crown | a restoration that covers, or "caps," a tooth to restore it to its normal shape and size, strengthening and improving the appearance of a tooth |
Denture | a removable replacement for missing teeth and the tissues connected to those teeth. It is made of acrylic plastic and sometimes porcelain and metal materials. |
Dry Mouth | caused by a decrease in the amount of saliva in the mouth when the salivary glands do not work properly |
Edentulous | having lost most or all of the natural teeth |
Endodontist | treats oral conditions that arise as a result of disease or injury of the dental pulp of the tooth, such as a root canal |
General dentist | primary care provider for patients in all age groups who take responsibility for the diagnosis, treatment, management and overall coordination of services to meet patients' oral health needs |
Gum Disease (Periodontal Disease) | inflammation and infection of the gums and surrounding tissue if left untreated leads to the deterioration of teeth and the jaw bone eventually causing tooth loss |
Gingivitis | reversible inflammation of gum tissue not including the bone |
Implant | an artificial tooth root that is surgically anchored into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge in place. The benefit of using implants is that they don't rely on neighboring teeth for support and they are permanent and stable. Implants are a good solution to tooth loss because they look and feel like natural teeth. |
Laser Dentistry | utilization of a laser (an instrument that produces a very narrow, intense beam of light energy that can remove, vaporize, or shape tissue) to treat various dental conditions. |
Malocclusion | misalignment of teeth and or jaws |
Microair abrasion | a drill-free technique using an instrument resembling a tiny sand blaster that delivers tiny aluminum oxide particles to the surface, where they cut away the decayed area |
Mouthguards | an appliance used to protect teeth from injury |
Occlusal surface | the chewing surface of the tooth |
Oral and maxillofacial surgeon | treats and surgically corrects diseases, injuries, and defects of the mouth and jaws |
Oral piercing | can cause pain, swelling, infection, drooling, taste loss, scarring, chipped teeth, and tooth loss |
Orthodontics | a branch of dentistry dealing with irregularities of the teeth and their correction, as by means of braces and retainer |
Orthodontist | designs and applies corrective and supportive appliances, braces, to realign crooked teeth |
Pediatric dentist | provides treatment and care for children from birth through adolescence |
Plaque | bacterial colonies which have mineralized and attack teeth, causing dental decay |
Porcelain veneers | ultra-thin shells of ceramic material bonded to the front of the tooth |
Prophylaxis | professional cleaning of the teeth by a dentist or hygienist |
Resin | plastic material used in bonding, restorative, and replacement procedures |
Restorative dentistry | process of restoring missing, damaged or diseased teeth to normal form and function, performed by general dentists |
Root Canal Treatment | a procedure done to save a tooth by cleaning out the diseased pulp and reshaping the canal. The canal is filled with a rubberlike to prevent recontamination of the tooth. The tooth is then permanently sealed, with possibly a post and/or a crown made of porcelain or metal alloy allowing the patient to keep the original tooth. |
Sealant | plastic coating used to protect teeth from decay |
Tartar (Calculus) | Plaque that is not removed with thorough daily brushing and cleaning between teeth can eventually harden into calculus or tartar which can only be removed with a professional dental cleaning. |
Third molars | wisdom teeth |
TMD | temporomandibular disorder problems relating to your temporomandibular joint which include locking of the jaw, frequent headaches, sore jaw muscles, and painful clicking of the jaw |
TMJ | temporomandibular joint |
Veneer | ultra-thin shells of ceramic (porcelain) or a composite resin material, which are bonded to the front of teeth to improve the appearance of the teeth |
Xerostomia | Dry mouth |
