Anatomic Key Terms Only Flashcards
Use this deck to study all terms related to dental anatomy
adjacent / proximal
objects next to/touching each other
alveolar bone
bone of the maxilla and mandible that supports and encases the roots of teeth (appears radiopaque)
alveolar bone loss
a loss of bone that surrounds and supports teeth in the maxilla and mandible
alveolar crest / crestal bone
- the most coronal portion of alveolar bone found between teeth
- composed of cortical bone (appears radiopaque)
alveolar process
portion of the maxilla or mandible that encases and supports teeth
anatomic order
the order in which teeth are arranged within the dental arches
angle of the mandible
- the area of the mandible where the body meets the ramus
- the corner portion formed by the junction of the posterior and lower borders on the ramus
anterior
towards the front
anterior nasal spine
a sharp projection of the maxilla located at the anteroinferior portion of the nasal cavity (appears radiopaque)
anterior teeth
central incisors, lateral incisors, and canines/cuspids
apex
the area of a tooth that allows for blood vessels and nerves to enter the tooth and maintain the vitality of the tooth
apical
towards the apex of a tooth
articular eminence
a rounded projection of the temporal bone located anterior to the glenoid fossa (appears radiopaque)
avulsion
the complete displacement of a tooth from alveolar bone
axial plane
- a horizontal plane that divides the body into superior and inferior parts
- runs parallel to the ground
body of the mandible
the U-shaped horizontal portion of the mandible that extends from ramus to ramus
buccal
the tooth surface towards the cheek on posterior teeth
buccal caries
caries located on the buccal tooth surface (appears radiolucent)
calculus
a stone-like concretion that forms on the crowns and roots of teeth as a result of the calcification of bacterial plaque (appears radiopaque)
canal
a tubelike passageway through bone that houses nerves and blood vessels (appears radiolucent with radiopaque borders)
cancellous bone / trabecular bone
the soft, spongy bone located between the two layers of dense cortical bone (appears radiolucent)
caries
tooth decay caused by microorganisms (appears radiolucent)
cavitation / cavity
a hole in a tooth that results from the caries process (appears radiolucent)
cementum
calcified connective tissue that covers the outer root surface of the tooth
cervical / gingival
the tooth surface towards the gumline/cervical third area
clinical attachment loss (CAL)
the measurement in millimeters of the distance between the cemento-enamel junction and the case of the sulcus or periodontal pocket
condensing osteitis / chronic focal sclerosing osteomyelitis
a well-defined radiopacity seen below the apex of a nonvital tooth that has a history of long-standing pulpitis (appears radiopaque)
contact areas
the areas where adjacent tooth surfaces touch each other
coronal plane
- a vertical plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior sides
- runs perpendicular to the ground
coronoid process
a marked prominence of bone located on the anterior ramus of the mandible (appears radiopaque)
cortical bone / compact bone
the dense outer layer of bone (appears radiopaque)
curve of Spee
the anterior-posterior anatomic curvature of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth
dentin
the tooth layer found between the enamel and surrounding the pulp cavity (appears radiopaque)
dentino-enamel junction (DEJ)
the junction between the dentin and enamel of a tooth
dentition
the character of a set of teeth, including their number, kind, and location/arrangement
dentulous
- with teeth
- areas that exhibit teeth
distal
the tooth surface away from the midline of the mouth
ear
structure composed of cartilage with a thin covering of connective tissue and skin (on a panoramic image, appears as a radiopaque shadow projecting anteriorly and inferiorly from the mastoid process)
edentulous
- without teeth
- an area where teeth are no longer present
edentulous patient
a patient without teeth
edentulous zone
an area where teeth are no longer present
enamel
- the outermost layer of the crown of the tooth (appears radiopaque)
- the densest structure in the human body
endodontic
found within a tooth
endodontic patient
a patient who has undergone endodontic therapy
endodontics
the branch of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the dental pulp
external auditory meatus / external acoustic meatus
a hole or opening in the temporal bone located superior and anterior to the mastoid process
external oblique ridge / external oblique line
a linear prominence of bone located on the external surface of the body of the mandible (appears radiopaque)
external root resorption
a regressive alteration of root structure that occurs along the periphery of the root surface
extraoral
outside the mouth
extrusion
the abnormal displacement of teeth out of bone
facial / labial
the tooth surface towards the cheek/lips on anterior teeth
floor of the nasal cavity
a bony plate formed by the palatal process of the maxilla and the horizontal portions of the palatine bones (appears radiopaque)
foramen
an opening or hole in bone that permits the passage of nerves and blood vessels (appears radiolucent)
fossa
a broad, shallow, scooped-out or depressed area of bone (appears radiolucent)
fracture
the breaking of a part (appears as a thin radiolucent line)
furcation area
the area between the roots of multi-rooted teeth
gag reflex / pharyngeal reflex
gagging that is elicited by stimulation of the sensitive tissues of the soft palate region
gagging
the strong involuntary effort to vomit
generalized bone loss
bone loss that occurs evenly throughout the dental arches
genial tubercles
- tiny bumps of bone located on the lingual surface of the anterior mandible (appear radiopaque)
- serves as attachment sites for the genioglossus and geniohyoid muscles
glenoid fossa
a concave, depressed area of the temporal bone where the mandibular condyle rests
glossopharyngeal air space
refers to the airspace of the pharynx located posterior to the tongue and oral cavity (on a panoramic image, appears as a vertical radiolucent band superimposed over the ramus of the mandible)
gutta percha
rubberlike material used in endodontic therapy to fill the pulp canals and pulp chamber
hamulus / hamular process
a small, hooklike projection of bone that extends form the medial pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone (appears radiopaque)
hard palate
the bony plate that separates the nasal cavity from the oral cavity in the anterior portion of the roof of the mouth (appears radiopaque)
hyoid bone
a horseshoe-shaped bone that lies below the mandible, between the chin and thyroid cartilage (appears radiopaque on a panoramic image)
horizontal
a side-to-side plane
horizontal bone loss
bone loss that occurs in a plane parallel to the cemento-enamel junction of adjacent teeth
hypercementosis
the excess deposition of cementum on the root surfaces of teeth (appears radiopaque)
incipient
small, or beginning to exist or appear
incisal
the chewing edge of anterior teeth
incisive canal / nasopalatine canal
a passageway through bone that extends from the superior foramina of the incisive canal to the incisive foramen
incisive foramen
an opening or hole in bone located at the midline of the anterior hard palate directly posterior to the maxillary central incisors (appears radiolucent)
inferior
describes an area that is lower on a vertical axis
inferior border of the mandible
a linear prominence of cortical bone that defines the lower border of the mandible (appears radiopaque)
inferior nasal conchae
wafer-thin, curved plates of bone that extend from the lateral walls of the nasal cavity (appears radiopaque)
infraorbital foramen
a hole or opening in bone found inferior to the border of the orbit (on a panoramic image, appears radiolucent)