Dental Terminology

Question 1

Brachycephalic:

Answer 1

Shortening of the facial bones. In these breeds, mandibles are
often shortened, often with ventral bowing. Because of space constraints, teeth
are often rotated or impacted/retained (unerupted)

Question 2

mesocephalic:

Answer 2

this is the skull shape of the classic dog (wolf) or wild cats

Question 3

Dolichocephalic:

Answer 3

this describes elongation of the facial bones and are typically
seen in sight hounds and oriental cats. In these animals display increased
interdental space at especially the premolar teeth.

Question 4

Coronal:

Answer 4

positioned towards the tooth crown.

Question 5

Apical:

Answer 5

position towards the root apex (tip).

Question 6

Proximal:

Answer 6

tooth surfaces adjacent to neighbouring teeth in the same arcade.

Question 7

Interproximal:

Answer 7

the space between adjacent teeth in the same arcade.

Question 8

Rostral:

Answer 8

used to describe areas of the face or jaw towards the tip of the nose.

Question 9

Caudal:

Answer 9

used to describe areas of that face and jaw towards the tail

Question 10

Mesial:

Answer 10

the area of the tooth facing the midline between the central incisors. (In
most teeth the “rostral” aspect)

Question 11

Distal:

Answer 11

the aspect of the tooth opposite to mesial (in most teeth the caudal
aspect)

Question 12

Palatal:

Answer 12

the aspect of maxillary the tooth facing the palate.

Question 13

Lingual:

Answer 13

the aspect of the mandibular teeth facing the tongue.

Question 14

Vestibular: (also the facial aspect)

Answer 14

the aspect of the tooth opposite to either
lingual or palatal. This aspect faces the oral vestibule and this could also be
described as a labial in premolar, incisor and canine teeth or buccal in
caudal-most premolar and molar teeth.

Question 15

Labial:

Answer 15

The aspect of the teeth facing the lips.

Question 16

Buccal:

Answer 16

the aspect of the tooth that faces the cheek.

Question 17

Line angle:

Answer 17

these lines demarcate the meeting of different aspects of the tooth
(“corners”of teeth). E.g. the mesiobuccal line angle is located where the mesial
and buccal aspects of the tooth meets.

Question 18

Occlusal surface:

Answer 18

the surface of the tooth that occludes with teeth in the opposing
jaw.

Question 19

The incisive edge:

Answer 19

the cutting surface of incisor teeth and in cats and dogs also
of those of premolars and molar teeth.

Question 20

Cingulum:

Answer 20

the ridge in dentin and enamel onto which opposing incisor teeth rest.
In dogs and cats this describes the ridge on the palatal aspect of the maxillary
Incisors onto which the incisive edge of the mandibular incisors rests in normal
occlusion.

Question 21

Cusp:

Answer 21

A well demarcated conical protrusion of the crown. These start as
independent centres during the embryonal development of the tooth crown.

Question 22

Cervical:

Answer 22

the so-called neck of the tooth or junction between the root and crown.

Question 23

Diastema.

Answer 23

the edentulous areas of gingiva between adjacent teeth.

Question 24

Gingival sulcus:

Answer 24

the potential space between the crown and the free gingiva.

Question 25

Periodontal pocket:

Answer 25

the consequence of destruction of the normal sulcus by
periodontitis and therefore deeper and normal sulcular depth.

Question 26

Carnassial:

Answer 26

this indicates the main cutting or shearing teeth in carnivore dentition.
The maxillary carnassial is always the fourth maxillary premolar and the
mandibular carnassial, always the mandibular first molar.