MOD E: Final terminology

Question 1

demineralization

Answer 1

major stage in the dental caries process in which minerals, primarily calcium and phosphorous, are removed from tooth structure by acids formed by acidogenic bacteria, primarily mutans streptococci and lactobacilli.

Question 2

flourosis

Answer 2

form of enamel hypomineralization due to excessive ingestion of fluoride during the development and mineralization of the teeth;

Question 3

halo or diffusion effect

Answer 3

occurs when foods and beverages processed in a fluoridated community are imported and consumed in a nonfluoridated community.

Question 4

hydroxiapatite

Answer 4

Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2; the form of apatite that is the principal mineral component of teeth, bones, and calculus.

Question 5

ppm

Answer 5

measure used to designate the amount of fluoride used for optimum level in fluoridated water, dentifrice, and other fluoride-containing preparations (1 ppm is equivalent to 1 mg/L).

Question 6

remineralization

Answer 6

restoration of mineral elements in a tooth surface; enhanced by the presence of fluoride; remineralized lesions are more resistant to initiation of dental caries than is normal tooth structure.

Question 7

acid etch

Answer 7

n sealant placement, the enamel surface is prepared by the application of phosphoric acid, which etches the surface to provide mechanical retention for the sealant.

Question 8

articulating paper

Answer 8

paper treated with dye or wax used to mark points of contact (occlusion) between the maxillary and mandibular teeth.

Question 9

bibulous pad

Answer 9

absorbent; a flat bibulous pad, placed in the cheek over the opening of Stensen duct, is used to aid in maintaining a dry field while placing sealants.

Question 10

curing

Answer 10

the process is used for polymerization of resin-based sealant and composites so that the material hardens by which plastic becomes rigid.

Question 11

filled sealant

Answer 11

contains, in addition to bis-GMA, microparticles of glass, quartz, silica, and other fillers used in composite restorations; fillers make the sealant more resistant to abrasion.

Question 12

incipient caries

Answer 12

early or beginning caries, caries not limited to the enamel

Question 13

micropores

Answer 13

tiny openings.

Question 14

autopolymerized

Answer 14

self-curing; a reaction in which a high-molecular-weight product is produced by successive additions of a simpler compound; hardening process of pit-and-fissure sealants.

Question 15

photopolymerized

Answer 15

polymerization with the use of an external light source.

Question 16

sealant

Answer 16

organic polymer that bonds to an enamel surface by mechanical retention accommodated by projections of the sealant into micropores created in the enamel by etching; the two types of sealants, filled and unfilled, both are composed of bis-GMA.

Question 17

viscosity

Answer 17

in general, the resistance to flow or alteration of shape by any substance as a result of molecular cohesion.

Question 18

abfraction

Answer 18

wedge- or V-shaped cervical lesion created by the stresses of lateral or eccentric tooth movements during occlusal function, bruxing, or parafunctional activity, resulting in enamel microfractures.

Question 19

dentinal hypersensitivity

Answer 19

transient pain arising from exposed dentin, typically in response to a stimulus, which cannot be explained as arising from any other form of dental defect or pathology and subsides quickly when stimulus is removed.

Question 20

hydrodynamic theory

Answer 20

currently accepted mechanism for pain impulse transmission to the pulp as a result of fluid movement within the dentinal tubule, which stimulates the nerve endings at the dentinopulpal interface.

Question 21

secondary dentin

Answer 21

dentin that is secreted slowly over time after root formation to “wall off” the pulp from fluid flow within dentinal tubules following a stimulus; results in narrower pulp chamber and root canals.

Question 22

smear layer

Answer 22

has been referred to as “grinding debris” from instrumentation or other devices applied to the tooth; consists of microcrystalline particles of cementum, dentin, tissue, and cellular debris; serves to plug tubule orifices.

Question 23

tertiery/repairative dentin

Answer 23

a type of dentin formed along the pulpal wall or root canal as a protective mechanism in response to trauma or irritation, such as caries or a traumatic cavity preparation.

Question 24

bleaching

Answer 24

a cosmetic dental procedure that uses free radicals and breakdown of pigments to whiten teeth.

Question 25

whitening

Answer 25

use of abrasive agents in the dentifrice that results in whitening of teeth. Often used interchangeably with the term bleaching, but not actually the same procedure.