Modern Dental Assisting Flashcards
Week 1 Vocab. Chapter 11 Overview of the dentitions
Anterior
towards the front
Apical third
Division of the root nearest the tip of the root
Buccal surface
tooth surface closest to the inner cheek
Deciduous
pertaining to the first dentition of 20 teeth; often called baby teeth or primary
Dentition
natural teeth in the dental arch
Distal surface
The surface of the tooth distant or away from the midline
Facial Surface
Tooth surface closest to the face
Apical
toward the root of the tooth, apex of the tooth
Bifurcated
single tooth with two roots
Buccal
the surface that is facing the cheeks in the back of the mouth
cementum
the tissue covering the root of the tooth
cementoenamel junction (CEJ)
The line where the enamel and the cementum of the tooth join.
cingulum
A small bump near the cervical third of an anterior tooth on the lingual side.
crown
The portion of the tooth above the gumline starting at the cementoenamel junction.
cusp
The top portion of the tooth; the tip or point
deciduous teeth
The first set of teeth, also known as primary teeth
dentin
The tissue of the tooth between the pulp and the enamel and cementum; the majority of the tooth.
dentition
A set of teeth
dentoenamel junction (DEJ)
he junction where the enamel meets the dentin.
Distal
Surface of the tooth away from the midline of the face.
Dorsal
the root of the mouth
embrasure
The space between the teeth that begins at the contact area and widens down toward the gingiva. The interproximal gingival (interdental papillae) usually fills this space.
enamel
The tissue covering the crown of the tooth; the hardest substance in the body.
facial
towards the lips or cheeks
fissure
a natural groove in the tooth
fossa
A shallow depression in the tooth
furcation
this is in multi-rooted teeth, the area where the roots are divide
gingiva
The tissue that surrounds the teeth; also known as gums.
groove
A depression in the tooth that is narrow and linear.
incisal
Toward the cutting edge of the anterior teeth. This is the end opposite the apex of the tooth.
interdental
Space between two adjacent teeth.
interproximal
Between the adjacent surfaces of two teeth.
keratinized
Firm stippled texture, such as the tissue of the attached gingiva.
labial
Facial side; typically used in reference to anterior teeth.
lateral
sides
lingual
towards the tongue
mandibular
referring to the lowest jaw
maxillary
referring to the upper jaw
mesial
surface of the tooth closet to the midline of the face
midline
An imaginary line that divides the body into equal right and left halves.
mucogingival junction
An area where the mucosa meets the attached gingiva.
mucosa
The soft tissue that is non-keratinized and covers the cheeks, floor of the mouth, soft palate, alveolar processes and other structures.
occlusal
The chewing surface of the posterior (back) teeth.
occlusion
A term used to define how the upper and lower teeth meet when closing the jaws.
palate
Roof of the mouth. It is divided into two parts: the hard palate and the soft palate.
papillae
A small projection of tissue; often nipple-like.
periapical
Around the apex of the tooth.
periodontal ligaments
A thin series of fibers that connect the tooth to the bone.
periodontium
The surrounding and supporting structures of the teeth.
posterior
Toward the back of the mouth, behind.
pulp
The inner most part of the tooth that contains the blood vessels and nerves.
quadrant
The mouth is divided into 4 quadrants; 2 in the maxillary and 2 in the mandibular.
ridge
A rounded, elevated, linear area on the enamel of the tooth. There are 5 types of ridges on the teeth: marginal, triangular, oblique, transverse and cingula.
succedaneous
The permanent teeth that replace the 20 primary teeth.
sulcus
he area formed by the free gingiva (non attached) lying next to the tooth. It is a trough area and can also be known as the gingiva crevice.
ventral
Toward the bottom surface; the underside of the tongue is known as the ventral surface.
clinical crown
crown that is exposed to the oral cavity
anatomic crown
CEJ to the cusps
periodontal ligaments.
The tooth is attached to the underlying alveolar bone with fibers
enamel
the substance that covers the anatomic crown of the tooth, is the hardest substance in the body and is somewhat translucent.
incisors
The four front teeth in both the upper and lower jaws
Canines
There are four canines in the oral cavity. Two in the maxillary arch and two in the mandibular area. They are behind and adjacent to the lateral incisors.
Premolars (Bicuspids)
There are eight premolars in the oral cavity. There are two in each quadrant of the mouth. The one closest to the midline is the first premolar and the one farthest from the midline is the second premolar.
Molars
The most posterior teeth in the mouth
