Positional Terminology Flashcards
What is the reference point for anatomic terms in the mouth?
The teeth
What direction does labial indicate?
Toward the outside of the teeth and towards the lips
What direction does buccal indicate?
Toward the outside of the teeth, toward the cheeks
What direction does palatal indicate?
Toward the middle of the roof of the mouth
What direction does lingual indicate?
Toward the middle of the mouth of the mandible
What does mesial indicate?
The side of the tooth closest to the center of the “line”
What does distal indicate?
The portion of the tooth farthest from the center of the “line
What do line angles represent?
The “corners” of the tooth
What is the mesial buccal line angle?
The area in which the mesial and buccal surfaces join
What joins the distal and buccal walls?
The buccal distal line angle
Why are line angles and walls important?
For describing fractures and tooth defects
What does coronal refer to?
The direction toward the crown
What does apical refer to?
The direction toward the root of the tooth
What is the area in between two teeth known as?
The interproximal area
What does occlusion refer to?
The way the teeth fit together
