Terms Flashcards
Alveolar bone loss
Loss of supporting bone of a tooth, usually due to periodontal disease
Alveolar bone
Bone that surrounds and supports the tooth and associated structures, looks like a sponge, also called alveolar process
Alveolar mucosa
Movable soft tissue that is loosely bound to underlaying bone, not present on maxillary hard palate, redder than rest of gingiva
Amalgam
A metal alloy containing mercury commonly used for dental restorations, silver filling
Anterior
Near the front
Apex (apical)
Pointed end of cone-shaped part, terminal end of the root of a tooth
Arch
A structure of bow-like or curved outline, refers to the jaws ( lower or upper arch)
Board of dentistry
Used to identify the body responsible for formulation, adoption, and dissemination of the rules necessary to comply with the laws regulating the practice of dentistry in a state.
Buccal
Pertaining to or directed toward the cheek, designates side of tooth that faces the cheek
Cariogenic
Food or other edibles that promote tooth decay
Cemento-enamel junction
Outer surface of a tooth where the root joins to the crown, can be observed as a line where color changes from enamel to cementum and can usually be felt as a jump with an explorer
Cementum
Calcified connective tissue that covers the outside surface of a tooth’s root
Clinical attachment loss
Movement of the supporting structures
COD
College of dentistry also called school of dentistry
Col
The depression in the gingival tissue underneath a contact area between the lingual papilla and the facial papilla. Volcano shaped tissue beneath area where 2 teeth contact one another
Concave
Rounded and somewhat depressed or hollowed out (cave)
Convex
Having a rounded somewhat elevated surface
Coronal
Toward the crown of the tooth
Debridement
The removal of foreign material such as calculus or plaque
Dental caries (carious lesion)
Tooth decay
Dentition
The teeth in the dental arches
Diastema
Open contact between teeth
Disto-occlusal
Usually refers to dental caries or a restoration located at the distal and extending onto the occlusal surface
Edema
Swelling
Erythodont
Tooth with a reddish color
Explorer
Slender flexible instrument with a sharp point used to examine teeth for abnormalities and pathology, an to locate calculus through the use of touch
Extraction
Tooth removal
Exudate
A fluid of epithelial cells, bacteria, serum and other products of the inflammatory process; pus
Facial
Of or toward the face, used to designate the side of the tooth that is facing away from the tongue side
Furcation
The concave area between the roots of a multi-rooted tooth
Bi an tri furcation
Gingiva
The part of the oral masticatory mucosa that surrounds the necks of the teeth and is attached to the teeth and the alveolar bone; gums
Glycophilic
Sugar loving
Latrogenic
A professional oops
Interdental papilla
Gum that fills the space between two adjacent teeth
Junctional epithelium
Attachment epithelium, where the tooth and gingiva actually first begin to be attached. Found at the very bottom of the gingival sulcus or periodontal pocket.
Labial
Of or towards the lips, used to designate the side of the tooth facing the lips so its used to refer to an anterior tooth
Lingual
Of or toward the tongue
Mandible
Bottom jaw
Marginal gingiva
The border or edge of gingiva nearest the incisal/occlusal surface; marks opening of gingival sulcus
Maxilla
Top jaw
Mesial
Toward the middle; medial
MO, mesio-occlusal
Refers to dental caries located at the medial an extending onto the occlusal surface
MOD, mesio-occlusal-distal
A BIG cavity, an MO that extends all the way across the occlusal and includes the distal surface
Mucogingival junction
On the facial side of a tooth, a scalloped line where the attached gingiva and the alveolar mucosa come together
Non-surgical periodontal therapy
Treatment for an infection that is the least invasive and very cost effective
Occlusal
Chewing surface of the teeth
Occlusion
The way teeth fit together when both arches come together (occlude)
Odontectomy
Procedure in which a tooth is removed
Periodontium
All of the supporting structures of the teeth
Periodontal probe
Slender instrument with a blunt end that is used to explore and often measure the depth of the sulcus or pocket (like a miniature ruler)
Periodontal probing depths
Measurement of the deepens of a sulcus or periodontal pocket, used to distinguish a sulcus from a pocket, measurement is from the CEJ to where the tooth and gingiva first begin to be attached (JE) or from the gingival margin to the JE.
Posterior
Directed toward or situated at the back, posterior teeth include molars and premolars
Prophylaxis
Abbr: prophy
Teeth cleaning
Sealant
A resin applied to the occlusal surfaces to prevent dental caries
Sharpy’s fibers
The connective tissue fibers that embed in cementum and stretch across and connect to the alveolar bone
Sulcus
The space or crevice between the surface of a tooth and the epithelium lining the unattached of free gingiva. Healthy gums probing periodontal depth is 3mm or less.
