Please call if you have any questions about procedures or conditions.
Abscess- a swelling caused by an infection resulting in a pus filled area.
Abutment- tooth or implant used to support an artificial tooth restoration
Amalgam filling - combination of metals, usually including silver, nickel and mercury used to
fill cavities in teeth (rarely used at our office but available for the right situations).
Apex- end of the tooth root
Bicuspids (premolars) - teeth between the canine teeth and molars.
Bonding - process of adhering a material to tooth structure, usually referring to composite (white) fillings.
Bridge - artificial fixed prosthesis replacing one or more teeth.
Bruxism- highly common habit of tooth grinding/clenching, usually during sleep, often resulting in loose or worn teeth, gum recession, destruction of supporting bone and TMJ disorders.
Calculus - hardened deposits of minerals, bacteria and debris that can form around natural and artificial teeth. Caused by bacterial colonies that are not removed regularly and become hardened by the integration of minerals from saliva.
Canine teeth - teeth next to the lateral incisors identified by pointed cusp used for tearing
food.
Canker sores - painful noncontagious sores that form inside the mouth.
Composite resin filling - A tooth colored mixture of plastic resin and finely ground glass, used to fill
cavities in teeth.
Crown - visible part of the tooth covered by enamel or (artificial crown or cap) restoration
made of metal or porcelain covering damaged tooth.
Cusp - pointed projection located on the biting surface of the tooth.
Cuspids - see Canine teeth.
Deciduous teeth - (baby teeth) first set of teeth that are usually replaced by permanent
teeth.
Dentin - middle part of tooth surrounding the pulp and surrounded by enamel or cementum.
Denture - partial or full set of artificial teeth, usually refering to removable teeth.
Enamel - the hard outer transparent, white portion of the tooth.
Endodontics - the area of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases of
the dental pulp and the tissues at the root apex.
Gingivitis - condition in which the gums are red, swollen and bleed easily. Most cases result from poor oral
hygiene and the build-up of plaque on teeth.
Halitosis - bad breath
Impacted tooth - Tooth which is not erupted completely. Usually referring to teeth that the eruption is hindered by its position against the other teeth, gums or bone(very common in wisdom teeth and also common in canines).
Implant - root replacement inserted into the bone in order to provide structure for an artificial fixed
restoration.
Incisors - (central and lateral) the four front teeth (upper and lower) used for cutting food.
Malocclusion - (bad bite) abnormal contact between upper and lower teeth
Mandible - lower jawbone
Maxilla - upper jawbone
Molars - back teeth used for grinding food. The furthest (third) molars are also known as wisdom teeth.
Nitrous Oxide - (laughing gas) a gas used for relaxation/partial anesthetic in dentistry and other medical
procedures.
Orthodontics - branch of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of misaligned teeth.
Overbite - a vertical overlapping of the upper teeth over the lower teeth.
Removable Partial Denture (RPD, partial) - removable appliance replacing one or more teeth.
Periodontal - relating to the gums, ligament and bone structure that surrounds and supports teeth.
Periodontitis - the loss of bone that supports the teeth, caused by calculus and plaque.
Plaque - a film of bacteria that forms on the surface of teeth made up of many different bacteria.
Pontic - the artificial tooth of the fixed bridge that replaces a natural tooth.
Post - a metal or carbon fiber support used to reinforce and/or add retention for restorations to a tooth that has had root canal therapy.
Premolars - bicuspids.
Prosthetic - referring to an artificial part of the human body.
Prosthodontics - branch of dentistry that deals with replacement of damaged or missing
teeth.
Pulp - soft tissue in the center of the tooth containing blood vessels and
nerves.
Pulpectomy - the complete removal of the tooth's pulp.
Pulpotomy - partial removal of the tooth's pulp.
Root canal - space in the root of tooth that contains pulp tissue.
Root canal therapy - a procedure in which root canal is cleaned, shaped and filled.
Tartar - see calculus
TMJ - joint that allows the lower jaw to move in relation to the upper jaw. Temporomandibular Disorder are the problems related to the TMJ and the muscles associated with the TMJ that can cause malocclusion and pain, as well as limited use of and deterioration of TMJ and muscles.
Abscess- a swelling caused by an infection resulting in a pus filled area.
Abutment- tooth or implant used to support an artificial tooth restoration
Amalgam filling - combination of metals, usually including silver, nickel and mercury used to
fill cavities in teeth (rarely used at our office but available for the right situations).
Apex- end of the tooth root
Bicuspids (premolars) - teeth between the canine teeth and molars.
Bonding - process of adhering a material to tooth structure, usually referring to composite (white) fillings.
Bridge - artificial fixed prosthesis replacing one or more teeth.
Bruxism- highly common habit of tooth grinding/clenching, usually during sleep, often resulting in loose or worn teeth, gum recession, destruction of supporting bone and TMJ disorders.
Calculus - hardened deposits of minerals, bacteria and debris that can form around natural and artificial teeth. Caused by bacterial colonies that are not removed regularly and become hardened by the integration of minerals from saliva.
Canine teeth - teeth next to the lateral incisors identified by pointed cusp used for tearing
food.
Canker sores - painful noncontagious sores that form inside the mouth.
Composite resin filling - A tooth colored mixture of plastic resin and finely ground glass, used to fill
cavities in teeth.
Crown - visible part of the tooth covered by enamel or (artificial crown or cap) restoration
made of metal or porcelain covering damaged tooth.
Cusp - pointed projection located on the biting surface of the tooth.
Cuspids - see Canine teeth.
Deciduous teeth - (baby teeth) first set of teeth that are usually replaced by permanent
teeth.
Dentin - middle part of tooth surrounding the pulp and surrounded by enamel or cementum.
Denture - partial or full set of artificial teeth, usually refering to removable teeth.
Enamel - the hard outer transparent, white portion of the tooth.
Endodontics - the area of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases of
the dental pulp and the tissues at the root apex.
Gingivitis - condition in which the gums are red, swollen and bleed easily. Most cases result from poor oral
hygiene and the build-up of plaque on teeth.
Halitosis - bad breath
Impacted tooth - Tooth which is not erupted completely. Usually referring to teeth that the eruption is hindered by its position against the other teeth, gums or bone(very common in wisdom teeth and also common in canines).
Implant - root replacement inserted into the bone in order to provide structure for an artificial fixed
restoration.
Incisors - (central and lateral) the four front teeth (upper and lower) used for cutting food.
Malocclusion - (bad bite) abnormal contact between upper and lower teeth
Mandible - lower jawbone
Maxilla - upper jawbone
Molars - back teeth used for grinding food. The furthest (third) molars are also known as wisdom teeth.
Nitrous Oxide - (laughing gas) a gas used for relaxation/partial anesthetic in dentistry and other medical
procedures.
Orthodontics - branch of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of misaligned teeth.
Overbite - a vertical overlapping of the upper teeth over the lower teeth.
Removable Partial Denture (RPD, partial) - removable appliance replacing one or more teeth.
Periodontal - relating to the gums, ligament and bone structure that surrounds and supports teeth.
Periodontitis - the loss of bone that supports the teeth, caused by calculus and plaque.
Plaque - a film of bacteria that forms on the surface of teeth made up of many different bacteria.
Pontic - the artificial tooth of the fixed bridge that replaces a natural tooth.
Post - a metal or carbon fiber support used to reinforce and/or add retention for restorations to a tooth that has had root canal therapy.
Premolars - bicuspids.
Prosthetic - referring to an artificial part of the human body.
Prosthodontics - branch of dentistry that deals with replacement of damaged or missing
teeth.
Pulp - soft tissue in the center of the tooth containing blood vessels and
nerves.
Pulpectomy - the complete removal of the tooth's pulp.
Pulpotomy - partial removal of the tooth's pulp.
Root canal - space in the root of tooth that contains pulp tissue.
Root canal therapy - a procedure in which root canal is cleaned, shaped and filled.
Tartar - see calculus
TMJ - joint that allows the lower jaw to move in relation to the upper jaw. Temporomandibular Disorder are the problems related to the TMJ and the muscles associated with the TMJ that can cause malocclusion and pain, as well as limited use of and deterioration of TMJ and muscles.