Iowa Health Book: Dentistry

Dental Definitions for Non-Dentists

• Admissions Clinic - First clinic where patients are seen; includes registration, X-rays, brief screening, and assignment. Admissions also screens emergency patients.
• Advocate - Student, faculty, or staff person responsible for insuring that a patient receives good, personalized care at the Dental Clinics.
• Alloy - Silver-colored filling material; may also refer to a restoration (filling).
• Amalgam - Silver-colored filling material.
• Anteriors (Incisors) - Teeth toward the front of the mouth; numbers 6-11 and 22-27.
• Bicuspids (Premolars) - Teeth located between cuspids and molars. Numbers 4-5, 12-13, 20-21, and 28-29.
• Bitewings - X-rays of the crowns of top and bottom molars to show decay between teeth and under fillings.
• Bridge Teeth - A non-removable, tooth-supported, metal framework that replaces one or more missing teeth with false teeth.
• Buccal - Tooth surface next to the cheek.
• Calculus (Tartar) - Hardened plaque which builds up on teeth and requires scaling to remove.
• Caries- Cavities, decay.
• Cementum - Calcified tissue covering the root surface.
• Chronological Record of Treatment (CRT) - Form in the paper records used to record all interactions with a patient.
• Complete Mouth Survey (CMS) - Multiple X-rays taken of the entire tooth structure. For an adult, approximately 16-21 films.
• Composite - A tooth-colored filling material, also referred to as a filling, used primarily for anterior teeth.
• Crown - Caps put on teeth; gold, porcelain or a combination of both.
• Cuspids - Canines or eye teeth; pointed teeth next to incisors. Numbers 6, 11, 22 and 27.
• Deciduous Teeth - Baby teeth or primary teeth
• Dentin - The main tissues of a tooth surrounding the pulp cavity.
• Distal - Surface of the tooth toward the back of the mouth.
• Edentulous - Having no teeth.
• Enamel - The hard, calcified substance which covers the crown of the tooth.
• Endodontic - Root canal treatment for diseases of the pulp and bone, bleaching discolored teeth, managing traumatic injuries to the teeth, and performing related surgery to help preserve the natural teeth in a healthy state.
• Facial - Surface of the tooth next to the lip.
• Gingivectomy - A form of gum surgery.
• Gingivitis - Inflammation of the gum tissue; a common, reversible gum disease.
• Gingiva - Gums.
• Impacted - Describes a tooth not visible above the gum line.
• Inactivation - Process of placing a patient's record in "inactive" computer status showing that the patient is not currently receiving treatment.
• Incisors (Anterior Teeth) - Centrals; numbers 8, 9, 24, and 25. Laterals; numbers 6, 10, 22 and 26.
• Inlays- A gold, porcelain or composite filling placed within the cusps of the tooth.
• Lingual - Surface of the tooth towards the tongue.
• Mandible or Mandibular - Lower jaw or referring to lower jaw.
• Maxilla or Maxillary - Upper jaw or referring to upper jaw.
• Mesial- Surface of the tooth towards the front of the mouth.
• Molars (Posterior Teeth) - Large teeth toward the back of the mouth. Numbers 1-3, 14-16, 17-19 and 30-32.
• Occlusal - The chewing or grinding surface of a back tooth.
• Onlays - Porcelain or gold restorations covering at least one cusp of the tooth.
• Operative Dentistry - The restoring of decayed and broken teeth with silver, gold and tooth-colored materials.
• Orthodontics - Straightening teeth and treating problems related to growth and development of the jaws.
• Pantomograph - A single large x-ray of the jaws; the x-ray machine rotates around the patient's head to include the upper and lower whole jaw.
• Periodontics - Periodontics is the branch of dentistry which deals with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases affecting the tooth root, and the supporting bone, ligaments and surrounding tissues (gums) of the teeth. The goal of periodontal therapy is to preserve the natural dentition in health and comfortable function.
• Plaque - Deposits of bacteria and debris which collect on the teeth.
• Pocket - Abnormally deep space between the gum tissue and the teeth; bacteria can enter here, causing gum disease.
• Premolars (Posterior Teeth) - Teeth located between cuspids and molars Numbers 4-5, 12-13, 20-21, and 28-29.
• Prophylaxis - Prophy; a basic teeth cleaning.
• Prosthodontics - Involves design, construction, and fitting of crowns, fixed bridges; immediate, complete, and partial dentures to replace missing teeth and restore oral structures.
• Pulp - The "nerve." The vital tissue in the tooth containing nerves and blood vessels.
• Pulpotomy - Endodontic treatment on a deciduous tooth.
• Radiographs - X-rays.
• Recall - Appointment for a patient who is returning for a general check-up or a specific exam in one department.
• Restoration - Filling used to restore the tooth.
• Root Canal - Space within the root of a tooth in which the nerve and blood supply is located.
• Scaling - The cleaning of the teeth to remove calculus.
• Screening - Brief check of a patient's mouth to determine basic needs and appropriate area for future scheduling.
• Sulcus - The normal space between the gum tissue and the tooth.
• Treatment Plan - A list of interventions (treatment choices) to correct dental problems and a cost estimate.
• Veneer - A porcelain facing placed on an anterior tooth.

All contents copyright © 1992-1997 the Author(s) and the University of Iowa. All rights reserved.
Last Modified: December 02, 1996