The Shelton Dental Dictionary

A

Abscess
A collection of pus. Usually forms because of infection.

Abutment
A tooth or tooth structure which is responsible for the anchorage of a bridge or a denture.

Amalgam
A silver filling material.

Anesthetic
An agent that causes temporary loss of sensation/feeling.

Anterior
The front position.

Apex
The end of the root.

Asepsis
No micro-organism.

Attrition
Wear of teeth due to activities such as chewing.

Avulsed
An injury that causes a tooth to be completely knocked out of the mouth.

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B

Bitewing
A kind of dental x-ray which is taken with the teeth bite together. The main function of this kind of x-ray is to detect cavities in between teeth and height of bone support.

Bleaching
Whitening of teeth.

Bridge
A prosthesis which is fixed inside the mouth to replace missing teeth.

Bruxism
Teeth grinding.

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C

Canine
The third tooth from the middle of the jaw. There are four of them. They are the longest teeth in humans.

Canker sore
An ulceration with yellow base and red border in mouth. It can be caused by trauma or herpes simplex virus.

Caries
Tooth decay.

Cavity
A hole on the tooth.

Cast
A model of teeth.

Cementation
The process of "gluing" the appliance/prosthesis on the associated area.

Chlorhexidine
An anti-microbial agent. It is available in many forms such as gels and rinses. It is an effective agent in controlling gum diseases.

Clasp
A metal arm extended from a removable partial denture. It helps to hold onto natural tooth structure and thus provide anchorage for the denture.

Cold sore
An ulcer or blister on lip. A form of herpes simplex.

Composite
White filling.

Cross-bite
An abnormal bite relationship of upper and lower jaw. The lower teeth/tooth align toward the check/ lip side more than the upper teeth/tooth.

Crown (porcelain/plastic/metal)
A crown is almost like a "cap" on a tooth. It covers the tooth partially or totally above the gum to restore its function and outlook.

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D

Decay
A soft substance caused by the bacterial demineralization of enamel and dentin. An infection within a tooth. Must be treated.

Dentistry
A branch of medicine that involves diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of any disease concerning teeth, oral cavity, and associated structures.

Dentition
The position, type, and number of teeth in upper and lower jaw.

Denture
An artificial object to replace missing teeth and their neighboring structures. Includes immediate, complete, partial, overdenture, or temporary types.

Denturist
The person who specializes in fabricating dentures, but does not perform diagnosis or extractions.

Desensitization
A procedure to reduce the sensitivity of teeth.

Diagnosis
The process of identifying dental disease.

Diastema
The space between two adjacent teeth.

Distal
A direction indication in the mouth, indicating the direction away from the middle of the jaw.

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E

Edentulous
No teeth.

Endodontics
A department of dentistry involving diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental pulp (nerves and blood vessels).

Eruption
The process of the tooth appearing in the mouth.

Excision
The action of cutting something off.

Extruded
When a tooth may be pushed partially out of the socket.

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F

Filling
A restoration placed on a tooth to restore its function and appearance.

Flipper
A temporary denture used while waiting for long-term treatment.

Floss
A thread/tape used for cleaning in between teeth.

Fluoride
A compound used in water, gels, or rinses to strengthen teeth.

Fluoride Treatment
Treatment with fluoride agents to help prevent tooth decay.

Fracture
A crack in the tooth that may extend to the root or damage the pulp.

Framework
A metal skeleton of a removable partial denture.

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G

Gingivitis
The mildest form of gum disease involving inflammation and bleeding.

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H

Hemorrhage
Bleeding.

Hemostasis
The process of stopping bleeding.

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I

Impaction
A condition where a tooth cannot come in normally or is stuck under bone or another tooth.

Implant
A screw-like device placed in the jaw bone to support a false tooth, denture, or bridge.

Impression
A mold taken with jelly-like material loaded on a tray.

Incisal
The cutting edge of front teeth.

Incisor
The four upper and lower front teeth.

Inlay
A lab-fabricated restoration that cements onto a tooth like a puzzle piece.

Interproximal
The space between two adjacent teeth.

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L

Lingual
The side of the tooth towards the tongue.

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M

Mesial
The side of the tooth towards the middle of the jaw.

Molar
The last three upper and lower teeth on both sides of the mouth.

Mouthguard
A device worn to prevent injury during sports or teeth grinding.

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N

Nightguard
A mouthguard specifically worn at night.

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O

Occlusal
The biting surface of the back teeth.

Occlusion
The way the upper and lower teeth close together.

Onlay
A restoration covering the entire biting surface of a tooth.

Open bite
A situation where upper teeth cannot contact opposing lower teeth.

Orthodontics
The field of dentistry involving the treatment of bite abnormalities or facial irregularities.

Over bite
The overlap of upper and lower teeth when closing together.

Overhang
Filling material that extends beyond the border of a cavity.

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P

Palate
The roof of the mouth.

Panoramic Radiograph
An x-ray film showing a wide view of the jaws and associated structures.

Perforation
An opening on a tooth or other oral structure.

Periapical
The area surrounding the bottom of the tooth root.

Periodontics
The specialty involving the diagnosis and treatment of gum disease.

Permanent teeth
Adult teeth, appearing around age 6.

Pin
A metal piece used for better retention of a filling.

Polish
The process of making a tooth or filling smooth and glossy.

Pontic
The false tooth in a bridge or denture.

Post
A metal or carbon pin used to support a large buildup on a tooth.

Posterior
Located at the back.

Pre-authorization
Approval from an insurance company before treatment.

Pre-medication
Medication taken before treatment.

Premolar
The two teeth located in front of the molars.

Prescription
A written instruction for medication or lab preparation.

Primary teeth
Baby teeth.

Prophylaxis/prophy
The procedure of teeth polishing and disease prevention.

Prosthesis
An artificial part replacing missing teeth.

Prosthodontics
The specialty involving the fabrication of artificial replacement parts.

Pulp
The innermost part of the tooth containing nerves and blood vessels.

Pulpectomy
The removal of the entire pulp inside a tooth.

Pulpotomy
The removal of the top part of the pulp.

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R

Radiograph
An x-ray picture.

Recall
The regular checkup and cleaning appointment.

Recementation
The process of gluing a prosthesis back into place.

Restoration
Any item (filling, crown, etc.) used to restore tooth function.

Retainer
A device used to maintain tooth position after orthodontic treatment.

Retreatment
Repeating a root canal treatment.

Root
The bottom part of the tooth anchoring it to the jaw.

Root canal
The internal canal of the root containing nerves and vessels.

Root canal treatment
Treatment for the internal root canal.

Root planing
Cleaning the root area of the teeth.

Rubber dam
A sheet used to isolate a treatment area.

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S

Scaling
Cleaning teeth below the gumline.

Sealant
A plastic-like layer used to prevent cavities in tooth grooves.

Sedation
Medication used to calm a patient.

Space Maintainer
An appliance to maintain space between teeth.

Splint
Material used to prevent movement of a mobile part.

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T

Tempromandibular Joint (TMJ)
The joint linking the two parts of the jaw.

Torus
A bony outgrowth on the palate or lower jaw.

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V

Veneer
A tooth-colored layer attached to the front of a tooth for aesthetics.

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W

Wisdom tooth
The eighth and final tooth in the jaw.

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X

Xerostomia
Dry mouth.