Terms explained
Your guide to some commonly used dental terms and procedures.
Amalgam fillings – The standard silver/mercury filling.
Bleaching – Or tooth whitening is the process of whitening stained or discoloured teeth.
Bridge - A bridge is a device for attaching an artificial tooth to neighbouring teeth, to replace a missing tooth or teeth.
Calculus – Another word for calcified plaque or hard tartar deposits on teeth.
Composite filling – The standard ‘white’ filling made of resin reinforced with silica or porcelain particles.
Cosmetic dentistry – Dental work that is carried out to improve the appearance of a person’s smile.
Crown - A tooth-like cap placed over an existing tooth. These are used to strengthen or restore a natural tooth. Crowns are also used to support teeth when there is no longer sufficient tooth structure left to place a filling. May be made of porcelain, gold or a combination of these.
Endodontics - The speciality of dentistry concerned with the treatment of diseases or injuries that affect the root tips or nerves in the tooth. Also known as "root canal treatment".
Fissure sealants - A thin plastic protective film painted on the chewing surfaces of back teeth.
Fluoride - A natural mineral found in many foods and in all drinking water. It can strengthen your teeth and make them more resistant to tooth decay.
Gingivae - Gums.
Gingivitis – (See also periodontitis.) This term refers to gum disease. Bleeding gums, sensitivity and bad breath may be symptoms of this.
Hygiene treatment – Or 'scale and polish' is treatment to remove all traces of plaque and tartar. Scaling is used to remove the hard tartar on your teeth, which cannot be removed by simply brushing. The polishing stage helps to clean away stains from your teeth, which may have been caused by coffee, tea, smoking or red wine.
Inlay - Porcelain, resin, or gold filling (made to fit a prepared cavity) bonded in place to help restore a decayed or broken tooth.
Implant - A dental implant is a prosthetic tooth attached directly to the jaw with a titanium fixing. Implants replace missing teeth without having to put extra strain on others.
Laminates or veneers - Thin, custom-made moldings that cover the fronts of unattractive teeth.
Malocclusion - A bad bite caused by incorrect positions of the upper or lower teeth.
Onlay - Porcelain, resin, or gold filling that protects a tooth by covering the chewing surface.
Orthodontics – The speciality of dentistry concerned with the straightening of teeth to correct functional or cosmetic issues. Using specially designed and fitted appliances, constant and gentle pressure is put on the teeth causing them to move into the desired position.
Periodontitis – Inflammation of the gum and bone around the tooth which may lead to tooth loosening or loss.
Porcelain - Ceramic, tooth-colored material that fuses at high temperatures to form a hard, enamel-like substance.
TMJ/TMD – The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects the jaw to the skull. The TMJ can suffer from the same sorts of disorders and diseases as other joints including problems with the bones, cartilage, muscles or ligaments. It can be damaged as a result of accident or it might give out warning symptoms when it is being misused. These include headaches, eye pain, shoulder pain. Stress levels are known to make matters worse.
Wisdom tooth - Wisdom teeth or third molars are the last teeth to erupt. If these impacted teeth are in an abnormal position (a dentist can show you this on an x-ray), they may cause some harm. When a wisdom tooth is partially erupted, food and bacteria collect under the gum causing a local infection. This may result in bad breath, pain, and swelling.
