Glossary of dental terms
Glossary of dental terms
Explanations of the dental terms used in this implementation advice to assist non-dental users are provided below.
| Dental term | Explanation |
| Apical stop | A barrier that creates a seal at the tip (apex) of the tooth canal during root canal treatment. |
| Basic periodontal examination (BPE) | Examination of the gums around teeth using a ball-ended probe to assess health or disease. Gums which resist the probe are noted to be healthy. Where the gum bleeds or the probe slides beneath the gumline, gum inflammation or gum disease respectively is present. |
| Dental implant | A titanium alloy screw surgically inserted into the jawbone to replace a missing tooth or teeth, or to provide better retention for a prosthesis. |
| Dento-gingival junction | The area where the teeth meet the gumline. |
| Endodontics | Branch of dentistry focused on diagnosis and treatment of diseases associated with the dental pulp (e.g. root canal treatment). |
| Matrix band | A band usually made of stainless steel or plastic that is wrapped around a tooth during the restorative process to provide a wall against which to pack the restorative (filling) material. |
| Oral mucosa | Soft tissue lining of the mouth composed of epithelium and connective tissue. |
| Oral surgery | A dental speciality that involves both simple and more complex surgical procedures related to the mouth, teeth, gums, jaws and lips (e.g. biopsies, surgical tooth extraction, dental implant placement). |
| Orthodontic appliance | A device used to move or tilt teeth to align and correct the bite. Can also be used as part of a wider treatment plan affecting the jaw bones. Can be fixed (i.e. removal only possible by the orthodontic team) or removable (i.e. can be removed by the patient). |
| Orthodontic separators and bands | Separators are often elastic materials that are placed between the teeth to temporarily move them and create space for orthodontists to fit (metal) orthodontic bands, which are part of orthodontic appliances. |
| Periapical | Describes the area around the tooth apex (Note: periapical as a noun is also a type of dental x-ray of the tooth and supporting bone). |
| Peri-implant mucosa | The soft tissue lining that forms around a dental implant. |
| Periodontal | A term that describes the supporting structures of a tooth. |
| Plaque and bleeding indices | A scoring system to record how many surfaces of a tooth present with plaque biofilm and how many surfaces of the gum present with bleeding with gentle probing (which indicates inflammation). |
| Professional mechanical plaque removal (PMPR) | The process to control and remove dental plaque biofilm and calculus (hard calcified deposits) from the tooth crown and root surface during periodontal care. PMPR was previously described by terms including scale and polish, supra- and subgingival scaling, supragingival mechanical biofilm control, root planing, root surface debridement, scaling and curettage. |
| Pocket charting | An assessment of the extent of gum disease by probing around the gums throughout the mouth with a blunt probe. This can cause bleeding of the gums. Pocket charting allows a dental professional to assess and record gum health and disease over time to determine if gum disease is being controlled or not. |
| Preformed metal crowns | A crown constructed from stainless steel for molar teeth. Commonly used in deciduous (baby) teeth in children. |
| Prosthodontic appliances | A dental prosthesis that is used to replace teeth and supporting structures. These can be fixed (i.e. cannot be removed by the patient) and supported by the remaining dentition or a dental implant (e.g. crown or bridge) or removable (e.g. denture). |
| Rubber dam | A thin rubber sheet, held in place over a tooth or teeth using a clamp, that is used to isolate the tooth or teeth from the rest of the mouth for certain dental treatments. This prevents contamination of the tooth and protects the patient’s airway. |
| Rubber dam clamps | A metal holder that secures rubber dam over the tooth being treated. Usually sit above the gum but can be placed at gum level or just below the gum in some cases. |
| Subgingival restorations | Dental fillings, crowns and bridgework which are prepared and placed beneath the gumline. |
| Supragingival restorations | Dental fillings, crowns and bridgework which are prepared and finished above the gumline. |
| Temporary anchorage device (TAD) | Usually a small titanium alloy screw that is surgically inserted into the jaw bone to prevent unwanted tooth movement during orthodontic treatment. |