Dental Health Resources
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Dental Health GlossaryAbrasionAbrasion is the pathological wearing away of tooth substance by mechanical means; grinding. Abscess Abscess is a collection of pus formed by tissue destruction in an inflamed area of a localized infection. Abutment Abutment is a natural tooth or implanted tooth substitute used to support or anchor a dental prosthesis. Alveolar Process Alveolar process is the ridge on the surfaces of the upper and lower jaws containing the tooth sockets. Amalgam Amalgam is any of various alloys of mercury with other metals, as with tin or silver, used for filling teeth. Analgesia Analgesia is a deadening or absence of the sense of pain without loss of consciousness. Anesthesia Anesthesia is a local or general insensibility to pain with or without the loss of consciousness, induced by an anesthetic. Anterior Teeth Anterior teeth are the six upper and lower front teeth. Antibiotic Antibiotic is a substance, such as penicillin or streptomycin, produced by or derived from certain fungi, bacteria, and other organisms, that can destroy or inhibit the growth of other microorganisms. Aspirator Aspirator is an apparatus for removing fluid from a body cavity, consisting usually of a hollow needle and a cannula, connected by tubing to a container in which a vacuum is created by a syringe or a suction pump. Bleaching Bleaching is the act or process of whitening, by removing color or stains. Bonding Bonding is a technique for repairing a tooth; resinous material is applied to the surface of the tooth where it adheres to the tooth's enamel. Bruxism Bruxism is the habitual involuntary grinding or clenching of the teeth, usually during sleep, as from anger, tension, fear, or frustration. Bridge Bridge is a fixed or removable replacement for one or several but not all of the natural teeth, usually anchored at each end to a natural tooth. Calculus Calculus is dental tartar. Cap Cap is a synonym for "crown". Caries Caries is the decay of a bone or tooth, especially dental caries. Cavity Cavities are a pitted area in a tooth caused by caries. Crown Crown is an artificial substitute for the natural crown of a tooth. Deciduous Teeth Deciduous teeth Fall off or shed at a specific stage of growth, as teeth of the first dentition. Denture Dentures are a partial or complete set of artificial teeth for either the upper or lower jaw. Also called dental plate. Diastema Diastema is a gap or space between two adjacent teeth in the same dental arch. Enamel Enamel is the hard, white substance that covers the crown of a tooth. Endodontist Endodontist is a dentist who specializes in the treatment of diseases and injuries that affect the tooth root, dental pulp, and the tissues surrounding the tooth root. Eruption Eruption is the emergence of a tooth through the gums. Extraction Extraction is the removal by withdrawing or pulling out of a tooth from its socket. Fluoride Fluoride is a chemical used to prevent tooth decay Filling Fillings are materials, such as amalgam, gold, or a synthetic resin, used to fill a cavity in a tooth. General Anesthesia General anesthesia causes the loss of the ability to perceive pain associated with loss of consciousness, produced by anesthetic agents. Gingivitis Gingivitis is the inflammation of the gums, characterized by redness and swelling. Halimeter Halimeters test for levels of sulfur emissions (specifically, hydrogen sulfide) in the mouth air. Halitosis Halitosis is the condition of having foul-smelling breath. Also called fetor ex ore. Heat Sterilization Heat sterilization is an act of destroying all forms of life on and in bacteriological media, foods, hospital supplies, and other materials by means of moist or dry heat. Hygienist Hygienist is a person trained and licensed to provide preventive dental services, such as cleaning the teeth, usually in conjunction with a dentist. Impacted Tooth Impacted teeth are placed in the alveolus in a manner prohibiting eruption into a normal position. Implant Implants are artificial teeth that is anchored in the gums or jawbone to replace a missing tooth. Inlay Inlays are solid fillings, as of gold or porcelain, fitted to a cavity in a tooth and cemented into place. Local Anesthesia Local anesthesia is a regional anesthesia produced by direct infiltration of local anesthetic solution into the surgical site. Also called infiltration anesthesia. Molars Molars are the teeth with broad surfaces at the back of the mouth that serve to grind food. Including the wisdom teeth, adults have twelve molars — six on the top and six on the bottom. Nitrous Oxide Nitrous oxide is a colorless sweet-tasting gas used as a mild anesthetic in dentistry and surgery. Onlay An onlay is a cast restoration, usually made of gold, that is attached to the occlusal surface of a tooth. Oral Surgery Oral surgery is the branch of dentistry concerned with the surgical and adjunctive treatment of diseases, injuries, and deformities of the oral and maxillofacial region. Orthodontics Orthodontics is the dental specialty and practice of preventing and correcting irregularities of the teeth, as by the use of braces. Also called orthodontia. Orthodontist An orthodontist a person who specializes in orthodontics. Palate The palate is the bony and muscular partition between the oral and nasal cavities; the roof of the mouth. Partial Denture Partial dentures are removable or fixed dental prosthesis that restores one or more, but less than all, of the natural teeth or associated parts and is supported by the teeth or the soft tissue. Also called bridgework. Pediatric Dentistry Pediatric dentistry is the dental specialty which focuses on the treatment of children. Plaque Plaque is a film of mucus and bacteria on a tooth surface. Also called bacterial plaque. Prophylaxis Prophylaxis is the prevention of or protective treatment for disease. Prosthodontics Prosthodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with the replacement of missing teeth and related mouth or jaw structures by artificial devices. Retainer A retainer is an appliance used to hold teeth in position after orthodontic treatment. Root Canal A root canal is the chamber of the dental pulp lying within the root portion of a tooth. Also called pulp canal. Root Resection Root resection is the surgical removal of a dental root apex. Also called root resection. Sleep Apnea Sleep apnea is apnea caused by upper airway obstruction during sleep, associated with frequent awakening and often with daytime sleepiness. Tartar Tartar is the calcareous deposits of organic and mineral matter on the teeth. Ultrasonic Cleaning Ultrasonic cleaning is a method used to clean debris and swarf from surfaces by immersion in a solvent in which ultrasonic vibrations are excited. Veneers Veneers are a layer of tooth-colored material, usually porcelain or acrylic resin, attached to and covering the surface of a metal crown or natural tooth structure. Wisdom Teeth Wisdom teeth are the third molar tooth on both sides of each jaw that erupts from the 17th to the 23rd year. |
Dental SocietiesUnited StatesADA - American Dental Association http://www.ada.org/ Alabama ALDA - Alabama Dental Association http://www.aldaonline.org/ Alaska ADS - Alaska Dental Society http://www.akdental.org/ Arizona AZDA - Arizona Dental Association http://www.azda.org/ Arkansas ASDA - Arkansas State Dental Association http://www.dental-asda.org/ California CDA - California Dental Association http://www.cda.org/ Colorado CDA - Colorado Dental Association http://www.cdaonline.org/ Website Connecticut CSDA - Connecticut State Dental Association http://www.csda.com/ Delaware DSDS - Delaware State Dental Society http://www.delawarestatedentalsociety.org/ District of Columbia DCDS - District of Columbia Dental Society http://www.dcdental.org/ Florida FDA - Florida Dental Association http://www.floridadental.com/ Georgia GDA - Georgia Dental Association http://www.gadental.org/ Hawaii HDA - Hawaii Dental Association http://www.isdaweb.com/ Illinois ISDS - Illinois State Dental Society http://www.isds.org/ Indiana IDA - Indiana Dental Association http://www.indental.org/ Iowa IDA - Iowa Dental Association http://www.iowadental.org/ Kansas KDA - Kansas Dental Association http://www.ksdental.org/ Kentucky KYDA - Kentucky Dental Association http://www.kyda.org/ Louisiana LDA - Louisiana Dental Association http://www.ladental.org/ Maine MDA - Maine Dental Association http://www.medental.org/ Maryland MSDA - Maryland State Dental Association http://www.msda.com/ Massachusetts MDS - Massachusetts Dental Society http://www.massdental.org/ Michigan MDA - Michigan Dental Association http://www.smilemichigan.com/ Minnesota MDA - Minnesota Dental Association http://www.mndental.org/ Mississippi MDA - Mississippi Dental Association http://www.msdental.org/ Missouri MDA - Missouri Dental Association http://www.modental.org/ Montana MDA - Montana Dental Association http://www.mtdental.com/ Nebraska NDA - Nebraska Dental Association http://www.nedental.org/ Nevada NDA - Nevada Dental Association http://www.nvda.org/ New Hampshire NHDA - New Hampshire Dental Society http://www.nhds.org/ New Jersey NJDA - New Jersey Dental Association http://www.njda.org/ New Mexico NMDA - New Mexico Dental Association http://www.newmexicodental.org/ New York NYSDA - New York State Dental Association http://www.nysdental.org/ North Carolina NCDS - North Carolina Dental Society http://www.ncdental.org/ North Dakota NDDA - North Dakota Dental Association http://www.nddental.com/ Ohio ODA - Ohio Dental Association http://www.oda.org/ Oklahoma ODA - Oklahoma Dental Association http://www.okda.org/ Oregon ODA - Oregon Dental Association http://www.padental.org/ Rhode Island RIDA - Rhode Island Dental Association http://www.ridental.com/ South Carolina SCDA - South Carolina Dental Association http://www.scda.org/ South Dakota SDDA - South Dakota Dental Association http://www.sddental.org/ Tennessee TDA - Tennessee Dental Association http://www.tenndental.org/ Texas TDA - Texas Dental Association http://www.tda.org/ Utah UDA - Utah Dental Association http://www.uda.org/ Vermont VSDS - Vermont State Dental Society http://www.vsds.org/ Virginia VDA - Virginia Dental Association http://www.vadental.org/ Washington WSDA - Washington State Dental Association http://www.wsda.org/ West Virginia WVDA - West Virginia Dental Association http://www.wvdental.org/ Wisconsin WDA - Wisconsin Dental Association http://www.wda.org/ Wyoming WyDA - Wyoming Dental Association http://www.wyda.org/ Canada CDA - Canadian Dental Association http://www.cda-adc.ca/ Alberta ADA&C - Alberta Dental Association & College http://www.abda.ab.ca/ British Columbia BCDA - British Columbia Dental Association http://www.bcdental.org/ Manitoba MDA - Manitoba Dental Association http://www.manitobadentist.ca/ New Brunswick NBDS - New Brunswick Dental Society http://www.nbdental.com/ Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Association Northwest Territories Northwest Territories & Nunavut Dental Association Nova Scotia NSDA - Nova Scotia Dental Association http://www.nsdental.org/ Nunavut Northwest Territories & Nunavut Dental Association Ontario ODA - Ontario Dental Association http://www.oda.on.ca/ Prince Edward Island DAPEI - Dental Association of Prince Edward Island http://www.dapei.ca/ Quebec ACDQ - Association des Chirurgiens Dentistes du Quebec http://www.acdq.qc.ca/ Saskatchewan CDSSK - College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan http://www.cdssk.ca/ Yukon Yukon Dental Association |
References
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The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002.
WordNet 1.7.1. Princeton University, 2001.
Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer. The Gale Group, Inc, 2002.
McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2005.
