Patient Education Section - GotoDentistry.com
PERIODONTICS (Gums)
Adult periodontitis: beyond age 35, onset slow.
Allograft: taking a graft from individuals of the same species.
Alloplastic graft: made up of synthetic substances.
Alveolar process: bone surrounding the teeth.
Anaesthesia: drug to block off any pain impulses from the nerves.
Antibiotics: medication to fight off bacteria causing infection.
Asepsis: steril stimulation of the surroundings and instruments to prevent infections.
Autograft: taking from your own body a graft.
Calculus: hardened plaque.
Composite graft: a combination of autograft and allograft or alloplastic graft.
Crown lengthening: providing more tooth structure by slightly taking away the bone and gingiva.
Curettage: detoxifying the root surface from plaque.
Dehiscence: cleft like absence of bone which denudes the root surface.
Fenestration: circumscribed defect in the bone exposing part of the root.
Flap: reflection of the gingival tissue .
Frenectomy: cutting the frenum.
Frenum: the stretched out tissue when lifting your tongue or lifting your upper lip.
Gingival graft: taking a piece of gingiva harvested usually from the palate to a place needing it.
Gingival sulcus: the space between the tooth and the gingiva.
Gingival enlargement: unusual growth of the gingiva due to drugs, pregnancy or other causes.
Gingivectomy: excision of the gingiva.
Gingivitis: inflammation of the gingiva (bleeding gums).
Gingivoplasty: esthetically recontouring the gingiva.
Graft: a piece of tissue taken from one area and placed at another.
Implant: a substitute for a lost tooth. It functions as additional support, most often providing the very important option of esthetics, non removable rather than removable tooth replacement. Implants are fabricated from body compatible bio-materials, most often titanium or one of its alloys. It can vary in shape from a blade-like shape to a screw type.
Junctional epithelium: the tissue directly hugging the tooth, inside the sulcus (not visible).
Juvenile periodontitis: adolescent, onset at puberty.
Occlusal guard: appliance used to prevent grinding (nightguard).
Occlusal analysis: slight reshaping of all teeth for the proper interlocking of teeth when biting.
Osteoplasty: esthetically recontouring the bone.
Periodontal pocket: enlargement of the gingival sulcus.
Periodontal ligament: Small attachments between the tooth and the bone surrounding the tooth.
Periodontitis: inflammation of the bone (bone loss).
Periodontium: gingiva, periodontal ligament, cementum, alveolar process and junctional epithelium.
Plaque: dead cells, blood cells, food particles and bacterial residues.
Root planning: scraping of root below the gums.
Scaling: scraping of the tooth above the gums.
Splint: appliance used to stabilize loose teeth.
Sutures: stitches.