Patient Education Section - GotoDentistry.com

ANATOMY

ABRASION: wearing away of a tooth due to abrasives.
Alveolus: the bony socket of a tooth.
Ankylosis: teeth that do not fully erupt.
Anodontia: absence of teeth.
Attrition: wearing away of a tooth due to the opposing tooth.

BITE WING: X-ray taken of back teeth simultaneously.
Buccal: area close to cheek.
Buccal frenum: tissue extending from the upper lip to the gingiva.

CALCIFICATION: the pulp is hardened due to calcium and phosphorous salts.
Canal: area where the pulp resides.
Canines: the cornerstone of the mouth, the fangs or the cuspid (upper and lower).
Canines canal: usually one.
Caries: cavities.
Cementum: the dull yellow surface of a root.
Central incisors: the two front teeth, the cutting teeth (upper and lower).
Cingulum: an enlargement or bulge on the lingual aspect of the front teeth.
Commissure: the corner of the mouth where the lips meet.
Contact point: area where two adjacent teeth touch each other. You floss the contact point.
Cusp: a point or peak on the top surface of a tooth.

DECIDUOUS DENTITION: the primary dentition, also known as the milk teeth (20).
Dentin: the hard tissue under the enamel and cementum.
Diastema: the space present when the central incisors are separated.
Dilaceration: an abnormally twisted tooth.
Distal: area farthest from the midline of the mouth.

ENAMEL: the hard shiny surface of a tooth.
Erosion: a dissolution of tooth due to reason unknown.

FURCATION: area where multi rooted teeth fork off.
Fusion: tooth appears double but a separation is present due to two teeth fusing together.

GEMINATION: tooth appears double due to splitting of a single tooth germ.
Gingiva: the soft tissue that surrounds a tooth (the gum).
Groove: a sharply defined linear depression.

HARD PALATE: the front part of the roof of the mouth.
Hutchinson's teeth: screwdriver shaped teeth due to prenatal syphilis.

INCISAL EDGE: the cutting edge of the front teeth.
Incisors canal: usually one.
Inferior alveolar nerve: a branch of the mandibular nerve that innervates the lower teeth, the tongue and lip.

LABIAL: area close to the lips.
Lateral incisors: the next teeth on either side the central incisors (upper and lower).
Lingual: area close to the tongue.
Lingual frenum: tissue extending from the floor of the mouth to the tongue.
Long buccal nerve: innervates the back gingiva of the lower jaw.

MAMELON: one of three tubercles sometimes present on the incisal edge of an incisor tooth.
Mandible: the lower jaw.
Mandibular nerve: innervates the lower jaw and tongue.
Maxilla: the upper jaw.
Maxillary nerve: innervates the upper jaw.
Mesial: area close to the midline of the mouth.
Molar canal: usually three, sometimes four.
Molars: the back teeth, the chewing teeth (upper and lower).

OCCLUSAL: the chewing surface of the back teeth.
Ophthalmic nerve: innervates the bulb of the eyes.

PALATAL: area close to the palate.
Palate, Hard: the back part of the roof of the mouth.
Panoramic: X-ray of the whole mouth.
Periapical: X-ray taken for a particular area.
Philtrum: the soft depression between the nose and the upper lip.
Plaque: film of materials made up of saliva, molds and bacteria.
Premolar canal: Varies either one or two.
Premolars: the middle teeth or the bicuspid (upper and lower).
Proximal: surface or side of a tooth that is next to an adjacent tooth.
Pulp: the center of a tooth made up of vessels and nerve tissue.

SPACE MAINTAINER: appliance used to allow teeth to come into a certain area.
Succedaneous dentition: the permanent dentition (32).
Supernumary: excess or extra teeth.

TRIGEMINAL NERVE: the 5th cranial nerve, divides into the mandibular, maxillary and ophthalmic nerve.
Tubercle: a small elevation due to overcalcification of the enamel.

UVULA: a small fleshy structure hanging from the center of the soft palate.

VERMILLION BORDER: the perimeter line of the lips
Vibrating line: the junction between the hard and soft palate