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| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V |

~A~

Abrasion: wearing away of a tooth due to abrasives.
Abscess: the formation of a sac of bacteria. Symptoms are swelling pain, throbbing, and a sensation of heat.
Alveolus: the bony socket of a tooth.
Amalgam: silver filling (mix of different metals including Mercury)
Anesthesia: drug to block off any pain impulses from the nerves.
Analgenic: pain killer.
Ankylosis: teeth that do not fully erupt because they are attached to the bone.
Anodontia: absence of teeth Antibiotics: medication to fight off bacteria causing infection.
Apicoectomy: surgical procedure removing the root tip(s) of re-infected root canals.
Asepsis: sterilization of the surroundings and instruments to prevent infections.
Attrition: wearing away of a tooth due to the opposing tooth and grinding.
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~B~

Bite Wing: X-ray taken of back teeth simultaneously.
Bleaching: oxygenating and conditioning the teeth with an acid based gel.
Bonding: placing of composite Bony extraction.
Partial: partial bone must be taken out to be able to reach the tooth to be extracted.
Bridge: when missing teeth, a dentist can use two or more teeth present to "bridge" the space.
Buccal: area close to cheek.
Buccal frenum: tissue extending from the upper lip to the gingiva.
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~C~

Calcification: the pulp is hardened due to calcium and phosphorous salts.
Calculus: hardened plaque. Canal: area where the pulp resides.
Canines: the cornerstone of the mouth, the fangs or the cuspid(upper and lower).
Canines canal: usually one.
Cantilever: bridge with an abutment at one end and a pontic remaining unattached at the other end.
Caries: cavities.
Cavities: when acids decalcify the tooth enamel and disintegrates the dentin. Caused by acids produced by microbial enzymatic action on ingested carbohydrates.
Cementum: the dull yellow surface of a root.
Central incisors: the two front teeth, the cutting teeth(upper and lower).
Cephalometric analysis: X-ray allowing for the study of malocclusion.
Cingulum: an enlargement or bulge on the lingual aspect of the front teeth.
Cleft palate: opening of the palate due to non-closure of the midline sutures.
Cleft lip: opening of the lip due to failure of the fusion between median and lateral nasal processes.
Commissure: the corner of the mouth where the lips meet.
Composite: tooth colored filling (mix of resin).
Contact point: area where two adjacent teeth touch each other. You floss the contact point.
Crossbite: when the lower back teeth overlap the upper back teeth when closing the mouth.
Crouson's syndrome: under development of midface and eyes.
Crowding: lack of space produces teeth that are overlapping
Crown: also commonly know as a cap Cusp: a point or peak on the top surface of a tooth.
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~D~

Deciduous dentition: (Baby Teeth) the primary dentition, also known as the milk teeth (20).
Dentin: the hard tissue under the enamel and cementum.
Full denture: when the patient has no teeth (edentulous).
Immediate Denture: getting a denture at the time the patient gets teeth extracted.
Partial Denture: when the patient has a few teeth (partially edentulous).
Diastema: the space present when the central incisor are separated.
Dilaceration: an abnormally twisted tooth.
Direct Pulp Cap: when the pulp is exposed, the medication is placed directly on.
Distal: area farthest from the midline of the mouth.
Dry socket: after an extraction it is possible that a blood clot is dislocated and not present. Therefore, the bone is left exposed and extreme pain is perceived.
Dysthesia: painful sensation without any touch.
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~E~

Edgewise: orthodontic appliance
Enamel: the hard shiny surface of a tooth.
Erosion: a dissolution of tooth due to reason unknown.
Excision: cutting and harvesting the tissue usually for study of possible pathology
Extraction: removal of a tooth.
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~F~

Fistula: tract made by infection exiting often through the gingiva and resembling a pimple.
Full denture: when the patient has no teeth (edentulous).
Furcation: area where multi rooted teeth fork off.
Fusion: tooth appears double but a separation is present due to two teeth fusing together.
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~G~

Gemination: tooth appears double due to splitting of a single tooth germ. Gingiva: the soft tissue that surrounds a tooth (the gum). Gingivitis: inflammation of the gingiva (bleeding gums).
Gold foil: gold filling Graft: a piece of tissue taken from one area and placed at another.
Groove: a sharply defined linear depression.
Gutta percha: rubber like material used to fill root canals.
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~H~

Hard Palate: the front part of the roof of the mouth.
Hemisection: for teeth with more than one root, the tooth is divided along the roots.
Hutchinson's teeth: screwdriver shaped teeth due to prenatal syphilis.
Hypethesia: extreme painful sensation when light touch is applied.
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~I~

Immediate denture: getting a denture at the time the patient gets teeth extracted.
Impacted Tooth: a tooth that is blocked fully or partially from exiting the gum line by an adjacent tooth.
Full bony extraction: the tooth is submerged in the bone, full bone removal is necessary.
Fully soft tissue extraction: the tooth is submerged in the tissue, full cutting is necessary.
Partly bony extraction: partial bone must be taken out to be able to reach the tooth to be extracted.
Partly soft tissue extraction: partial cutting of the tissue is needed to reach the tooth to be extracted.
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 shape.
Incisal Edge: the cutting edge of the front teeth.
Incision and drainage: cutting of tissue in order to allow the infection to flow out and reduce pain and the swelling.
Incision: cutting.
Incisors canal: usually one Indirect pulp cap: when approaching the pulp, the medication is placed on the area. Sometimes cavity is left in the tooth because the proximity is very close to the pulp and the medication can sometimes kill the remaining cavity.
Inferior alveolar nerve: a branch of the mandibular nerve that innervates the lower teeth, the tongue and lip.
Inlay: restoration used when less than 3/4 of a tooth is present and the cusps are not missing.
Intravenous sedation: putting someone to sleep with an IV.
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~L~

Labial: area close to the lips.
Laminate Veneer: fingernail like restoration made of porcelain or composite.
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.
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~M~

Macrostomia: wide mouth
Malocclusion: teeth are not in the right position.
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.
Maryland bridge: a cap with one wing on wither side used to attach to the teeth
Maxillae: 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).
Mouth breathing: breathing through the mouth can alter the shape of the mouth and teeth.
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~N~

Nightguard: occlusal guard.
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~O~

Occlusal: the chewing surface of the back teeth.
Occlusal guard: appliance used to prevent grinding (nightguard).
Onlay: restoration used when 3/4 of a tooth and part of the cusps are missing.
OPC: optimal pressable ceramic cap
Open bite: due mostly to thumb sucking, the front teeth do not touch when closing the mouth
Ophthalmic nerve: innervates the bulb of the eyes.
Oral antral fistula: an opening between the mouth and the maxillary sinus.
Overbite: when the upper front teeth overlap the lower front when teeth when closing your mouth
Overdenture: denture made over existing teeth or root tips that have had root canal. These roots are left there in order to reduce bone loss.
Overjet: the distance between the upper and lower front teeth, when the upper are bucked out and the lower are more refracted inside towards the tongue.
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~P~

Palatal: area close to the palate.
Palate, Hard: the front part of the roof of the mouth.
Palate, Soft: the back part of the roof of the mouth.
Panoramic: X-ray of the whole mouth.
Paraesthesia: lack of sensation at the sensory level.
Papillate: gums between the teeth.
Partial denture: when the patient has a few teeth (partially edentulous).
Perforation: when a root canal is performed, it is possible while accessing not to directly find the chamber but drill through the tooth. Sometimes, the teeth can be saved.
Periapical: X-ray taken for a particular area.
Pericoronitis: gingival tissue area of an empty tooth that is inflamed. Most often the Wisdom Tooth.
Periodontitis: inflammation of the bone (bone loss).
PFM: porcelain jacket cap
Philtrum: the soft depression between the nose and the upper lip.
Pin and tube: orthodontic appliance
Plaque: film of materials made up of saliva, molds and bacteria, dead cells, blood cells, food particles and bacterial residues.
Pontic: used when making a bridge, replacing the tooth or teeth that are missing
Post and core: used in order to build up tooth to be able to place a crown on it.
Pulp cap: placing an antibacterial product on the pulp.
Pulpectomy: accessing the pulp and removing the pulp without filling the canal(s).
Pulpotomy: accessing the pulp and removing the pulp chamber.
Premolar canal: varies either one or two.
Premolars: the middle teeth of the bicuspid(upper and lower).
Protrusive movement: bringing the teeth edge to edge
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.
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~R~

Recontouring: reshaping the teeth.
Retainer: appliance to hold the teeth in a certain position.
Retrofill amalgam: sometimes used in conjunction with apicoectomy, amalgam is places after the amputation of the root tip to fill and seal the canal from that end.
Ribbon arch: orthodontic appliance
Root amputation: for teeth with more than one root, removal of the affected root.
Root canal: removal of the nerve tissue due to infection from cavities or trauma, and filled with gutta percha.
Root planning: scraping root below the gums.
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~S~

Scaling: scraping of the tooth above the gums.
Sealant: liquid placed in the grooves of back teeth to prevent caires to settle in
Sinus: air spaces above the upper teeth.
Soft tissue extraction, fully: the tooth is submerged in the tissue, full cutting is necessary.
Soft tissue extraction, partial: partial cutting of the tissue is needed to reach the tooth to be extracted.
Space maintainer: appliance used to allow teeth to come into a certain area.
Splint: appliance used to stabilize loose teeth.
Succedaneous dentition: the permanent dentition
Supernumary: excess of extra teeth.
Suture: stitches.
Synostosis: early closure of a facial suture.
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~T~

TEETH - Canines: the cornerstone of the mouth, the fangs or the cuspid (upper and lower).
TEETH -  Incisors, Lateral: the next teeth on either side of the central incisors (upper and lower).
TEETH - Incisors, Central: the two front teeth, the cutting teeth (upper and lower).
TEETH - Molars: the back teeth, the chewing teeth (upper and lower).
TEETH - Premolar: the middle teeth or the bicuspid (upper and lower).
TMJ (TMD): temporomandibular joint(disorder), the place near the ear where the lower jaw "joins" the skull. A defect of the disc or other parts are involved. A clicking is most common.
Tongue thrusting: placement of the tongue tip forward between the incisors during swallowing.
Trigeminal Nerve: the 5th cranial nerve, divides into mandibular, maxillary and ophthalmic nerve.
Tubercle: a small elevation due to overcalcification of the enamel.
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~U~

Uvula: a small fleshy structure hanging from the center of the soft palate.
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~V~

Vermillion Border: the perimeter line of the lips. Vibrating line: the junction between the hard and soft palate.
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All photographs courtesy of Dr. Dahlquist
All clipart found on dgl.microsoft.com