Abscess: an infection of a tooth, soft tissue or bone.
Abutment: The part of a structure that gives the support to the fixed partial dentures.
Air Abrasion: Type of micro abrasion in which a jet of air blows tiny particles against the tooth or cavity surface.
Allergy: Altered body reaction as a response to exposure to a specific substance
Alveolar Bone: the specialized bone structure that contains the sockets of the teeth and supports the teeth.
Amalgam: a common filling material used to repair cavities. The material, also known as "silver fillings," contains mercury in combination with silver, tin, copper, and sometimes zinc
Analgesia: absence or relief of pain.
Anaesthesia: loss of pain sensation, usually by damage to nerve or by administration of a drug.
Anterior Teeth: teeth situated at the front of mouth
Antibiotic: a chemical substance which has the capacity to inhibit the growth of or to kill micro organisms
ANUG: a painful infection seen in those with poor oral hygiene and malnutrition, involving interdental papillae, fetid breath; increased salivation; and spontaneous gingival hemorrhage.
Apicoectomy: Surgical removal of a root apex or apical portion of root of a tooth
Arch: curving structure formed by the teeth in their normal position
Baby Teeth: the temporary set of teeth that erupt in the young and are shed before or near maturity
Base: the lowest portion of a denture that overlies the soft tissue
Biopsy: microscopic removal and examination of tissue from the living body.
Bite Occlusion: relation between teeth when jaws are closed
Black Hairy Tongue: hairy tongue in which the papillae are brown or black.
Block Injection: regional anaesthesia by injection of anaesthetics close to the appropriate nerve
Bone Loss: apical shifting of the level of the alveolar crest, resulting in decreased bone support for the teeth.
Bone Resoprtion: destruction or solution of the elements of bone
Bruxism: habit of grinding the teeth at night during sleep time.
Bruxomania: habit of grinding teeth during day time.
Calcium: a chemical element
Calculus: an abnormal concretion, usually composed of mineral salts
Canker Sores: small painful, self healing ulcers that appear inside the mouth.
Cantilever Bridge: a bridge having an artificial tooth attached beyond the point of anchorage of the bridge
Cavitron: mechanical device used to clean teeth.
Cellulitis: A spreading inflammation of subcutaneous or connective tissue
Cementum: A bonelike substance covering the root of a tooth.
Composite Filling: tooth coloured filling material
Curettage: The removal of tissue by scraping with an instrument called as curette
Cyst: An abnormal closed sac containing a gaseous, liquid, or semisolid substance.
Dental Amalgam: an alloy of mercury with another metal (usually silver) used by dentists to fill cavities in teeth
Dental Cleaning: practice of keeping the mouth and teeth clean to prevent dental problems and bad breath
Dental Crowns: type of dental restoration which completely encircles a tooth.
Dental Implants: artificial tooth root used in dentistry to support restorations that resemble a tooth or group of teeth
Dental Trauma: injury to the mouth, including teeth, lips, gums, tongue, and jawbone
Dentine: one of the hard tissues of the teeth which lies between the pulp cavity and the enamel
Denturism: practice by denturists of making artificial dentures and fitting them to patients.
Diastema: a space between two adjacent teeth in the same dental arch.
Eruption: process of a tooth breaking through the gum tissue to grow into place in the mouth.
Explorer: sharp, pointed probe used on tooth surfaces to detect caries or other defects
Extraction: the removal of a tooth from its socket from the oral cavity
Eye Teeth: the third tooth on either side from the midline in each jaw.
Fistula: an abnormal passage between two internal organs or from an internal organ to the body surface.
Flap Surgery: section of tissue moved from one area of the body to another
Frenum: An instrument used for extraction or grasping tissues especially in surgery and for handling surgical dressings.
Frenectomy: surgical detachment of frenum
Full Denture: an appliance replacing all the teeth of one jaw, as well as associated structures of the jaw.
General Anesthesia: a state of unconsciousness or deep sleep which makes the whole body free of pain.
Geographic Tongue: appearance of multiple sensitive patches on the tongue which cause in change in the colour and texture of the tongue.
Gingiva: the tissue that covers the teeth and surrounding bone.
Gingivectomy : excision of excessive gum tissue.
Gingivitis: reversible condition which affects only the gums which become swollen and bleed easily.
Grinding Teeth (Bruxism): habit of clenching teeth which causes loss of tooth structure and fatigue of jaw muscles.
Gum Boil: abscess formed on the gum tissue due to infection drainage.
Guided Tissue Regeneration(GTR): technique which helps in replacement of the bone tissue as desired.
Halitosis (Bad Breath): bad breath from mouth due to oral or systemic problem.
Hydrogen Peroxide: an oxidising agent which can be used as a disinfectant or as a bleaching agent.
Hyperemia: area of increased blood flow.
Impacted Teeth: teeth which fail to erupt to normal occlusion by themselves due any possible reason.
Incision and Drainage: making a cut in the abscess to allow escape of the pus.
Incisors: the front teeth which help in biting.
Indirect Fillings: a filling which is made outside the mouth on the cast.
Inlay: is an indirect intracoronal restorations which is fabricated in the laboratory and then cemented to the tooth.
Intraoral Camera: a small camera used to view and magnify the various oral conditions.
Jacket : a cap made for the front tooth to provide strength.
Laughing Gas: it is basically another name for nitrous oxide which is used as a conscious sedation agent.
Local Anesthesia: loss of pain in a localised area without loss of consciousness.
Malocclusion: improper arrangement of the upper and lower teeth.
Mandible – lower jaw bone.
Maryland Bridge: a fixed partial denture which is cemented only to the lingual surfaces of the adjacent teeth.
Maxilla: the upper jaw bone.
Milk Teeth: the set of teeth present in children, also known as deciduous or primary teeth which shed off giving place to permanent teeth.
Molars: the posterior teeth which help in chewing food.
Nerve: tissue which helps to convey various sensations to the brain.
Night Guard: appliance which is worn at night to protect against the harmful effects of bruxism.
Novocaine: name for many kinds of anesthetics.
Composite: a tooth coloured filling material which is composed mainly of polymers with fillers added to it.
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon: dentist which specifically deals with the surgeries involving oral cavity.
Oral Cavity: the mouth.
Oral Hygiene: cleanliness of the mouth or oral cavity.
Oral Surgery: branch of dentistry which deals with the various minor and major surgeries involving the oral cavity and its structures.
Orthodontics: branch of dentistry which deals with the treatment of malaligned teeth.
Over Dentures: denture which is placed over the remaining teeth or the roots or the implants to provide better retention to the denture.
Paresthesia: partial loss of sensation.
Partial Dentures: removable or fixed appliance which replaces one or more lost tooth but not all.
Pedodontics: branch of dentistry that deals with the dental problems of children.
Periodontics: branch of dentistry that deals with the tissues surrounding the teeth.
Pit : a small defect in the enamel formed at the junction of lobes of developing tooth.
Placebo: treatment based on the psychological satisfaction of the patient which does not have any actual affect.
Plaque: a soft, sticky film which attaches to the tooth surface and is composed of bacteria and food debris.
Pontic: artificial tooth which replaces the natural missing tooth in a fixed partial denture.
Porcelain Crown: the porcelain restoration that covers the coronal portion i.e. Crown of the tooth.
Porcelain Inlays & Onlays: indirect filling made of porcelain and cemented into the tooth.
Porcelain Veneers: a thin layer of porcelain which is cemented on the anterior teeth mainly to improve the colour and shape of the tooth.
Post: a projection which is fitted into the prepared root canal to provide retention to the restorative material.
Post core: post and a central build up which replaces the lost tooth structure and receives the crown.
Post crown: single restoration which includes both post-core and crown.
Prosthesis: appliance which replaces the lost body parts or oral structures.
Prosthodontist: a dentist who deals specifically with the replacement of lost tooth, structures and maintenance of proper occlusion.
Pulp: the innermost layer of the tooth which has both the nerve supply and the blood supply.
Pulp Cap: it consists of medication which is placed over an accidently exposed vital pulp tissue to promote its healing.
Pulp Chamber: the central portion of the crown of the tooth which contains pulp.
Pulpectomy: the complete removal of the pulp from the root canals and filling of the space with an inert material.
Pulpitis: inflammation of the pulp tissue.
Pulpotomy: is the removal of coronal pulp only, to maintain the vitality of the radicular pulp by placing adequate dressing.
Pyrrhoea: common term used for gum disease.
Reimplantation: Replacement of tissue or a structure such as tooth in the site from which it was previously lost or removed
Reline: To resurface the tissue side of a denture with new base material so that it will fit more accurately.
Restoration: Any tooth filling or prosthesis that restores lost tooth structure.
Retained Root: The tooth root which is not resorbed at the appropriate time
Root Canal: A relatively narrow tubular channel that extends from the pulp chamber to the apical foramen
Root Canal Therapy: That aspect of endodontics dealing with the treatment of diseases of the dental pulp, cleaning, shaping and obturation of the canal.
Root Resection: Surgical removal of a dental root apex or apical portion of root.
Rubber Dam: a thin sheet of latex rubber used to isolate teeth from mouth fluids during dental therapy.
Saliva: The watery mixture of secretions from the salivary and oral mucous glands that lubricates chewed food, moistens the oral cavity.,
Saliva Ejector: a device used to remove saliva from a dental field of operation
Salivary Gland: Glands that secrete saliva into the mouth and helps in digestion.
Scaling: The removal of deposits from the teeth
Sealant: Agent that is painted over teeth to seal out food particles and acids produced by bacteria.
Secondary Dentine: dentine laid down in later development of a tooth.
Sleep Apnoea: a condition in which breathing stops for more than ten seconds during sleep
Space Maintainer: appliance that is worn to prevent adjacent teeth from moving into the space created by the unerupted or prematurely lost tooth.
Supernumerary Tooth: any tooth in addition to the normal 32 teeth in the secondary dentition or the 20 teeth in the primary dentition
Tartar: A hard, yellowish deposit on the teeth, consisting of organic secretions and food particles deposited in various salts, such as calcium carbonate
Temporomandibular Disorder: disorder associated with one or both of the temporomandibular joints
Temporomandibular Joint: The jaw joint formed by the lower jaw bone moving against the temporal bone of the skull.
Tooth Abrasion: abnormal wearing away of tooth substance caused by mechanical source.
Tooth Abscess: a collection of pus on a tooth.
Tooth Bud: A small, rounded anatomical structure from which a tooth is formed.
Tooth Decay: destruction of the outer surface (enamel) of a tooth.
Tooth Enamel: hard white substance covering the crown of a tooth.
Tooth Filling: dental restorative material used to restore the function, integrity and morphology of missing tooth structure
Tooth Whitening: common procedure in general dentistry to remove stains caused by bacterial pigments, foodstuffs, tobacco and antibiotics.
Torus: a swelling or bulging projection caused by bone or muscle.
Trench Mouth: acute lesion of the mouth, gums, and throat accompanied by ulceration and necrosis of the gum margin, destruction of the interdental papillae, and foul breath
Unerupted Tooth: tooth which not yet perforated the oral mucosa.
Veneer: a layer of tooth-colored material attached to the surface of an artificial tooth
Wisdom Tooth: the last molar tooth on either side in each jaw.
Xerostomia: Dryness of the mouth resulting from decreased salivary secretion.