Short, plain definitions of the words you are likely to meet in a treatment plan or a quote.
- Abutment
- The connector that attaches a crown or bridge to a dental implant.
- All-on-4 / All-on-6
- A fixed full-arch bridge supported by four or six implants.
- Amalgam
- A metal filling material made of mercury and other metals, used less often today.
- Bonding
- Tooth-coloured resin shaped onto a tooth to repair or reshape it.
- Bone graft
- Material placed in the jaw to rebuild bone volume, often before an implant.
- Bridge
- A fixed replacement for one or more missing teeth, anchored to adjacent teeth or implants.
- Bruxism
- Grinding or clenching the teeth, which can wear or damage dental work.
- CBCT
- A 3D X-ray scan of the teeth and jaws, used to plan implants and surgery.
- Composite
- A tooth-coloured resin used for fillings and bonding.
- Crown
- A cap that covers the whole of a tooth, to protect or restore it.
- Denture
- A removable set of artificial teeth, partial or full.
- Extraction
- The removal of a tooth.
- Gingivitis
- Inflammation of the gums caused by plaque. It is reversible with good cleaning.
- Graft
- Material, from your body, a donor or a synthetic source, used to rebuild bone or gum.
- Impacted tooth
- A tooth that cannot emerge fully, often a wisdom tooth.
- Implant
- A small post placed in the jawbone to support a crown, bridge or denture.
- Inlay / onlay
- A custom-made repair fitted into or over the biting surface of a back tooth.
- Local anaesthetic
- An injection that numbs the area being treated while you stay awake.
- Occlusion
- The way the upper and lower teeth meet when you bite.
- OPG
- A panoramic X-ray that shows all the teeth and jaws in one image.
- Osseointegration
- The process by which bone grows onto the surface of an implant.
- Peri-implantitis
- Inflammation and bone loss around an implant, caused by infection.
- Periodontitis
- Advanced gum disease that damages the bone supporting the teeth.
- Plaque
- The sticky film of bacteria that forms on teeth and causes decay and gum disease.
- Pulp
- The soft tissue with nerves and blood vessels inside a tooth.
- Retainer
- A device worn after orthodontic treatment to keep teeth in position.
- Root canal treatment
- Cleaning and sealing the inside of a tooth to save one with infected or damaged pulp.
- Scaling
- Professional removal of plaque and tartar from the teeth and below the gum line.
- Sinus lift
- A procedure that adds bone beneath the sinus to allow implants in the upper jaw.
- Tartar
- Hardened plaque that cannot be brushed off and must be removed by a dental professional.
- Veneer
- A thin shell bonded to the front of a tooth to change its look.
- Zirconia
- A strong tooth-coloured ceramic used for crowns and bridges.
General information, not medical advice.