-A-
Amalgam- a silver and mercury material used to fillings

Anesthetic- a drug used by your doctor to help keep you comfortable during certain dental procedure, commonly used when numbing a person

-B-
Bitewing X-Rays- an x-ray made to check for cavities between your teeth and monitor your bone level.

Bleaching (Tooth Whitening) - process of brightening or whitening stained, discolored, or dull teeth with an in-office power bleaching method, or dentist-supervised, at-home whitening systems

Bonding- process by which tooth colored resin is bonded to a tooth’s surface, sculpted to an ideal shape, hardened, and polished

Bone Loss- the breakdown and loss of the bone that supports the teeth, usually caused by infection or long-term chewing stresses

Bruxism- clenching or grinding of teeth, most commonly while sleeping

Bridge- generally consists of 3-4 crowns attached together to replace any missing teeth

-C-
Calculus- the hardened plaque that can form on neglected or hard to clean teeth, commonly known as tartar

Cap- another term for crown

Caries- another name for cavities or decayed teeth

Cavity- destruction of tooth enamel and dentin.  Cavities occur when foods containing sugars and starches are frequently left on teeth because bacteria that live in the mouth thrive on left over food particles.

Clenching- The unconscious action of biting teeth together so hard that jaw muscles are clamped together, primarily occurs during the day and is frequently associated with stress

Composite (White Filling) - tooth colored filling material

Crown- a cap or cover made of porcelain or sometimes metal to replace the missing portion of a broken tooth, a crown can also be used to protect a tooth with a big cavity or a tooth that has had a root canal

-D-
Decalcification- the loss of calcium from the teeth, resulting in a white spot or discoloration of the tooth

Decay- the term for a cavity or carious lesions in a tooth; breakdown of tooth structure
Deep Cleaning-

Dentin- the inside part of the tooth that is beneath enamel

Denture- an artificial substitute to replace the natural teeth and adjacent tissues

Dry Mouth- a feeling of having ‘cotton mouth’; can be detrimental to good oral health, and can be caused by many medications

-E-
Enamel- the hard, calcified outside portion of the tooth, enamel is the hardest substance in the body

Endodontist- a dental specialist who limits their practice to root canals and to treating disease and injuries of the pulp and associated conditions

-F-
Filling- a term used for restoring lost tooth structure caused by cavity

Fluoride- a chemical solution used to harden teeth and prevent decay, fluoride is also found in water and many other substances

-G-
Gingiva- the pink soft tissue that covers the jawbone, also referred to as the gums

Gingivitis- gingivitis is the early stage of gum disease, in which the gums can become red, swollen and bleed easily.  At this stage, gum disease is still reversible and can usually be eliminated by daily brushing and flossing.

Grinding- the unconscious action of biting teeth together so hard that the jaw muscles are activated and causes movement of teeth in a very abrasive action, primarily occurs while sleeping and commonly associated with stress

Gum Disease- gum disease, or periodontal disease, is an infection of the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth.  It is a major cause of tooth loss in adults

Gum Recession- gingiva/ gum tissue appears to be “pulled away” from tooth structured, commonly caused by brushing too hard, using a medium or hard toothbrush or clenching and/ or grinding your teeth

-I-
Immediate denture - Dentures that are inserted immediately after the removal of the remaining teeth.  An advantage of immediate dentures is that the wearer does not have to be without teeth during the healing period.

Implant- a tooth root replacement that is placed into the area where a tooth is missing.  Then a crown is placed on top of the “root” to replace the missing tooth.

Impressions- a putty like material is used to make a mold of your teeth

-N-
Night Guard- a plastic mouthpiece worn at night to prevent grinding of the teeth, Often used to treat TMJ

Nitrous Oxide- a controlled mixture of nitrogen and oxygen gases (N2O) that is inhaled by the patient in to help a person relax during dental treatment.

Novocain- a generic name for the many kinds of anesthetics used in the dental injection

-O-
Occlusion- the contact between biting or chewing surfaces of upper and lower teeth

Oral Surgeon- a dental specialist whose practice is limited to the surgical and adjunctive treatment of diseases and injuries to the teeth and mouth including extraction/removal of teeth

Orthodontist- a dental specialist whose practice is limited to the treatment of malocclusion of the teeth and their surrounding structures by providing braces

Overbite- a condition in which the upper teeth excessively overlap the lower teeth and is usually corrected with braces

-P-
Panoramic Radiograph- a large x-ray taken outside the moth that shows top and bottom teeth, the TMJ, the sinuses, and the surrounding structures

Pediatric Dentist- a dental specialist whose practice is limited to treatment of children from birth through adolescence

Periodontal Disease- inflammatory process of the gingival tissues and /or periodontal membrane of the teeth, resulting in an abnormally deep gingival sulcus, possibly producing periodontal pockets and loss of supporting alveolar bone

Periodontal Maintenance- teeth cleanings and detailed gum exams done after periodontal therapy to help maintain gum health

Periodontist- a dental specialist whose practice is limited to the treatment of diseases of the gingiva, supporting, and surrounding tissues of the teeth

Plaque- a soft sticky substance that accumulates on teeth composed largely of bacteria and bacterial derivatives that causes cavities if not removed

Porcelain Veneers- ultra-thin, specially made porcelain shells that are not bonded to teeth (Veneers are especially useful for repairing chipped, cracked or worn teeth)

Primary Teeth- also known as “baby teeth”

-Q-
Quadrant- one of the four equal sections into which the dental arches can be divided

-R-
Radiograph- x-ray

Receded gums- a condition characterized by the abnormal loss of gum tissue due to infection or bone loss

Removable Partial Denture- a removable partial denture fills in the space created by missing teeth and fills out your smile

Retainer- appliance to stabilize teeth following orthodontic treatment

Root Canal- cleaning out and filling the inside nerve of a tooth

-S-
Sealant- plastic coating applied to teeth to prevent decay, used most commonly for children

-T-
Tartar- a term used to describe hardened plaque on teeth

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) - the connecting hinge mechanism between the jaw joint and the upper jaw

Temporomandibular Joint Disfunction (TMD) - abnormal functioning of the jaw joint that causes jaw pain, headaches, and or toothaches.  TMD also refers to symptoms arising in other areas secondary to the disfunction.

Toothbrush Abrasion- small grooves that begin at the gum line caused by brushing your teeth too hard, can grow to be large grooves and cause tooth pain if not treated properly

Topical Anesthetic- a cream placed onto your gingiva/ gum tissue to make being numbed as comfortable as possible

-U-
Under bite- a condition in which the lower teeth excessively overlap the upper teeth and usually can be corrected with braces

-V- 
Veneer- a porcelain material used to improve the attractiveness of a stained or damaged tooth

W-
Whitening- process of brightening or whitening stained, discolored, or dull teeth with in-office power bleaching method or dentist-supervised, at-home whitening systems

-X-
X-Ray- radiograph