Dental Terminology – “A”

At Silvaroli Dental in Reno, NV, we want our patients to feel knowledgeable and comfortable about their oral health. Each month we will feature a comprehensive list of dental terms you may hear when discussing treatment with your dentist. We’ll start at the top with terminology beginning with the letter “A”.

abscess: Acute or chronic localized inflammation, probably with a collection of pus, associated with tissue destruction and, frequently, swelling; usually secondary to infection.

abutment: A term with different meanings depending on the clinical scenario.

• implant case – the fixture that is placed between the implant body (aka implant post) and the restorative prosthesis (e.g., single crown; denture).
• natural tooth case – the tooth used as the support for one end of a denture.

abutment crown: Artificial crown also serving for the retention or support of a dental prosthesis.

acid etching: Use of an acidic chemical substance to prepare the tooth enamel and or dentin surface to provide retention for bonding.

adhesion: State in which two surfaces are held together by chemical or physical forces or both with or without the aid of an adhesive. Adhesion is one aspect of bonding.

adhesive: Any substance that joins or creates close adherence of two or more surfaces. Intermediate material that causes two materials to adhere to each other.

alloplastic: Refers to synthetic material often used for tissue augmentation or replacement.

alveolar: Referring to the bone to which a tooth is attached.

alveoloplasty: Surgical procedure for recontouring supporting bone, sometimes in preparation for a prosthesis.

amalgam: An alloy used in direct dental restorations. Typically composed of mercury, silver, tin, and copper along with other metallic elements added to improve physical and mechanical properties.

anatomical crown: That portion of tooth normally covered by, and including, enamel.

anesthesia: A procedure that controls the patient’s level of anxiety or pain.  Delivery of an anesthesia inducing agent by a dentist or other health care practitioner is regulated by state dental boards.

The following terms concerning methods of anxiety and pain control are found in CDT code nomenclatures and descriptors:

• analgesia–the diminution or elimination of pain.
• anxiolysis–the diminution or elimination of anxiety.
• deep sedation–a drug-induced depression of consciousness during which patients cannot be easily aroused but respond purposefully following repeated or painful stimulation. The ability to independently maintain ventilatory function may be impaired. Patients may require assistance in maintaining a patent airway, and spontaneous ventilation may be inadequate. Cardiovascular function is usually maintained.
• general anesthesia–a drug-induced loss of consciousness during which patients are not arousable, even by painful stimulation. The ability to independently maintain ventilatory function is often impaired. Patients often require assistance in maintaining a patent airway, and positive pressure ventilation may be required because of depressed spontaneous ventilation or drug-induced depression of neuromuscular function. Cardiovascular function may be impaired.
• inhalation–a technique of administration in which a gaseous or volatile agent is introduced into the lungs and whose primary effect is due to absorption through the gas/blood interface.
• intravenous–a technique of administration in which the anesthetic agent is introduced directly into the patient’s venous system.
• local anesthesia–the elimination of sensation, especially pain, in one part of the body by the topical application or regional injection of a drug.
• minimal sedation–a minimally depressed level of consciousness, produced by a pharmacological method, that retains the patient’s ability to independently and continuously maintain an airway and respond normally to tactile stimulation and verbal command. Although cognitive function and coordination may be modestly impaired, ventilatory and cardiovascular functions are unaffected.
• moderate sedation–a drug-induced depression of consciousness during which patients respond purposefully to verbal commands, either alone or accompanied by light tactile stimulation. No interventions are required to maintain a patent airway, and spontaneous ventilation is adequate. Cardiovascular function is usually maintained.
• non-intravenous–a technique of administration in which the anesthetic agent is not introduced directly into the patient’s venous system.
• regional block anesthesia–a form of local anesthesia that induces numbness in areas of the mouth and face.
• trigeminal division block anesthesia–a form of local anesthesia that is an injection of medication that helps relieve facial pain.

anterior: This is a term that, in general, refers to the teeth and tissues located towards the front of the mouth.

apex: The tip or end of the root end of the tooth.

apexification: The process of induced root development to encourage the formation of a calcified barrier in a tooth with immature root formation or an open apex. May involve the placement of an artificial apical barrier prior to nonsurgical endodontic obturation.

apexogenesis: Vital pulp therapy performed to encourage continued physiological formation and development of the tooth root.

apicoectomy: Amputation of the apex of a tooth.

arch, dental: The curved composite structure of the natural dentition and the residual ridge, or the remains thereof, after the loss of some or all of the natural teeth.

arthrogram: A diagnostic X-ray technique used to view bone structures following injection of a contrast medium into a joint.

artificial crown: Restoration covering or replacing the major part, or the whole of the clinical crown of a tooth, or implant.

attachment: A mechanical device for the fixation, retention, and stabilization of a prosthesis (Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms, 9th Edition; ©2019 Academy of Prosthodontics).

avulsion: Separation of tooth from its socket due to trauma.

Content originally published by the American Dental Association.