MCAN Dental Glossary - Dental Treatment Vocabulary

A

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Attrition (Dental)

Attrition (dental) is the progressive loss of tooth structure resulting from direct tooth-to-tooth contact, typically occurring on the biting and...

Apexification

Apexification is an endodontic procedure that encourages formation of a hard tissue barrier at the tip (apex) of an immature...

Apex (Tooth)

The apex of a tooth is the very tip of the root where the nerve and blood supply enter the...

B

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Buccal

Buccal describes the surface or direction of a tooth that faces the cheek. It can refer to the buccal surface...

Bruxism

Bruxism is the involuntary grinding or clenching of the teeth, which may happen during sleep (sleep bruxism) or while awake...

Bridge (Dental)

A dental bridge is a fixed prosthesis used to replace one or more missing teeth by spanning the gap with...

C

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Curettage (Dental)

Curettage (Dental) is a periodontal procedure that involves scraping away diseased soft tissue from the walls of a periodontal pocket...

Crown Lengthening

Crown lengthening is a minor surgical procedure that reshapes the gum tissue and, in some cases, the underlying bone to...

Crossbite

A crossbite occurs when the upper teeth bite inside the lower teeth on one or both sides of the mouth...

D

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Dry Socket

Dry Socket, also known medically as alveolar osteitis, is a painful condition that can develop after a tooth extraction when...

Digital Smile Design

Digital Smile Design (DSD) is a digital workflow that combines photographs, videos, intraoral scans and specialised software to analyse facial...

Diastema

Diastema is the dental term for a space or gap between two teeth, most commonly seen between the upper central...

E

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Extraction (Tooth)

Extraction (Tooth) is the removal of a tooth from its socket in the jawbone. Extractions can be simple when the...

Evaluation (Dental)

A dental evaluation is a systematic assessment of the mouth and related structures to determine current oral health, identify problems...

Etching (Dental)

Etching (Dental) is a controlled technique that applies a mild acidic gel—typically phosphoric acid—to the tooth surface to create microscopic...

F

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Full Mouth Reconstruction

Full Mouth Reconstruction is a comprehensive, personalised treatment plan that aims to restore the health, function and appearance of most...

Frenectomy

A frenectomy is a minor surgical procedure to remove or release a frenum, which is a small band of tissue...

Fluoride Treatment

Fluoride treatment is a preventive dental procedure in which a concentrated fluoride agent is applied to the teeth to strengthen...

G

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Gum Recession

Gum recession is the gradual retreat of the gum margin away from the tooth, exposing the tooth root and creating...

GTR (Guided Tissue Regeneration)

GTR (Guided Tissue Regeneration) is a periodontal surgical procedure designed to encourage the regeneration of lost bone and supporting soft...

Graft (Gum or Bone)

A graft (gum or bone) is a surgical procedure in which tissue is placed to restore or strengthen the tissues...

H

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Hypersensitivity (Dentin)

Hypersensitivity (Dentin) is a common dental condition in which the dentin—the layer beneath the enamel—becomes exposed and transmits sensations to...

Hygienist (Dental)

A dental hygienist is a licensed clinical professional who specialises in preventive oral healthcare and the maintenance of healthy gums...

Hybrid Denture

A hybrid denture is a fixed, implant-supported dental prosthesis that replaces a full arch of missing teeth. It is typically...

I

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Intraoral Camera

An intraoral camera is a compact, hand-held device that captures high-resolution images of the inside of the mouth. The camera...

Interproximal

Interproximal describes the area or surfaces between adjacent teeth, commonly called the contacts or spaces where teeth touch. These interproximal...

Inlay

An inlay is a type of indirect dental restoration designed to repair damage or decay within the central chewing surface...

J

Jawbone

The jawbone includes the maxilla (upper jaw) and the mandible (lower jaw) and forms the bony framework that supports the...

K

Keratinized Gingiva

Keratinized gingiva is the band of firm, pink gum tissue that extends from the free gingival margin to the mucogingival...

L

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Luxation (Tooth)

Luxation (Tooth) describes an injury where a tooth has been pushed, loosened, or displaced within its socket by trauma. Types...

Local Infiltration (Dental)

Local Infiltration (Dental) is a type of local anaesthesia in which a small amount of anaesthetic is injected into the...

Lip Repositioning

Lip Repositioning is a surgical technique used to reduce a gummy smile by altering the attachment or movement of the...

M

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Myofunctional Therapy

Myofunctional therapy is a programme of targeted exercises and behavioural guidance designed to retrain the muscles of the mouth, face...

Mucosa (Oral)

The oral mucosa is the soft, moist lining of the mouth made up of an outer epithelial layer and an...

Molar

Molars are the large, flat teeth located at the back of the mouth designed primarily for grinding and breaking down...

N

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Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy

Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy is a conservative approach to treat gum disease (periodontal disease) without surgical intervention. It typically involves thorough...

Night Guard

A night guard is a removable dental appliance that fits over the teeth to create a barrier between the upper...

Nerve Block (Dental)

A Nerve Block (Dental) is a form of local anaesthesia in which an anaesthetic drug is injected close to a...

O

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Overjet

Overjet refers to the horizontal projection of the upper front teeth beyond the lower front teeth when the jaws are...

Overbite

An overbite is the vertical overlap of the upper front (incisor) teeth over the lower front teeth. A small amount...

Osteointegration

Osteointegration is the biological process in which living bone grows and bonds directly to the surface of a dental implant,...

P

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Pulpotomy

A pulpotomy is a conservative endodontic procedure that removes the inflamed or infected pulp tissue from the crown portion of...

Pulpitis

Pulpitis is the inflammation of the dental pulp, the soft tissue in the centre of a tooth that contains nerves...

Prosthesis (Dental)

A dental prosthesis is a medical device made to replace one or more missing teeth and the surrounding supporting tissues....

Q

Quint (Dental Arch Section)

A quint (dental arch section) is a method of dividing the dental arch into five distinct segments to help clinicians...

Quadrant (Dental)

In dentistry, a quadrant is one of the four anatomical sections of the mouth: upper right, upper left, lower right...

R

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Rubber Dam

A rubber dam is a thin, flexible sheet, typically made from latex or non-latex materials, that a dentist stretches over...

Root Planing

Root Planing is a non-surgical periodontal treatment that targets the surfaces of tooth roots beneath the gumline to remove plaque,...

Root Canal

A root canal is a common dental procedure used to treat the soft tissue (pulp) inside a tooth when it...

S

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Sutures (Dental)

Sutures (dental) are threads used by dentists and oral surgeons to bring soft tissues together after procedures such as tooth...

Sterilization (Dental)

Sterilization (Dental) describes the procedures used to remove or destroy all forms of microbial life on dental instruments, equipment and...

Soft Tissue Graft

A soft tissue graft is a periodontal surgical procedure that transplants or augments gum tissue to cover exposed tooth roots...

T

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Treatment Plan

A treatment plan is a personalised roadmap created by a dental professional after a clinical examination and any necessary investigations...

Tray (Impression)

A tray (impression) is a rigid or flexible device used by dental professionals to hold soft impression material against the...

Translucency (Tooth)

Translucency (Tooth) refers to the way light passes through a tooth’s enamel and dentine, producing depth, sheen and subtle colour...

U

Unerupted Tooth

An unerupted tooth is a tooth that remains below the gum line and has not broken through into the mouth...

Ultrasonic Scaler

An ultrasonic scaler is a powered dental instrument that uses high-frequency vibrations to dislodge and remove plaque, calculus (tartar) and...

V

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W

Wax-Up (Diagnostic)

A Wax-Up (Diagnostic) is a physical or digital model of a patient’s teeth in which wax or a digital simulation...