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| GLOSSARY |
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Glossary
A Amalgam - Material made from mercury and other alloy mixtures used to restore a drilled portion of a tooth. Anesthesia - Medications used to relieve pain. Anterior teeth - Front teeth. Also called incisors and cuspids. Appliance - anything your orthodontist attaches to your teeth which moves your teeth or changes the shape of your jaw. Arch - The upper or lower jaw. Archwire - the metal wire that acts as a track to guide your teeth along as they move. It is changed periodically throughout treatment as your teeth move into their new positions. back to top B Baby bottle tooth decay - Caused by sugary substances in breast milk and some juices, which combine with saliva to form pools inside the baby's mouth. Band - A metal ring that is cemented to your tooth, going completely around it. Bands provide a way to attach brackets to your teeth. Bicuspids -Back teeth used for chewing. Bitewings - X-rays that help a dentist diagnose cavities. Bond - the seal created by orthodontic cement that holds your appliances in place. Bonding - the process of attaching brackets to your teeth using special orthodontic cement. Bracket - A metal or ceramic part cemented (“bonded”) to your tooth that holds your archwire in place. Bridge - A fixed or removable appliance that replaces lost teeth. Bruxism - Teeth grinding. back to top C Calculus - A sticky substance (also called tartar) that has hardened. Canal - The narrow chamber inside the tooth's root. Canines - Also called cuspids. Canker sore - One that occurs on the delicate tissues inside your mouth. A canker sore is usually light-colored at its base and can have a red exterior border. Caries - Another term for decay, which causes cavities. Cephalmoetic X-Ray - An x-ray of your head which shows the relative positions and growth of the face, jaws, and teeth. Cold sore - Usually occurs on the outside of the mouth, usually on or near the nose or lips. A cold sore is contagious because it is caused by the herpes simplex virus, and it is usually painful and filled with fluid. Coll Spring - A spring that fits between your brackets and over your archwire to open space between your teeth. Composite filling - Tooth colored restorations, also known as resin fillings. Composite resin - A tooth-colored resin combined with silica or porcelain and used as a restoration material. Consultation - A meeting with your orthodontist to discuss a treatment plan. Contouring - The process of reshaping teeth. Crown - An artificial cover that is placed on the top of a tooth following restoration. Cusps - The pointed parts on top of the back teeth's chewing surface. Cuspids - Front teeth that typically have a protruding edge. back to top D Debanding - The process of removing cemented orthodontic bands from your teeth. Debonding - The process of removing cemented orthodontic brackets from your teeth. Dentin - The tooth layer underneath the enamel. Denture - A removable set of teeth. back to top E Elastic (Rubber Band) - A small rubber band that is hooked between different points on your appliance to provide pressure to move your teeth to their new position. Elastic Tie - The tiny rubber band that fits around your bracket to hold the archwire in place. They come in a variety of colors. Endodontics - A form of dentistry that addresses problems affecting the tooth's root or nerve. back to top F Fluoride - A naturally occurring substance added to water, toothpastes and some rinses and used for strengthening the tooth's enamel. Fluorosis - A harmless over-exposure to fluoride and resulting sometimes in tooth discoloration. back to top G Gingiva - Another word for gum tissue. Gingivitis - A minor disease of the gums caused by plaque. Gum disease - An infection of the gum tissues. Also called periodontal disease. back to top H Headgear - Headgear uses an external wire apparatus known as a facebow to gently guide the growth of your face and jaw by moving your teeth into proper position. The force is applied to the facebow by a spring-loaded neck strap or head strap. The straps have a safety release that disconnects if the facebow is pulled or snagged. Headgear Tube - A round, hollow attachment on your back bands. The inner bow of your headgear fits into it. Hook - a welded or removable arm to which elastics are attached. back to top I Impacted teeth - A condition in which a tooth fails to erupt or only partially erupts. Implant - A permanent appliance used to replace a missing tooth. Impressions - The process of making a model of your teeth by biting into a soft material that hardnes into a mold of your teeth. Your orthodontist will use these impressions to prepare your treatment plan. Incisor - Front teeth with cutting edges; located in the center or on the sides near the front. Inlay - An artificial filling made of various materials, including porcelain, resin, or gold. Invisalign - An alternative to traditional braces, Invisalign straightens your teeth with a series of clear custom-molded aligners. Invisalign can correct some, but not all, orthodontic problems. back to top L Laminate veneer - A shell that is bonded to the enamel of a front tooth. The shell is usually thin and made from porcelain resin. Laser - Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. A single wavelength beam of highly concentrated energy. Ligature Ligation - The process of attaching an archwire to the brackets of your teeth. Lip Bumper - A lip bumper is an archwire attached to a molded piece of plastic. The lip bumper holds back the molars on your lower jaw to provide more space for your other teeth. back to top M Malocclusion - Bad bite relationship. Mandible - The lower jaw. Maxilla - The upper jaw. Molar - Usually the largest teeth, near the rear of the mouth. Molars have large chewing surfaces. Mouthguard - a device that protects your mouth from injury when you participate in sports or rigorous activities. back to top N Neuromuscular Dentistry - are more than the aches and pains felt in around the neck and head that are associated with your teeth and jaw. back to top O Onlay - A filling designed to protect the chewing surface of a tooth. Orthodontics - A field of dentistry that deals with tooth and jaw alignment. Overdenture - A non-fixed dental appliance applied to a small number of natural teeth or implants. back to top P Palate - Roof of the mouth. Palatal Expander - a device that makes your upper jaw wider. Panoramic X-ray - An x-ray that rotates around your head to take pictures of your teeth, jaw, and other facial areas. Partial denture - A removable appliance that replaces teeth. Also called a bridge. Pedodontics - A field of dentistry that deals with children's teeth. Perio pocket - An opening formed by receding gums. Periodontal disease - Infection of the gum tissues. Also called gum disease. Periodontist - A dentist who treats diseases of the gums. Permanent teeth - The teeth that erupt after primary teeth. Also called adult teeth. Plaque - A sticky, colorless substance that covers the teeth after sleep or periods between brushing. Posterior teeth - The bicuspids and molars. Also called the back teeth. Primary teeth - A person's first set of teeth. Also called baby teeth or temporary teeth. Prophylaxis - The act of cleaning the teeth. Prosthodontics - The field of dentistry that deals with artificial dental appliances. Pulp - The inner tissues of the tooth containing blood, nerves and connective tissue. back to top R Receding gum - A condition in which the gums separate from the tooth, allowing bacteria and other substances to attack the tooth's enamel and surrounding bone. Resin filling - An artificial filling used to restore teeth. Also called a composite filling. Retainer - an appliance that is worn after your braces are removed, the retainer attaches to your upper and/or lower teeth to hold them in place. Some retainers are removable, while others are bonded to the tongue-side of several teeth. Root canal - A procedure in which a tooth's nerve is removed and an inner canal cleansed and later filled. Root planing - Scraping or cleansing of teeth to remove heavy buildup of tartar below the gum line. back to top S Sealant - A synthetic material placed on the tooth's surface that protects the enamel and chewing surfaces. Separator or Spacer - A small rubber ring that creates space between your teeth before the bands are attached. back to top T TMJ - Temporomandibular joint disorder. Health problems related to the jaw joint just in front of the ear. Tarter - A hardened substance (also called calculus) that sticks to the tooth's surface. Tie Wire - A fine wire that is twisted around your bracket to hold the archwire in place. back to top V Veneer - A laminate applied or bonded to the tooth. back to top W Wax - Wax is used to stop your braces from irritiating your lips. Whitening - A process that employs special bleaching agents for restoring the color of teeth. Wisdom tooth - Third set of molars that erupt last in adolescence. back to top |
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