Glossary | Steinbicker Family Dentistry • Mebane, NC

Dentists in Mebane at Steinbicker Family Dentistry review some of the commonly used terms in dental care. Our glossary of dental terms includes a lot of the dental services provided at Steinbicker Family Dentistry.

Letter A of our dental glossary

Abrasion

The first word in our glossary is abrasion. An abrasion is a dental term that represents the loss of tooth structure due to incorrect toothbrushing with a manual or electric toothbrush or grinding teeth together.

An abscess (i.e., tooth infection)

Infection associated with a tooth due to periodontal disease or tooth decay.

Abutment

An abutment is a dental term used to describe a titanium material that connects the crown on the implant to the implant itself.

Abutment crown (i.e., a crown that goes on an implant abutment)

An abutment crown is a dental crown that fits on a dental abutment.

Adhesive (i.e., dental bonding)

A dental adhesive is glue or bonding that holds a white filling to a tooth.

Acid etching (i.e., phosphoric acid)

A Mebane or Burlington dentist etches the dentin of a tooth before applying adhesive. Etch increases the surface area on a tooth to help increase tooth to filling bond strength.

An acute periradicular abscess (i.e., tooth infection)

An infection at the tip of a tooth root often associated with a fractured tooth or cavity.

Adult dentition (i.e., permanent teeth)

The teeth that erupt and take the place of the baby or deciduous teeth.

Amalgam (i.e., alloy filling)

Amalgam or silver fillings are a mixture of metals used to fill teeth that have tooth decay. An alternative to an alloy filling is a white filling.

Alloy filling

Often used as another word for an amalgam filling.

Anesthesia (i.e., anesthetic)

Anesthesia refers to patients put to sleep for specific dental procedures.

Anterior

Anterior refers to the location of the teeth, located towards the front of the mouth.

Apicoectomy (i.e., apical endodontic surgery)

An apicoectomy is a procedure that involves removing the tip of a tooth to eliminate a periradicular abscess. Our dentists often perform an apicoectomy as a dental emergency if a patient is in pain.

Arch

A dental arch refers to the two arches on the mandible and maxillae that make up the dentition.k

Assistant

A dental assistant helps dentists during operative produces in the dental office.

Avulsion

Tooth avulsion is when a tooth comes out of the mouth often due to trauma.

Letter B of our glossary

Benco Dental

A dental supply company offering products such as filling material made by 3M.

Benign (i.e., non-malignant)

As opposed to malignant, benign indicates a non-cancerous lesion.

Bicuspid

Bicuspids, or premolars, have two cusps and include teeth numbers 4, 5, 12, 13, 20, 21, 28, and 29.

Bilateral

Bilateral occurs on both sides of the dentition.

Biopsy (i.e., pathology)

A biopsy is a piece of tissue removed from the mouth to be examined by a pathologist.

Bitewing radiograph (i.e., x-ray)

A bitewing radiograph is an x-ray taken of the top and bottom teeth. The x-ray shows the crown of both the mandibular and maxillary teeth.

Bonding (i.e., adhesive)

Bonding involves using an adhesive to bond a tooth and filling together.

Bridge (i.e., fixed prosthodontics)

A dental bridge is three or more crown connected to replace a missing tooth.

Bruxism

Bruxism is grinding teeth together. Patients that grind their teeth should consider protecting them with a mouthguard.

Letter C of our glossary

Calculus

Calculus or tartar occurs from the buildup of plaque. The accumulation of tartar increases the chance of periodontal disease or bone loss.

Canal

A canal is an area of a tooth that contains its nerve and vasculature.

Canine

A canine tooth is used to tear into food.

Caries (i.e., tooth decay)

Dental caries is a cavity or tooth decay.

Cast (i.e., dental stone)

A dental cast is a stone reproduction of your teeth. A dentist assistant (i.e., Ashley Moore, DA II and Bailey Burr, DA II) takes an impression which is poured up in dental stone to make the cast.

Cavity

A cavity is a hole in a tooth caused by dental or tooth decay.

Cement

Dentists apply dental adhesive to the inside of a crown or bridge to bond it to a tooth or teeth.

Cementum (i.e., root surface)

Cementum is the calcified surface covering the root of a tooth.

Cleft palate

Cleft palate occurs when the palate does not form ultimately, leaving a gap or hole in the roof of the mouth.

Composite (i.e., white fillings)

A resin material used for a white filling to fill a tooth that had tooth decay.

Comprehensive oral evaluation (i.e., diagnostics)

A thorough examination of a patients oral health.

Cosmetic dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry involves a branch of dental care involving the esthetics of teeth. Some examples of cosmetic dentistry include teeth whitening and veneers.

Crown (i.e., dental cap)

A dental crown is a covering that goes over a tooth. Dentists place crowns on teeth with root canals or large fillings, so a tooth does not break.

Crown lengthening

Crown lengthening involves removing bone around a tooth so that the clinical crown of the tooth increases. This increase allows more retention for crowns on patients with short teeth.

Cusp

A cusp is a pointed structure on the top surface of a tooth. A bicuspid has two cusps.

Letter D of our dental glossary

Debridement (i.e., full mouth debridement)

A debridement is removing the majority of tarter of patients teeth.

Decay

Tooth decay results from bacteria in plaque creating cavities or holes in teeth due to acid.

Deciduous (i.e., baby teeth)

Deciduous teeth are baby teeth that the body exfoliates or loses once permanent or adult teeth erupt.

Dental prophylaxis (i.e., dental cleaning)

A dental prophylaxis is a tooth cleaning by a dental hygienist (i.e., Amber, Lindsay, Kim, Amanda, Mariola, Ginny)

Dental prosthesis (i.e., dental appliance)

A dental prosthetic is a device that fits inside the mouth and is often worn to replace missing teeth.

Dentin

A hard type of tissue below the enamel and next to the pulp of a tooth.

Dentistry

The science and study of teeth and the oral cavity; in particular, the repair of teeth, gums, and tissues in the mouth.

Dentition

The dentition of a patient is their teeth and can include both permanent and deciduous teeth.

DDS (i.e., doctor of dental surgery)

DDS (i.e., Dr. Steinbicker and Dr. Patel stands for doctor of dental surgery and is the degree dentists receive after graduating dental school. Allow our dentists to give you a tour of our dental office in Burlington and Mebane. Read more about why you should choose our dental office for treatment.

DMD (i.e., doctor of medicine in dentistry)

DMD stands for doctor of medicine in dentistry and is the degree some dentists receive after graduating dental school.

Denture (i.e., dental prosthesis)

A denture is a dental prosthesis that fits inside the mouth and replaces missing teeth. Medicaid often pays for dentures every five years. Patients that speak Spanish can talk to one of our dental translators about their dental needs.

Diastema

A diastema is a space between the front teeth.

Direct restoration

A direct restoration is a filling that restores a cavity or hole in a tooth.

Dry mouth (i.e., xerostomia)

Xerostomia (i.e., dry mouth) occurs due to certain diseases, conditions, or medications.

Dry socket

A dry socket occurs after tooth extraction. If the area does not clot correctly, a patient develops a dry socket. Dry sockets can be painful.

Letter E of our dental glossary

Edentulous

An edentulous patient is someone missing all of their teeth. Patients missing all of their teeth have several options to replace them, including implants and dentures. A hybrid prosthesis (i.e., the combination of a denture and implants) is a third option.

Enamel

The hard surface of the crown of a tooth. Tooth decay forms a hole in the enamel of a tooth.

Endodontist (i.e., a specialist in endodontics)

An endodontist is a dental specialist that performs root canals and other endodontic procedures.

Erosion

Erosion is the removal of tooth structure by chemicals. For example, a patient that has a history of sucking on acidic fruit can erode their tooth structure.

Etch

Etch is an acid used to create a porous surface on the tooth to provide physical retention of fillings and sealants.

Excision

An excision is a cut made in the tissue. Dentists that perform biopsies must excise tissue.

Extraoral

Extraoral involves anything outside of the mouth.

Letter F of our dental terms

A fixed partial denture (i.e., bridge)

A bridge or fixed partial denture is crowns put together to replace a missing tooth or teeth.

Flipper

A flipper is a term used to describe a removable dental appliance that replaces teeth.

Fracture

A tooth fracture is a crack or split in a tooth. Often, teeth with fractures need extraction.

Full Mouth X-rays

Dental patients often get full mouth radiographs or x-rays periodically. These x-rays offer a complete view of the mouth and all of the teeth.

Letter G of our dental dictionary

Gingiva

The gingiva is the tissue surrounding the bone and roots of teeth.

Gingivitis (i.e., gum inflammation)

Gingivitis is the beginning stage of periodontal disease where gums become red and inflamed.

Gingivectomy

This procedure involves removing a piece of excess tissue in the mouth.

Graft

A graft involves transferring some form of tissue from one area to another. For example, patients with recession (i.e., reduction of gums on root surfaces) can get a tissue graft to restore their gums.

Gums

Your gums are the soft tissue surrounding your teeth. It’s important to keep your gums healthy so that your teeth don’t become loose.

Letter H of dental terms

Hygienist

A dental hygienist (i.e., Kim Petrides, RDH) helps teach patients good oral hygiene and perform procedures such as teeth cleanings.

Letter I of dental terms

Immediate denture

An immediate denture is a full denture that a dentist delivers to a patient right after the dentists extracts a patient’s teeth. Dentists at Steinbicker Family Dentistry provide immediate dentures in patients without delay, so they do not have to go without missing teeth.

Impacted tooth

An impacted tooth is a tooth which is covered by tissue or bone.

Implant (i.e., dental implant)

A dental implant is a titanium screw that goes into the bone of the mandible or maxilla. An abutment screws into an abutment and a dental crown cement onto the abutment. Dental patients can chew with dental implants just like their healthy teeth.

Interproximal

Interproximal refers to anything in between the teeth. Dental patients can have tooth decay in between the teeth, for instance. Dentists with tooth decay between the teeth have interproximal decay.

Insurance

Dental insurance is provided by employers or can be purchased privately. It helps pay for dental procedures.

Intraoral

Intraoral involves anything inside the mouth. Our Mebane and Burlington dentists take intraoral pictures, for example. An intraoral image is a picture taken of a tooth inside the mouth.

Letter J of our dental glossary

Jaw

Dental patients have an upper (i.e., maxillary) and lower jaw (i.e., mandible).

Letter L of our dental dictionary

Labial

Labial refers to the direction of something in the mouth towards the lip.

Lesion

A lesion can describe tooth decay or piece of tissue with significant pathology.

Lingual

The lingual surface of a tooth is that towards the tongue or back surface of a tooth.

Local anesthesia (i.e., lidocaine and mepivacaine)

Medicine used to numb a patients mouth, so they do not feel pain during dental procedures.

Letter M of our dental terms

Malignant

A malignant lesion is that which is cancerous or non-benign.

Malocclusion

Patients with crowding have malocclusion which can be fixed by an orthodontist.

Mandible

The lower jaw in the mouth is the mandible. It holds the lower teeth including teeth numbers 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32.

Maxilla

The maxilla is another word for the upper jaw.

Mesial

The mesial surface of a tooth is that surface which is closest to the midline interproximally.

Molar

A molar is a back (i.e., posterior) tooth used for chewing.

Mouthguard (i.e., mouthpiece)

A mouthguard is worn by patients that might damage their teeth from playing contact sports like football or soccer.

Letter N of our dental glossary

Nightguard (i.e., mouthguard)

Our Mebane and Burlington dentists recommend nightguards for dental patients with bruxism.

Letter O of our dental glossary

Occlusal

The occlusal surface of a tooth is the top surface of a molar or bicuspid.

Oral

The oral cavity is another word for mouth.

Orthodontist

A specialist in the movement of teeth. Our office performs Invisalign, a form of orthodontics.

Overdenture

An overdenture is a denture that rests on implants or teeth to help the prosthesis stay in the mouth.

Letter P of our dental glossary

Palate

The palate is another word for the roof of the mouth. A full upper denture rests on the palate and relies on suction to stay in the mouth.

Partial denture

A removable appliance or denture that replaces missing teeth.

Pediatric dentist (i.e., a specialist in children’s dental care)

A pediatric dentist performs dental procedures on children.

Periodontal abscess

A periodontal abscess is an infection in the periodontium of the oral cavity.

Periodontal disease

Bone loss due to infection around the bones and gums of the teeth.

Periodontitis

Periodontitis is a dental disease that involves bone loss of the mandible and maxilla. Dental patients with periodontal disease can lose their teeth since their teeth become loose. Patients with bone loss also have a difficult time keeping dentures in their mouth.

Pontic

A pontic is a false tooth that connects a two retainer dental crowns. In other words, it is the material of a bridge between the adjacent teeth.

Plaque

Dental plaque is a sticky substance made up of bacteria that cause tooth decay.

Pulp (i.e., tooth nerves and vasculature)

The dental pulp is the nerves and vasculature that are inside the crown and root of a tooth.

Pulpectomy (i.e., pulpal debridement)

A pulpectomy is an endodontics procedure that involves removing the pulp of a tooth and placing a sedative filling. A Mebane or Burlington dentist places the sedative filling so that the patient does not experience pain in the tooth after the debridement.

Letter R of our dental glossary

Receptionist

A dental receptionist is part of our office’s front desk administration team. These persons (i.e., Bailey Gregory, DA II) will help you with your appointment, financing and helping you understand your insurance.

Radiograph

A radiograph also called an x-ray detects tooth decay in a patient’s mouth.

Reline

A reline involves using an acrylic material to fill in any space between a patient’s tissues and denture. Dentists perform denture relines on patients that have loose fitting dentures.

Root

The root is a portion of the tooth that is below the gums and surrounded by bone. The tooth root anchors the tooth in the mouth. Patients with periodontal disease lose bone, and the roots of teeth become loose. Some dental patients fracture the tooth root through trauma. Typically, teeth that have fractures need extraction since they cannot be saved.

Root canal (i.e., endodontics)

A root canal is a procedure performed by a dentist that involves removing the nerves and vasculature in the root of a tooth. After a Mebane or Burlington dentist at Steinbicker Family Dentistry removes the nerves and vasculature, gutta-percha (i.e., a rubber) fills the canals.

Letter S of our dental glossary

Scaling

Scaling or deep cleaning involves debriding teeth and root surfaces of calculus (i.e., tartar). Patients with periodontal disease receive scaling and root planing to help prevent or slow the process of bone loss.

Sealants

Dental sealants are a resin material that flows into the grooves, pits, and fissures of teeth. Sealants help prevent tooth decay by keeping plaque and food out of ruts on the teeth. Dentists seal teeth when they first erupt. First molars usually erupt around age six and second molars typically erupt around age twelve.

Sedative filling

A sedative filling is a temporary filling meant to soothe a tooth during a duration to figure out if the tooth is vital or not.

Space Maintainer

A space maintainer is an appliance often placed on children and adolescents to hold the space of a tooth that has not erupted.

Submandibular glands

These glands produce saliva which help fight bacteria that cause tooth decay. Dental patients with radiation to the head and neck might have a reduction in saliva flow from damage to submandibular glands.

Suture (i.e., stitch)

A dental suture is a resorbable thread used to hold tissue together (i.e., primary closure) after a surgical procedure such as a tooth extraction.

Letter T of our dental glossary

Teeth cleaning (i.e., dental prophylaxis)

Our Mebane and Burlington dental hygienists recommend patients get their teeth cleaned a minimum of every six months. A teeth cleaning (i.e., preventive dental care) involves using dental instruments to clean plaque and tartar off teeth. After removing plaque and tartar, hygienists polish teeth with prophy paste.

Teeth whitening (i.e., bleaching)

Dental patients get their teeth whitened to make them whiter. Teeth bleaching is a form of cosmetic dentistry. Teeth whitening works for dental patients that have extrinsic staining (i.e., staining on the outside of teeth). Patients with intrinsic staining like tetracycline staining need veneers if they want to make their teeth more white.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ)

A patient’s TMJ or temporomandibular joint is the hinge joint between the temporal bone and lower jaw (i.e., mandible).

Torus (i.e., tori)

A tori is a bony protrusion that occurs in the mouth. These areas of extra bone can occur on the mandible, maxilla, and palate.

Treatment plan

A dental treatment plan is a series of steps our Mebane and Burlington dentists recommend to bring your mouth to a healthy state. A treatment plan can include restoring tooth decay, treating periodontal disease, and cosmetic dentistry. Steinbicker Family Dentistry recommends patients undergo a control phase first which includes getting active disease and infection under control. Make an appointment today with one of our dental insurance coordinators today to develop a treatment plan.

Letter Q of our dental glossary

Quadrant

A tooth quadrant is a quarter of the teeth in the mouth. Dentists divide the teeth into four quadrants which include the upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right.

Letter U of our dental glossary

Unerupted

An unerupted tooth is one that is impacted. This type of tooth can be left alone, or sometimes moved in place through orthodontics.

Letter V of our dental glossary

Veneer (i.e., porcelain veneers)

A veneer is a material made of porcelain or composite (i.e., resin) that covers the front of a tooth. Veneers can cover extrinsic stains like fluorosis and tetracycline staining.

Letter X of our dental glossary

Xerostomia (i.e., dry mouth)

Dry mouth or xerostomia occurs from some conditions such as Sjogren’s syndrome. Other reasons for xerostomia are medications like high blood pressure, seizure, and pain medication. Since saliva has enzymes that destroy bacteria causing tooth decay, patients with dry mouth are prone to cavities.

X-ray (i.e., radiograph)

Radiographs or x-rays are a form of dental imaging used to diagnose tooth decay in the mouth. Some of the types of x-rays that exist include periapical images, panoramic, and bitewings.