| Baby Teeth |
The first set of 20 teeth that you have. You lose them between the ages of 5 and 12. |
| Bonding |
The practice of attaching brackets to your teeth in orthodontics and of attaching resin or enamel-like compounds to your teeth in cosmetic dentistry. |
| Bridge |
Often used when one or more teeth are missing, a bridge consists of a replacement tooth that is attached to crowns on the adjacent teeth. The replacement tooth is shaped to fit the contours of its adjacent teeth, and the bridge is cemented to the teeth. |
| Canines |
The pointy and not prominent teeth next to the lateral incisors. They have one point and are also called cuspids. |
| Cavity |
A small hole in one of your teeth caused by tooth decay. |
| Cementum |
The bony substance that covers the root of your tooth. |
| Central Teeth |
The two upper and two lower teeth that are located in the center of your mouth. |
| Crossbite |
This condition occurs when some of your upper teeth improperly overlap your lower teeth when you bite down. |
| Crowding |
A term for having too many teeth in too small of a space in your mouth. |
| Crown |
The part of your tooth above the gum; also a type of dental restoration. |
| Cuspid |
The pointy teeth next to the lateral teeth. They have one point and are also called canines. |
| Dentin |
The second layer of a tooth that supports the enamel. It is a yellow bony material that contains some of the tooth’s nerve fibers. |
| Dentures |
A synthetic set of teeth that replace all your upper and/or lower teeth. |
| Enamel |
A natural, hard ceramic-compound that covers the exposed part of your teeth. It protects the tooth from the wear and tear of chewing. |
| First Bicuspid |
The teeth just behind the cuspids. Each bicuspid has two cusps or points. They are also know as premolars. |
| Gum |
The pink tissue around your teeth. |
| Implant
| A method for replacing a missing tooth. The implant is attached permanently to your jaw. |
| Incisor |
Another name for the central and lateral teeth in your mouth. |
| Lateral Teeth |
The upper and lower teeth adjacent to your central teeth. |
| Malocclusion |
The dental term for poor positioning of your teeth. |
| Occlusion |
The dental term for proper alignment and spacing of your teeth when you bite down or "occlude." |
| Open Bite |
A condition in which the teeth don’t close or come together in the front, side or back of your mouth.
|
| Orthodontics |
Treatment to straighten teeth and correct bites. |
| Orthodontist |
A dentist specially trained to realign teeth and jaws. |
| Primary Teeth |
The first set of teeth that come in. They are also called your baby
teeth. |
| Pulp |
The soft inner structure of a tooth. It consists of nerves and blood vessels. |
| Root |
The lower part of your teeth that is in your gums. |
| Second Bicuspid |
The teeth just behind the first bicuspids. Each bicuspid has two cusps or points. |
| Secondary Teeth |
Your permanent teeth. |
| Skeletal Abnormality |
A genetic disposition where the upper and lower jaws don’t fit together because of size discrepancies. |
| Spacing |
A condition where gaps between teeth are too large or too small and require orthodontic correction. |
| TMJ |
Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome occurs when patients experience pain, clicking or popping in the jaw joint in front of each ear. |
| Underbite |
The lower teeth overlap the upper teeth; not considered within normal range of occlusion. |
| Veneers |
The latest development in porcelain dentistry, veneers are made of porcelain and bonded to your teeth for a natural looking smile. |
| Wisdom Teeth |
The third set of molars at the very back of your mouth. |
