Common Dental Terms

Your dentist said you need a bridge. And he’s not talking about the kind that goes over a road.

To help you better understand this and other common dental terms, ImmediaDent offers the following.

Bridge: Several crowns attached together to replace the lost teeth. The dentist makes an impression of the missing teeth and sends that to a dental lab for custom design and fabrication. The dentist then permanently places the bridge in your mouth.

Crown: A protective covering for a broken tooth or large, damaged filling. The dentist reshapes the tooth, makes an impression of the tooth and sends that to a dental lab for custom design and fabrication. The dentist then permanently places the crown in your mouth.

Direct filling: This type of filling can be done during one appointment and is either silver or matched to the enamel of the surrounding teeth.

Full dentures: Used to replace all the natural teeth on the upper or lower jaw.

Gingivitis: A localized bacterial infection around the teeth and gums. With proper cleaning and maintenance, your gums can return to a normal, healthy state.

Indirect filling: This filling is gold, porcelain or resin composite and must be made in a dental laboratory. Typically, it takes two appointments for this filling.

Oral surgery: Primarily a procedure in which a tooth is removed from the jaw.

Partial dentures: Used to replace missing teeth when some of the natural teeth are still present.

Periodontics: This deals with the gum tissue, gums and supporting tissues on the teeth and jaw.

Periodontitis: This is a more advanced gum disease caused by bacterial infection or trauma that is identified by the loss of some supporting bone around the tooth in a localized or general manner. An ImmediaDent dentist must treat this condition. If treatment is not received, eventual tooth loss may occur.

Plaque: A sticky, colorless deposit of material that is constantly forming on the tooth surface. It consists of the accumulation of bacteria and food debris that forms at the base of the teeth and gums. This needs to be removed each day through proper brushing and flossing.