Dictionary of procedures
What the procedures you hear about at the practice actually involve. Explained briefly, without terms you then have to look up.
Implantology
- Abutment
The connecting piece between an implant and its crown.
- Bone graft
Adding bone material where the bone is too thin to hold an implant.
- CBCT scan
A three-dimensional X-ray of the teeth and bone, used especially to plan implants.
- Dental implant
A titanium screw placed in the bone, taking the place of a lost tooth's root and holding a crown.
- PRF (platelet-rich fibrin)
A concentrate made from your own blood, used to help healing after procedures.
- Sinus lift
Lifting the sinus membrane to make room for the bone an upper-jaw implant needs.
Orthodontics
- Clear aligners
A set of aligners worn in turn, each moving the teeth a little, without metal brackets.
- Fixed braces
Brackets bonded to the teeth and joined by a wire, aligning them over several months.
- Retainer
What you wear after treatment to stop the teeth moving back to where they were.
Cosmetic dentistry
- Composite filling
Rebuilding a decayed area with a tooth-coloured material in a single visit.
- Dental veneers
Thin ceramic shells bonded to the front of a tooth, changing its shape and colour.
- Professional whitening
Lightening the colour of the enamel with a gel applied at the practice or at home, under supervision.
Crowns and dentures
- Dental bridge
An artificial tooth held by the neighbouring teeth, filling the gap left by a missing one.
- Dental crown
A cap covering a damaged tooth, restoring its shape and its strength when chewing.
- Inlay and onlay
Lab-made pieces bonded into a tooth when a cavity is too large for a filling.
- Removable denture
A restoration that replaces several teeth or a whole arch and comes out of the mouth.
Gum treatment
- Bruxism
Grinding or clenching the teeth, usually at night, which wears the enamel over time.
- Gingivitis
Inflammation of the gums, with bleeding when brushing; it heals if treated in time.
- Gum recession
The gum pulling back from the tooth, leaving the root exposed and sensitive.
- Periodontitis
Gum disease that has reached the bone holding the teeth; treatment stops it, but lost bone doesn't come back.
- Scaling
Removing tartar from the teeth and below the gumline, which prevents gum inflammation.
General dentistry
- Dental microscope
A microscope that magnifies the working area, used especially for root canal treatment.
- Intraoral scanner
A small camera that takes a 3D digital impression of the teeth, with no impression paste.
- Local anaesthetic
Numbing an area of the mouth so treatment doesn't hurt, while you stay awake.
- Night guard
A tray worn at night that protects the teeth from grinding and clenching.
- Panoramic X-ray
A single image showing all the teeth, both jaws and the surrounding bone.
- Root canal treatment (endodontics)
Cleaning and sealing the canals in the root of a tooth whose nerve is inflamed or infected.
- Tooth decay
An area where bacteria have weakened the enamel and dentine; it doesn't heal on its own and grows over time.
- Tooth sensitivity
A short, sharp pain with cold, heat, sweetness or touch, when the dentine is exposed.
Emergencies
- Dental abscess
A pocket of pus caused by infection, painful and swollen, needing prompt treatment.
- Dry socket
Inflammation where a tooth was removed, when the clot has been lost; pain returns after two or three days.
- Tooth extraction
Removing a tooth that can no longer be saved, under local anaesthetic.