Glossary of Dental Terms

  • Aligners

  • Aligner Seating

  • Aligner Back Tracking

  • Aligner Seating Tool

  • Aligner Wear-time Seating

  • Anterior

  • Appliances

  • Arch

  • Attachments

  • Bite

  • Bruxism

  • Buccal teeth area

  • Class I Malocclusion

  • Class II Malocclusion

  • Class III Malocclusion

  • Clear Aligner Power Chain

  • Clear Aligners

  • Closed Bite/Deep Bite

  • Comprehensive Treatment

  • Cone Beam CT/CBCT

  • Congenitally Missing Teeth

  • Craze Lines

  • Crossbite

  • Crown

  • Decalcification

  • Dentist

  • Dental Patient Compliance

  • Diagnostic Records

  • Ectopic Eruption

  • Elastics

  • Enamel

  • (Teeth) Eruption

  • Essix Retainer

  • (Palate) Expander

  • (Teeth) Extraction

  • Extraoral Photographs

  • Facebow

  • Facial Teeth Area

  • Fiberotomy

  • Fixed (Dental) Appliances

  • Flossing

  • Forsus Spring

  • Frenum

  • Hawley Retainer

  • Interproximal reduction (IPR)

  • Labial teeth area

  • Orofacial myofunctional therapy

  • Overbite

  • Peridontal Ligaments

  • suction tips

  • Aligners

    Clear, thin, removable trays that are formed to fit an individual’s teeth and are used to straighten teeth. Patients are responsible for insertion and removal.

  • Aligner Seating

    Proper aligner seating increases the likelihood that the pre-programmed force systems (basically what is built into your aligners and designed to move your teeth) are delivered as accurately and efficiently as possible. Seating aligners properly helps orthodontic treatment progress more predictably.

  • Aligner Back Tracking

    Aligner backtracking is when a patient must wear the previous aligners longer than originally planned. Often, when the teeth have gone off track, they need some additional time in a previous aligner/step to move fully into position. Backtracking gives the teeth the time that they need to get back on track with intended treatment.

  • Aligner Seating Tool

    When used properly, an aligner seatering tool will help to close any air gaps between your teeth and your aligners, improving the fit of the aligners, and, like the name implies, ensure proper seating (see aligner seating).

  • Aligner Wear-time Seating

    hours per day that is indicated by a dental professional for proper use and best treatment results. Usually 20-22 hours/day

  • Anterior

    Front

  • Appliances

    Any device used by an orthodontist, attached to the teeth or removable, designed to move the teeth, change the position of the jaw, or hold the teeth.

  • Arch

    Upper or lower jaw. The “dental arch.”

  • Attachments

    The tooth-colored “bumps” are placed on teeth during clear aligner treatment. They help move the teeth while a patient wears aligners. They are removed once treatment is complete.

  • Bite

    How top and bottom teeth come together. Ideally, each tooth meets its opposite tooth in a way that promotes functions such as biting, chewing and speaking. A bad bite is called a malocclusion. The goal of orthodontic treatment is to create an individualized healthy bite (ability to bite, chew, speak). Additionally, when teeth and jaws are in proper positions, it creates a pleasing appearance.

  • Bruxism

    Grinding of the teeth, usually during sleep. Bruxism can cause abnormal tooth wear and may lead to pain in the jaw joints, facial and/or neck muscles and difficulty opening and closing the mouth.

  • Buccal teeth area

    The tooth surfaces that lie towards the cheeks.

  • Class I Malocclusion

    A malocclusion in which the back molars meet properly, but the front teeth may appear to be crowded together or spaced apart. There may be an overbite, an openbite, a posterior (back) crossbite or an anterior (front) crossbite with a Class I Malocclusion.

  • Class II Malocclusion

    A malocclusion the lower teeth and/or jaw is positioned back relative to the upper teeth and/or jaw. This results the upper front teeth protruding forward.

  • Class III Malocclusion

    A malocclusion where the lower teeth and/or jaw is positioned ahead relative to the upper teeth and/or jaw.

  • Clear Aligner Power Chain

    "A ""power chain"" is traditionally a piece of elastic that wraps around metal braces and pulls the teeth closer together. Clear Aligner Power Chain is digital, and designed to tighten the contacts between teeth with the use of clear aligners. "

  • Clear Aligners

    Clear, thin, removable trays that are formed to fit an individual’s teeth and are used to straighten teeth. Patients are responsible for insertion and removal.

  • Closed Bite/Deep Bite

    Also known as deep overbite, this occurs when the upper front teeth overlap the bottom front teeth an excessive amount.

  • Comprehensive Treatment

    Complete orthodontic treatment is performed to correct a malocclusion.

  • Cone Beam CT/CBCT

    A 3D x-ray.

  • Congenitally Missing Teeth

    A genetic occurrence in which permanent teeth do not develop.

  • Craze Lines

    Craze lines are usually surface cracks on the teeth. Many years of chewing food and putting pressure on teeth eventually add up, causing craze lines to form. That's why people often notice them as they approach middle or older age. In addition to wear and tear, other causes of craze lines include: teeth grinding.

  • Crossbite

    Upper back teeth are in crossbite if they erupt and contact inside or outside of the lower back teeth. Lower front teeth are in crossbite if they erupt in front of the upper front teeth. A crossbite can be a single tooth or groups of teeth.

  • Crown

    The part of the tooth that is visible above the gums; OR, A tooth restoration placed by a dentist. A crown restoration covers a tooth that may have had severe decay, was badly discolored, or was broken or otherwise misshapen. The crown covers the entire tooth and functions as a replacement for the natural tooth. Crowns placed by dentists can last for many years, but they are not permanent.

  • Decalcification

    White marks on the teeth that can become cavities in the future. They are caused by poor brushing, and the consumption of sugary and acidic drinks.

  • Dentist

    Practicing general dentists are healthcare professionals concerned with overall oral health. Dentists diagnose oral diseases, treat decayed teeth (fillings) and remove failed teeth (extractions). They usually provide services such as crowns, veneers or bonding to improve the appearance and function of teeth that have extensive decay, or are misshapen or broken. Dentists look for abnormalities in the mouth and teach patients how to prevent dental disease.

  • Dental Patient Compliance

    Following, or acting in accordance with instructions, rules or direction associated with a particular dental treatment

  • Diagnostic Records

    The materials and information that the orthodontist needs to properly diagnose a malocclusion and plan a patient’s treatment. Diagnostic records may include a thorough patient health history, a visual examination of the teeth and supporting structures, an electronic scan or plaster models of the teeth, extraoral and intraoral photographs, as well as a panoramic and cephalometric x-rays.

  • Ectopic Eruption

    Term used to describe a tooth or teeth that erupt in an abnormal position.

  • Elastics

    "Rubber bands. During certain stages of treatment, small elastics or rubber bands are worn to provide individual tooth movement or jaw alignment. "

  • Enamel

    The hard, white outer layer of a tooth, and the hardest substance in the human body. Enamel makes it possible to bite and chew. If enamel breaks away from a tooth, or is worn away due to abnormal forces generated by a bad bite (or malocclusion), it is gone forever. Enamel does not regenerate.

  • (Teeth) Eruption

    The process by which teeth enter into the mouth.

  • Essix Retainer

    A removable retainer made of a clear, plastic-like material.

  • (Palate) Expander

    An orthodontic appliance that can widen the jaws.

  • (Teeth) Extraction

    The removal of a tooth.

  • Extraoral Photographs

    Photographs taken of the face from the front and side views.

  • Facebow

    An orthodontic appliance worn with orthodontic headgear, used primarily to move the upper first molars back, creating room for crowded or protrusive front teeth. The facebow has an internal wire bow and an external wire bow.

  • Facial Teeth Area

    Tooth surface that faces the cheeks and lips.

  • Fiberotomy

    A surgical procedure designed to cut part of the gum tissue around teeth, usually performed to reduce the chance of relapse or post-orthodontic tooth movement.

  • Fixed (Dental) Appliances

    An orthodontic appliance that is bonded or cemented to the teeth and cannot be or should not be removed by the patient.

  • Flossing

    An important part of daily home dental care. Flossing removes plaque and food debris from between the teeth, brackets and wires. Flossing keeps teeth and gums clean and healthy during orthodontic treatment.

  • Forsus Spring

    An orthodontic appliance made of a fixed spring mechanism that moves the lower jaw forward, usually to correct an overjet (protruding upper teeth). It can also be used as an anchor for other types of movements.

  • Frenum

    The tissue attachment between the lip and the tongue or the lip and the upper jaw. A large frenum can cause spacing between the front teeth or cause the tongue to be “tied.” A large frenum can also cause the gum tissue on the lower front teeth to be pulled down.

  • Hawley Retainer

    Hawley retainer is the most common type of retainer meant to be used after orthodontic treatment (such as braces or clear aligners). It is removable, and made up of a combination of plastic and metal that molded to fit your mouth. Hawley retainers are meant to “retain” your teeth’s position by stabilizing them while the bone hardens around them.

  • Interproximal reduction (IPR)

    Interproximal reduction (IPR) is a practice used to mechanically remove enamel from between the teeth. It is used to help with orthodontic treatments which may include the correction of crowding or reshaping the area between the neighboring teeth. In simple terms, it is the removal of interproximal enamel in order to reduce the overall mesial-distal size of teeth.

  • Labial teeth area

    The tooth surface that lies towards the lips.

  • Orofacial myofunctional therapy

    is a type of therapy that certain Speech-Language Pathologists (also known as Speech Therapists) specialize in. OMT can help children with Orofacial myofunctional disorders, such as Tongue Thrusting, to eat, breath, or talk more efficiently.

  • Overbite

    the overlapping of the lower teeth by the upper

  • Peridontal Ligaments

    The periodontal ligament is a component of the periodontium that allows for the teeth to be attached to the surrounding alveolar bone via the cementum. PDL fibers also transmit and absorb forces between the teeth and alveolar bone. Basically, it's what's keeping your teeth in place

  • suction tips

    also referred to as aspirator tips, are used to suction saliva and debris from the patient's mouth during restorative and surgical procedures.