Plain English
Dental glossary
The words your dentist uses, explained in one or two plain sentences. The most-asked ones have their own page.
Reviewed by Dr. Wael Sadek, DDS·[date pending review]
Most-asked terms
Dental crownWhat is a dental crown?A tooth-shaped cap that covers a damaged or weakened tooth to restore its shape, strength, and appearance.Dental bridgeWhat is a dental bridge?A fixed replacement for one or more missing teeth, held in place by crowns on the neighboring teeth.Root canalWhat is a root canal?A treatment that removes infected or inflamed pulp from inside a tooth, then cleans and seals it so the tooth can be kept.GingivitisWhat is gingivitis?The earliest stage of gum disease: red, swollen, or bleeding gums caused by plaque. It can usually be reversed with good care.VeneerWhat is a veneer?A thin, tooth-colored shell of porcelain or composite resin bonded to the front of a tooth to change its color, shape, or size.CavityWhat is a cavity?A hole in a tooth caused by decay, when acids made by plaque bacteria dissolve the enamel. It is usually repaired with a filling.Dry socketWhat is a dry socket?A painful complication after a tooth is pulled, when the protective blood clot in the socket is lost and the bone is exposed.TartarWhat is tartar?Plaque that has hardened on the teeth, also called calculus. Brushing cannot remove it; a dental professional cleans it off.Dental sealantWhat is a dental sealant?A thin protective coating painted on the chewing surfaces of back teeth to help keep out food and bacteria that cause cavities.Tooth enamelWhat is tooth enamel?The hard, outer layer covering the visible part of each tooth. It protects the inner layers and cannot grow back once lost.PeriodontitisWhat is periodontitis?An advanced stage of gum disease in which infection damages the gums and the bone that support the teeth. It can lead to tooth loss.BruxismWhat is bruxism?Grinding or clenching the teeth, while awake or asleep. Over time it can wear down teeth and cause jaw pain and headaches.PlaqueWhat is plaque?A soft, sticky film of germs that forms on teeth and can lead to cavities, gum disease, and tartar if it is not cleaned off.Abscessed toothWhat is an abscessed tooth?A pocket of pus from a bacterial infection at the root of a tooth or in the gums beside it. It needs treatment from a dentist.Fluoride treatmentWhat is a fluoride treatment?A quick coating of strong fluoride varnish, gel, or foam put on the teeth to help harden enamel and prevent cavities.DentinWhat is dentin?The yellowish layer of a tooth that sits under the enamel, surrounds the nerve, and makes up most of the tooth.Dental implantWhat is a dental implant?A small post, usually titanium, placed in the jawbone to replace a missing tooth's root and hold a crown on top.Dental bondingWhat is dental bonding?A repair in which tooth-colored resin is shaped onto a tooth and hardened with a light to fix chips, cracks, gaps, or stains.MalocclusionWhat is malocclusion?Teeth or jaws that do not line up properly when you bite, such as crowding, an overbite, an underbite, or a crossbite.PulpotomyWhat is a pulpotomy?A treatment, most often for baby teeth, that removes inflamed pulp from the top part of a tooth while leaving the healthy pulp in the roots.
Text version of this infographic
Map of a tooth and gum. Enamel is the hard outer layer. Under it is a softer layer, and in the centre is the pulp. A crown caps the visible tooth. Plaque and tartar build up at the gumline, where gingivitis starts. Periodontitis reaches the bone under the gum.
All terms, A to Z
- Abscessed tooth
- A pocket of pus from a bacterial infection at the root of a tooth or in the gums beside it. It needs treatment from a dentist. What is an abscessed tooth? →
- Bruxism
- Grinding or clenching the teeth, while awake or asleep. Over time it can wear down teeth and cause jaw pain and headaches. What is bruxism? →
- Cavity
- A hole in a tooth caused by decay, when acids made by plaque bacteria dissolve the enamel. It is usually repaired with a filling. What is a cavity? →
- Dental bonding
- A repair in which tooth-colored resin is shaped onto a tooth and hardened with a light to fix chips, cracks, gaps, or stains. What is dental bonding? →
- Dental bridge
- A fixed replacement for one or more missing teeth, held in place by crowns on the neighboring teeth. What is a dental bridge? →
- Dental crown
- A tooth-shaped cap that covers a damaged or weakened tooth to restore its shape, strength, and appearance. What is a dental crown? →
- Dental implant
- A small post, usually titanium, placed in the jawbone to replace a missing tooth's root and hold a crown on top. What is a dental implant? →
- Dental sealant
- A thin protective coating painted on the chewing surfaces of back teeth to help keep out food and bacteria that cause cavities. What is a dental sealant? →
- Dental X-ray
- An image that shows what the dentist cannot see in an exam, such as decay between teeth, bone levels, and infection. Dental X-rays use a low dose of radiation.
- Dentin
- The yellowish layer of a tooth that sits under the enamel, surrounds the nerve, and makes up most of the tooth. What is dentin? →
- Denture
- A removable replacement for missing teeth. A complete denture replaces all the teeth in the upper or lower jaw; a partial denture fills gaps between remaining natural teeth.
- Dry socket
- A painful complication after a tooth is pulled, when the protective blood clot in the socket is lost and the bone is exposed. What is a dry socket? →
- Extraction
- The removal of a tooth from its socket in the jawbone, done when a tooth is too damaged, infected, or crowded to keep.
- Filling
- A material, such as tooth-colored composite or silver amalgam, used to repair a tooth after decay is removed or to restore a small chip or crack.
- Fluoride treatment
- A quick coating of strong fluoride varnish, gel, or foam put on the teeth to help harden enamel and prevent cavities. What is a fluoride treatment? →
- Gingivitis
- The earliest stage of gum disease: red, swollen, or bleeding gums caused by plaque. It can usually be reversed with good care. What is gingivitis? →
- Gum recession
- When gum tissue pulls back from a tooth and exposes more of the tooth or its root. It can cause sensitivity and raise the risk of decay on the root.
- Malocclusion
- Teeth or jaws that do not line up properly when you bite, such as crowding, an overbite, an underbite, or a crossbite. What is malocclusion? →
- Periodontitis
- An advanced stage of gum disease in which infection damages the gums and the bone that support the teeth. It can lead to tooth loss. What is periodontitis? →
- Plaque
- A soft, sticky film of germs that forms on teeth and can lead to cavities, gum disease, and tartar if it is not cleaned off. What is plaque? →
- Pulp
- The soft tissue at the center of a tooth that holds nerves and blood vessels. Infected or badly inflamed pulp may need a root canal.
- Pulpotomy
- A treatment, most often for baby teeth, that removes inflamed pulp from the top part of a tooth while leaving the healthy pulp in the roots. What is a pulpotomy? →
- Root canal
- A treatment that removes infected or inflamed pulp from inside a tooth, then cleans and seals it so the tooth can be kept. What is a root canal? →
- Scaling and root planing
- A deep cleaning that removes plaque and tartar from below the gumline and smooths the tooth roots so the gums can heal. It is a common treatment for gum disease.
- Tartar
- Plaque that has hardened on the teeth, also called calculus. Brushing cannot remove it; a dental professional cleans it off. What is tartar? →
- Tooth enamel
- The hard, outer layer covering the visible part of each tooth. It protects the inner layers and cannot grow back once lost. What is tooth enamel? →
- Veneer
- A thin, tooth-colored shell of porcelain or composite resin bonded to the front of a tooth to change its color, shape, or size. What is a veneer? →
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