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Dental Terms

Understand dental terms and concepts.

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Sedation (or in some cases general anesthesia) can make for a better dental experience if you or a family member:

  • Has fear or anxiety about dental procedures which prevents you from going to the dentist.
  • Has a low pain threshold.
  • Has a bad gag reflex.
  • Has trouble sitting still in a dentist's chair.
  • Prefers not to be aware of or remember a dental procedure.
  • Is young, or has special needs that make cooperating with the dentist difficult.
  • Needs extensive dental work that will take significant time, such as bone grafts, removal of multiple teeth, dental implants, or surgical treatment of the jaw or facial bones.

When some of your natural teeth remain, a removable partial denture replaces the function of a few consecutive teeth or multiple teeth in different areas of your upper or lower arch. You can remove it yourself for easier cleaning of both the appliance and your remaining teeth. Removable partial dentures require healthy natural teeth, crowns, or implants (abutments) to provide anchor points for the appliance.

Repositioning appliances refer to a variety of non-invasive devices that may help treat or relieve symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) or tooth grinding or clenching (bruxism). These appliances work by moving your jaw forward or backward. This repositions your jaw and improves jaw function by reducing muscle stress and allowing your jaw to move more smoothly.

Diseases and infections that affect your respiratory system such as asthma, COPD, and lung cancer can cause permanent damage to lung tissue. Researchers believe that the bacteria that cause tooth decay and periodontal disease may increase the risk of lung conditions or aggravate their effects. In addition, some medications used for breathing problems contain acidic ingredients that can lead to tooth decay, dry mouth, thrush, mouth sores, and affect your sense of taste.

Shallow divots are prepared into the enamel of the abutment teeth where the denture's framework will nest. Fitting the denture into these rests prevents you from biting on the metal framework with your opposing teeth. It also properly aligns force vectors from the partial denture into the abutment teeth.

A root canal is the hollow center section of a tooth which houses the blood vessels, nerve tissue, and living cellular components of the tooth.

Sometimes a tooth that has undergone root canal therapy needs to be treated again. Root canal retreatment may be necessary if you experience pain or swelling after a root canal (sometimes long after). Pain and swelling may indicate the tooth has a new infection, or has become reinfected. Your dentist may also recommend retreatment for a tooth if the root canal filling material has been exposed for more than a few days due to such things as the loss of a crown or a chipped tooth. Based on the nature of the condition, your dentist may refer you to an endodontist.

What to expect

The dentist will:

  • Review your health history to be certain the procedure can be performed safely.
  • Administer a local anesthetic.
  • Make a hole through the crown of the affected tooth.
  • Remove the existing root canal filling material, and any structural posts, sealer, or cement.
  • Disinfect the root canals.
  • Treat any previously untreated root canals (some teeth have more than one).
  • Place new root canal filling material into the tooth and reseal it.
  • Place a new filling in the access hole. Sometimes, a new crown may be placed as well.

Root canal therapy eliminates the pain and swelling of an infected tooth by removing the infection and sealing the tooth. The procedure is done to repair and save your tooth rather than having it removed.

A rubber dam is a barrier used to protect against swallowing or inhaling old restorative materials like fillings or crowns, dental instruments, or bacteria-laden decay. They can also help prevent saliva and exhaled air from impairing the bond between a tooth and a new filling. They are held in place by clamps.

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