Dental Terminology
Types of Teeth
You have thirty two permanent teeth; children have twenty baby teeth. The types of teeth are described below.
- primary or deciduous teeth
- baby teeth
- anterior teeth
- the six front teeth, composed of four incisors and two canines per arch, twelve in all
- posterior teeth
- your back teeth, composed of three molars and two premolars (also known as bicuspids)for each quadrant - twenty posterior teeth in all
- maxillary teeth or arch
- your upper teeth
- mandibular teeth or arch
- your lower teeth
- incisors
- the front squared teeth - two central incisors and two lateral incisors per arch, one lateral on each side of the centrals
- canines
- the pointed teeth, two per arch
- premolars
- two rooted teeth designed for chewing
- molars
- three rooted teeth designed for chewing
Surfaces of Teeth
- incisal
- biting edge of front tooth
- lingual
- tongue side of tooth
- buccal
- cheek side of tooth (called facial in front teeth)
- occlusal
- chewing surface of tooth
- mesial
- side surface of tooth, towards front of mouth
- distal
- side surface of tooth, towards back of mouth
- endodontist
- specializes in root canal therapy
- oral surgeon
- surgical specialist, handles extractions, jaw fractures, implants, other oral surgery
- orthodontist
- specializes in tooth straightening and braces
- pedodontist
- specializes in children's dentistry
- periodontist
- specializes in gum care and surgery
- prosthodontist
- specializes in replacing missing teeth, dentures, implants
- amalgam
- silver filling
- bite guard
- a plastic plate fabricated to fit over teeth to break a bruxism, or clenching habit.
- bitewings
- x-rays of between teeth
- bridge
- a fixed prosthesis consisting of a pontic (the replacement for the missing tooth) with an abutment (crown for adjacent tooth to attach to the pontic) on either side
- ceramic or porcelain jacket crown
- used for front teeth primarily, this is a "cap" made of all ceramic material, with no metal base
- composite
- tooth colored filling
- panorex, or panoramic x-ray
- x-ray of entire mouth area
- periapical
- x-ray of single tooth and root.
- periodontal scaling and root planing
- scraping of bone under gum to remove built up calculus
- porcelain to metal crown
- a "cap" of porcelain bonded to precious metal, used to restore a broken down tooth
- prophylaxis
- tooth cleaning
- prosthesis
- an appliance used to replace missing teeth, can be either fixed (bridge) or removable (partial or full denture or over denture)
- root canal or endodontics
- treating an abscess by removing the nerve from the tooth, disinfecting, and filling with an inert substance
- sealant
- a plastic coating placed on chewing surface of molars to prevent decay
- bruxism
- habit of clenching teeth
- endodontal
- pertaining to the nerve of the tooth
- occlusion
- how teeth mesh together for chewing
- palliative treatment
- minor treatment to relieve pain
- periodontal
- pertaining to gums
- TMJ
- temperomandibular joint (jaw joint)
Dental Specialists
Dental Procedures
Numbering of Teeth
Permanent teeth are numbered from 1 - 32, starting at the upper right back, going to the upper left (#1-16). #17 starts at the lower left back, going back to the lower right, #32.
Primary, or baby teeth, are described by letters, going from upper right back to upper left (A-J), then lower left back to lower right (K-T).
