Simplifying Dental Jargon
Don’t you hate it when your dentist uses confusing words that you’ve never heard before, like “occlusion,” “atrophy,” and “osseointegration”? I’m here to help.
Plaque
Plaque is the accumulation of bacteria on the surfaces of the teeth. Often, it hasn’t been there for long and is easily removed with brushing, rinsing, and flossing. When left for a long time, plaque can lead to bacterial decay and breakdown of the tooth structure. Plaque itself isn’t bad short-term, but when combined with sugars from your diet, it creates acid that erodes enamel. That’s why it’s important to brush and floss at least twice a day—ideally after every meal.
Tartar (Calculus)
Tartar, or calculus, is hardened plaque. It adheres to the tooth surface and cannot be removed as easily with brushing or flossing. If it’s below the gum line, it can irritate the gums, and that’s when you need a dental professional to remove it.
Caries
Caries is just the fancy dental term for a cavity or tooth decay.
Prophy (Prophylaxis)
Prophy, or prophylaxis, is our fancy word for a dental cleaning. It’s generally performed by a hygienist and takes about an hour.
Scaling and Root Planing
Scaling and root planing is a deeper cleaning. When you have tartar below the gum line that can’t be removed with brushing, the hygienist or periodontist performs this more involved cleaning to remove that buildup.
Occlusion
Occlusion is just our fancy way of saying “bite.” It refers to how your teeth come together. In an ideal mouth, teeth line up in a way that distributes forces evenly down their long axes. When the bite is off, those forces can cause damage. As we age, we lose some bone, and the front teeth can start shifting, causing changes in occlusion and leading to chipping and wear.
Bruxism
Bruxism refers to nighttime grinding. Interestingly, bruxism is one of your body’s first responses to wake you up—it’s often linked to sleep apnea. When your body senses you’re not breathing, it can cause you to clench your teeth to trigger a breath. Many people with sleep apnea also have bruxism, which is treatable with a night guard to protect the teeth.
Attrition
Attrition means wear or breakdown, usually on the chewing surfaces of teeth. It’s common on the front teeth of people with older, worn, flat teeth. It’s caused by teeth grinding against each other.
Filling
A filling is a tooth-colored material used to restore a tooth after removing unhealthy structure, bringing it back to its natural shape and size.
Crown
A crown is a tooth-shaped cap that goes over the tooth to protect it from further breakdown.
Impression
An impression is a record of your tooth so the lab can make a crown or removable appliance like a denture. Traditionally, impressions involved a mouthful of goo that was uncomfortable, but now we often use digital impressions. Modern intraoral scanners record the data digitally and send it to the lab.
Shade Matching
Shade matching is the process of determining the exact color of your teeth so restorations like crowns or fillings blend naturally. It ensures your dental work looks seamless.
Final Thoughts
That’s just a small sampling of some of the words we toss around every day. I’d love to hear in the comments if you’ve heard dental terms and aren’t quite sure what they mean—reach out to us, and we’ll help explain them.
I’m Dr. Brett Langston, prosthodontist and dental implant aesthetic specialist here in Brookhaven, Georgia, and I’m here to help you watch your mouth.
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