Glossary

Cosmetic Dentistry  A Complete Dental Makeovers
Bleaching – see Smile Re-whitening

Bonding – a technique for attaching dental restorations to teeth. Bonding can be used to attach white composite fillings, veneers, crowns and bridges.

Bridge – a permanent prosthetic that is made to replace one or more missing teeth. Attaches to existing teeth on either side of the space.

Cap – a common name for a crown.

Composite Resin – another name for tooth-coloured filling material.

Crown – full crowns are like a thimble that covers the tooth and not only strengthens it but can change the shape and colour.

Denture – a removable prosthetic designed to replace some or all missing teeth in the upper or lower jaw.

Gingiva – the soft tissue surrounding the teeth commonly known as the gums.

Gingivectomy – the modification of the “gums” to make the teeth and the smile appear more pleasing.

Impression – a mold of the teeth made by using a special, rubber-like material.

Implant – titanium posts surgically embedded into the jawbone to act as artificial teeth roots for the replacement of missing teeth.

Inlays – a laboratory-fabricated porcelain tooth restoration.

Mouth tray – a removable, clear plastic appliance worn over the upper or lower teeth.

Onlays – a laboratory-fabricated porcelain tooth restoration that fills and restores a defect in the tooth. It extends over the edges of the defect to hold the remaining parts of the tooth together, thereby strengthening the tooth.

Open bite – a condition in which upper and lower front teeth do not meet.

Orthodontist – the dental specialist concerned with straightening and aligning the teeth using braces.

Overbite – the amount upper front teeth overlap lower front teeth when closing.

Periodontist – the dental specialist concerned with the treatment of gums.

Porcelain Veneers – thin facings bonded to the visible part of the tooth to improve its appearance and enhance strength.

Prosthesis – an artificial appliance such as a bridge, denture, or implant, used to replace missing teeth.

Root canal – a dental treatment involving the removal of diseased or injured nerve from inside the tooth.

Smile Contouring – selective reshaping of parts of teeth to improve their appearance.

White fillings – a plastic-type filling material that matches the colour of the tooth.