Glossary

Bone loss is the decrease in bone supporting the roots of teeth which is a common result of gum disease. Gum disease begins when plaque is not effectively removed by brushing and flossing. Plaque is composed of bacteria that can cause destruction to the gum connective tissue and the bon ...Continue Reading

Bruxism is the involuntary ﾔnervousﾔ grinding of the teeth while a patient is asleep. Bruxism is the technical term for grinding and clenching that abrades teeth and may cause facial pain. People who grind and clench called bruxers unintentionally bite down too hard at inappropriate ...Continue Reading

Bone resorption is the gradual loss of bone. Bone is under a constant process of resorption and formation. As we age formation lessens and after a peak bone mass is achieved bone mass remains stable (resorption and formation are equal). Osteoclasts are the principal cells responsible fo ...Continue Reading

Bruxomania is similar to Bruxism (involuntary ﾔnervousﾔ grinding of the teeth while the patient is asleep) but occurs when a person is awake. Bruxomania can therefore be described as the involuntary ﾔnervousﾔ grinding of the teeth while a patient is awake. It is thought bruxomani ...Continue Reading

A biopsy is the removal of a small piece of tissue to determine if it is diseased. Biopsy use in dentistry is limited to two areas. The first is a biopsy of hard tissue such as tooth or both; the second is a biopsy of soft tissue i.e. anything other than bone or tooth. Soft tissue biops ...Continue Reading

A block injection is the term given to anesthetizing a nerve that serves a large area of the jaw usually the lower jaw; that may numb teeth tongue and half of the jaw in that area. Generally it is an injection of a local anesthetic or a neurolytic agent into or near a peripheral nerve a ...Continue Reading

A base is a type of dental cement that is applied under a filling or crown to decrease sensitivity to heat or cold and protect the filling. Dental cements are widespread materials which can be used for multiple purposes namely as base materials. It is important to consider each cement on ...Continue Reading

Black hairy tongue (lingua villosa nigra) is the excessive growth of fungi that normally live in the mouth. The exact cause of Black hairy tongue is not known specifically but it is thought that it is a result of an overgrowth of the bacteria normally present in the mouth causing a disco ...Continue Reading

An apicoectomy, also known as a root-end resection, is a surgical procedure that removes infection at the root tip as well as the surrounding infected areas of an abscessed tooth. Causes An apiocoectomy is usually needed due to a failed root canal treatment. During a root canal, the ...Continue Reading

The term alveolar bone can best be described as a thin layer of compact bone that forms the tooth socket surrounding the roots of teeth. ...Continue Reading