Dental Terms that start with P

Parasthesia / Paresthesia Paresthesia is a temporary or permanent loss of sensation that can occur after oral surgery. The numbness results fro

Partial Dentures Partial refers to one of the two main types of dentures. As opposed to complete dentures which are used to replace a complete

Pedodontics Pedodontics or Pediatric Dentistry refers to a branch of dentistry that specializes in dental care for children under the age of 16

Periodontist A periodontist is a dental specialist in periodontal (gum) disease. Seen in conjunction with a regular dentist a periodontist trea

Permanent Teeth Permanent teeth refer to (usually) thirty-two adult teeth in a complete permanent dentition. It comprises of thirty-two teeth i

Pit A dental sealant (also called a pit and fissure sealant) is a plastic professionally-applied material that is put on the chewing surfaces o

Placebo Placebo refers to medication or treatment that is inert which produces psychological benefit. Much like other scientific fields placebo

Plaque Plaque is the accumulation of bacteria and food debris that manifests itself as a soft sticky substance stuck on tooth surfaces. Appeara

Pontic Pontic refers to a replacement artificial tooth or teeth that are mounted on a fixed or removal dental appliance. One of the main compon

Porcelain Crowns Porcelain crowns refer to a dental crown made that utilizes porcelain. There are two types of dental crowns that use porcelain

Porcelain Inlays or Onlays Porcelain inlays or onlays refer to indirect fillings made of porcelain that fit into or onto the affected tooth. It

Porcelain Veneers Porcelain veneers (also known as dental veneers or dental porcelain laminates) refer to a cosmetic dentistry operation in whi

Post Post refers to a thin metal rod used in root canal therapy that is inserted into the root of a tooth that has had previous root canal ther

Post-core Post-core refers to the visible part of the post (a thin metal rod used in root canal therapy) that is used to anchor a cap or crown.

Post-crown Post-crown refers to a type of dental crown used on affected teeth that require additional endodontic (root canal) therapy. This sin

Proper Brushing Technique Tilt the brush at a 45° angle against the gumline and sweep or roll the brush away from the gumline. Gently brush the

Proper Flossing Technique Use about 18” of floss leaving an inch or two to work with. Gently follow the curves of your teeth. Be sure to clean

Prophylaxis Prophylaxis refers to the cleaning of teeth as a preventative measure against periodontal (gum) disease and tooth decay. This treat

Prosthesis Prosthesis refers to an artificial appliance used for the replacement of teeth. It is considered vital to replace any missing teeth

Prosthodontist Prosthodontist refers to a dental specialist in prosthodontics a branch of dentistry that focuses on the restoration and replace

Pulp Pulp refers to the softest part of the tooth that lies in its root and extends all of the way to the top part of the tooth (the crown). Th

Pulp Cap Pulp cap refers to a procedure aimed to protect the pulp of a tooth from infection in instances where a deep decay in the tooth is pre

Pulp Chamber Pulp chamber refers to the innermost portion of the tooth that contains the pulp. It is located within the visible portion of the

Pulpectomy Pulpectomy refers to a common endodontic procedure in which the dental pulp and root canal are completely removed. This procedure is

Pulpitis Pulpitis refers to the inflammation of the dental pulp within the tooth. The pulp contains the blood vessels the nerves and connective

Pulpotomy Pulpotomy refers to a common endodontic procedure in which dental pulp is removed from the pulp chamber. This procedure is usually do

Pyorrhea Pyorrhea or periodontitis refers to an advanced stage of periodontal disease in which the ligaments and bones that support the teeth b