Glossary

Root canal refers to a component of an individual tooth that lies within the tooth's root. There are at least one and as many as four root canals in each tooth and their function is to connect the tooth's nerve (which lies at the tip of the tooth's root) to the tooth's crown (the visible ...Continue Reading

Restoration refers to the reproduction of a tooth through the use of metal and/or tooth-colored materials for teeth that have been damaged. There are a number of benefits for tooth restoration which include health advantages (the strengthening of affected teeth to prevent further tooth e ...Continue Reading

Pulpotomy refers to a common endodontic procedure in which dental pulp is removed from the pulp chamber. This procedure is usually done on primary teeth (children's teeth) by a pediatric dentist. Pulpotomy is necessary in instances where the pulp of a tooth has become infected due to de ...Continue Reading

Reimplantation refers to the insertion and temporary fixation of completely or partially avulsed (knocked out) tooth or teeth that have resulted from traumatic injury. The most common teeth to be avulsed are the upper front permanent teeth. In instances where primary teeth have been avul ...Continue Reading

Rubber dam refers to a soft latex sheet that is attached to a contaminated tooth or teeth prior to treatment that is meant to prevent further contamination of the tooth through saliva which contains bacteria. It is most commonly used in root canal procedures filling and inlay/onlay insta ...Continue Reading

Reline refers to a dental procedure in which the entire tissue side of a denture is replaced with a new plastic to compensate for bone loss and improve the fit of the denture. It is used in cases where the denture looks and bites right but does not fit well. Often a reline is recommended ...Continue Reading

Pulp chamber refers to the innermost portion of the tooth that contains the pulp. It is located within the visible portion of the tooth above the gums (the crown) and there is only one pulp chamber per tooth. The pulp chamber is a vital component of the tooth as it contains the pulp whic ...Continue Reading

Root refers to the component of an individual tooth that is buried in the gum and connects the tooth to the jaw. Within the interior space of the tooth root lie the root canals and the pulp. There are at least one and as much as four root canals within a tooth that lie at the tip of the ...Continue Reading

A pulpectomy, often referred to as a “partial root canal,” is a common procedure in which a dentist removes all of the pulp from a tooth’s pulp chamber, removing it from the crown and roots. This procedure is commonly performed on the primary teeth of a child to reduce the ...Continue Reading

Tilt the brush at a 45ﾰ angle against the gumline and sweep or roll the brush away from the gumline. Gently brush the outside inside and chewing surface of each tooth using short back-and-forth strokes. Gently brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen breath ...Continue Reading