Dental Terms and Definitions Quiz

Abutment

• A tooth, root, or implant used for support and retention of a fixed or removable prosthesis.

Articulator

• A dental laboratory device used to reproduce the relationship between the mandible and maxilla.

Bevel

• A technique used to create an angle within a tooth preparation for better retention.

Cast Post

• A post created in the lab for an endodontically-treated tooth to improve retention of a cast restoration.

Chamfer

• A tapered finish line at the cervical area of a tooth preparation.

Core

• Restorative material (amalgam or composite resin) added around the coronal portion of a post to provide structure for a fixed prosthesis.

Die

• A replica of the prepared portion of a tooth used for making a cast restoration.

Fixed Bridge

• A dental prosthesis with artificial teeth fixed in place and supported by attachment to natural teeth.

Full Crown

• A cast restoration that covers the entire anatomical crown of the tooth.

Gingival Retraction

• A method to displace gingival tissue away from the tooth.

Hypertrophied

• Refers to excessive growth of oral tissues.

Inlay

• Cast restoration designed to replace a conservative Class II cavity.

Investment Material

• Gypsum material used to form a mold around the wax pattern during the casting process.

Master Cast

• Cast created from a final impression used to construct the baseplate, bite rims, wax setups, and finished prosthesis.

Onlay

• Cast restoration designed to replace a Class II preparation, including the occlusal, one or more cusps, and proximal surfaces of posterior teeth.

Opaquer

• Resin material placed under a porcelain restoration to mask tooth discoloration.

Pontic

• Artificial tooth that replaces a missing natural tooth in a fixed bridge.

Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal (PFM) Crown

• An indirect restoration in which a thin porcelain material is fused to the facial portion of a metal alloy crown.

Prosthesis

• Replacement of a tooth, missing parts of a tooth, or the soft or hard structures of the jaw or palate.

Resin-Bonded Bridge

• A fixed dental prosthesis with wings that are bonded to the lingual surfaces of adjacent teeth; also known as a Maryland bridge.

Shade Guide

• An accessory dental item containing different shades of teeth used to match the color of a patient's teeth.

Shoulder

• Margin of a tooth preparation for a cast restoration.

Three-Quarter Crown

• A cast restoration that covers the anatomical crown of a tooth, except for the facial or buccal portion.

Unit

• Each component of the fixed bridge.

Veneer

• Thin layer of composite resin or porcelain bonded or cemented to a prepared tooth surface.

Dental Terminology

• Abutment refers to a tooth, root, or implant that supports and retains a fixed or removable dental prosthesis.

• Articulator is a dental laboratory device used to replicate the relationship between the mandible and maxilla using patient dental casts.

• Bevel is a technique using instruments to create an angle within a tooth preparation for better retention of the restoration.

• Cast Post is a post made in the lab for endodontically treated teeth to improve retention of a cast restoration.

• Chamfer is a tapered finish line at the cervical area of a tooth preparation.

• Core Restorative Material, such as amalgam or composite resin, is added around the coronal portion of a post to provide structure and retain a fixed prosthesis.

• Die is a replica of the prepared portion of a tooth, used in the lab for creating cast restorations.

• Fixed Bridge is a dental prosthesis with artificial teeth fixed in place and attached to natural teeth.

• Full Crown is a cast restoration that covers the entire anatomical crown of a tooth.

• Gingival Retraction is a method used to displace gingival tissue away from the tooth.

• Hypertrophied describes excessive growth of oral tissues.

• Inlay is a cast restoration that replaces a conservative Class II cavity.

• Investment Material is a gypsum material used to form a mold around a wax pattern during the casting process.

• Master Cast is made from a final impression and used for creating baseplates, bite rims, wax setups, and finished prosthesis.

• Onlay is a cast restoration designed to replace a Class II preparation that covers the occlusal, one or more cusp, and proximal surfaces of posterior teeth.

• Opaquer is a resin material placed under porcelain restorations to mask tooth discoloration.

• Pontic is an artificial tooth that replaces a missing natural tooth in a fixed bridge.

• Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal (PFM) Crown is an indirect restoration where a thin porcelain layer is fused to the facial portion of a metal alloy crown.

• Prosthesis is a replacement for a tooth, missing tooth parts, or soft or hard structures of the jaw or palate.

• Resin-Bonded Bridge is a fixed dental prosthesis with wings bonded to the lingual surfaces of adjacent teeth. Also known as a Maryland Bridge.

• Shade Guide is a dental accessory that contains different tooth shades used to match a patient's tooth color.

• Shoulder is the margin of a tooth preparation for a cast restoration.

• Three-Quarter Crown is a cast restoration covering the anatomical crown of a tooth, except for the facial or buccal portion.

• Unit is each individual component of a fixed bridge.

• Veneer is a thin layer of composite resin or porcelain bonded or cemented to a prepared tooth surface.