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Glossary:

Alveolar
Alveolar-an anatomic term used to define the bone of the upper or lower jaw that holds the teeth.

Alveoloplasty
Alveoloplasty means literally “reshaping the alveolus” The alveolus is the term used to define the bone of the jaws that hold the teeth. An alveoloplasty is done sometimes after teeth are removed to smooth rough spots in the bone so that there are no sharp points in the mouth.

Arthrocentesis
This term means making entry into a joint, usually with a needle. It allows the joint to be washed out or lavaged, and allows the doctor to put drugs into the joint that may help it to heal and feel better. This procedure is usually done in the office, sometimes with some sedation medication to make the patient feel more comfortable.

Arthroplasty
This term is literally means reshaping the joint. It could be any joint in the body. A TMJ arthroplasy is an operation that is done on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) when there is something wrong with the joint. It requires general anesthesia in the hospital, a cut in front of the ear to approach it, and then some repair work.

Bony, full & partial impacted
Bony, full & partial impacted are words used to describe an impacted tooth which is defined under “Impacted Tooth”. A bony impaction means that the jawbone around the tooth has prevented it from erupting and usually means that the impacted tooth is completely covered in bone. This is also called a “full” bony impaction. A “partial” impaction means that the entire tooth is not covered in bone and that a part of the tooth has moved through the bone and gum tissue and in may situations is visible in the mouth but is not positioned along the line of teeth and therefore cannot function normally.

Debridement
Debridement-a term used to describe a cleaning or removal of diseased or infected bone or gums. It may require scraping or washing an area.

Dry socket
Dry socket is the most common complication or after surgery problem associated with wisdom tooth removal. It most often occurs with the removal lower back teeth. The socket is the hole in the bone that the tooth/tooth roots once occupied. Normal healing requires that a blood clot form in the socket. Sometimes however, within 3-5 days after the surgery, the clot dissolves or dislodges. Then the socket or hole in the bone is exposed to spit, bacteria in the mouth and remnants of food. This creates pain in the jaw and ear and a bad taste in the mouth. It requires treatment by your surgeon. The socket is washed out and a medicated piece of gauze is placed in the socket. This makes it feel better. Your surgeon changes the gauze every 2-3 days until it does not hurt anymore.

Erupted tooth
Erupted tooth is a tooth that moves into the line of teeth, generally in a position that allows normal function of chewing and speech.

Excision
This term is used to describe a surgery where something, usually a lump or a bump that is not normal, is removed. In many situations, the material removed is submitted to a doctor known as a pathologist who prepares the material and examines it to determine what it is and if any other surgery is necessary to completely treat the condition.

Expose & bond
Expose & bond is an oral surgical procedure, done on the request or referral by one performing orthodontics, necessary to uncover (expose) and cement (bond) a piece of metal or hook to an impacted tooth so that it can be slowly pulled into the mouth over an extended period of time (several weeks). It is usually done for canines or “eye teeth” but can be used for any tooth in the jaw.

Frenectomy
This is an operation where the bands that connect the upper lip to the gums or the front part of the tongue to the back side of the lower gums are snipped or released, allowing the tongue to move more freely and in the case of the upper lip allows the front teeth to come in without a space between them. It is sometimes done with a laser.

GA
GA means “General Anesthesia” This is a way to make our patients more comfortable for their oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures. The drugs that are used may cause a loss of consciousness or “passing out” and in other situations may allow some memory of the procedure. It will require in most cases the insertion of an “IV”.

IV
IV means “IntraVenous” It describes a mechanism of inserting a needle into a vein usually in the forearm or in the back of the hand to administer some medications that help patients relax or go to sleep for their operations or to give other drugs like antibiotics or medications to control pain or limit swelling associated with the surgery. We use several measures to make our patients comfortable as possible for the insertion of the needle. Once the needle is in place there is no more pain or discomfort associated with the technique. Some medications that are injected into the “IV” may cause a burning or stinging sensation.

Impacted tooth
Impacted tooth is a tooth that has not moved into the mouth or row of teeth from a deeper position in the jawbone. The term is sometimes used for an unerupted tooth. Impacted generally means that something is preventing the tooth from coming all the way in, including a tooth next to the one underneath, or lack of space in the jawbone for the tooth to come in.

Implant
Implant is a term used to describe the artificial material that can be placed in the human body for many reasons. Dental implants are metal pegs that can be surgically placed in the jawbone to replace missing teeth. Many times they are screwed into place. With some implant systems and situations, an implant can be inserted at the time that a tooth is lost or extracted. In other situations, an implant is placed and is left alone with no forces placed upon it for a few months so that bone can heal to the implant. The surgeon and the restorative dentist decide how many implants are needed and where they need to be positioned to restore the teeth for chewing and appearance.

LA
is an abbreviation for “local anesthetic”. It describes the injection of a medication (sometimes called novocaine, although novocaine is not used much anymore) via a needle to freeze an area of the skin, gums, teeth or jaws to make it numb so that surgery can be performed without pain. It will sometimes make the lips or tongue numb for periods of time. It normally takes a few to several hours to wear off.

Lesion
A lesion is a term used to describe a lump, bump, cyst, sore or ulcer. Many times the lesion is watched to see if it grows or heals. In other situations the doctor may remove all or part of the lesion and in some cases submit it to a pathologist who can look at it under a microscope, determine what it is and help decide if any other treatment or observation is necessary.

Luxation
This is a term used to describe moving a tooth by placing a surgical instrument on it or next to it and applying a controlled force which makes the tooth move relative to the bone that encases it.

Mandible
Mandible is the lower jawbone, containing the lower teeth.

Maxilla
Maxilla is the upper jawbone, which contains the upper teeth.

Maxillofacial
Maxillofacial defines a part of the anatomy or form of the face, involving the upper jaw, cheekbones, nose, forehead, eyes and the area in front of the ear. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons treat this part of an individuals face.

Orthodontics
Orthodontics, also commonly called “braces”, a treatment whereby teeth are moved by applying low intensity forces to them over time. Orthodontics are used to align and position teeth in such a way that they function optimally for speech, chewing and appearance.

Orthognathic
Orthognathic literally means “bones of the face and mouth”. Orthognathic surgery describes surgical operations where the upper jaw, lower jaw or both are moved into new positions to allow for better chewing, speech or both. Orthognathic surgery may also have an impact on appearance.

Pan x ray
This is a common term for panoramic x ray which is an x-ray that is used to look at the upper and lower jaw, teeth, sinuses and jaw joint. It is an x-ray that gives a good overview of the lower and middle face structures. It takes only a few minutes to obtain and is generally obtained if necessary in our clinic.

Ridge augmentation
This is a term used to describe building up the size of the upper or lower jaw where there are no teeth. It is many times necessary because when teeth are missing for extended periods of time, the jawbone shrinks or resorbs. This is many times done so that the jawbone is big enough to allow placement of a dental implant that is large enough to hold teeth that will withstand the forces of chewing. Many materials are used to build up the jaw bone, including bone from another part of the jaw or elsewhere in the body, bone from people that have donated their bone to be used in medical procedures, bone from animals, or synthetic bone like material that is made in a laboratory

Sialolith
Sialolith is a technical term for a “stone” or calcification that forms in the tubes or ducts of the spit or salivary glands. They prevent the flow of spit from the glands into the mouth and most often must be removed surgically to allow normal gland function. Sometimes, if in place for a long period of time, the spit gland can become infected or scarred requiring more operations.

Simple Ext
Simple Ext means simple extraction. This is a technique whereby a tooth is removed by luxating or putting force on it with an instrument which causes an expansion of the bone that holds the tooth, allowing it to be removed from the mouth.

Surgical Ext
Surgical Ext means surgical extraction. This technique requires making a cut in the gums or bone or cutting the tooth up in pieces to remove it. It requires more expertise on the surgeon’s part and it may result in more pain or discomfort after the operation when compared to simple extraction. Most wisdom teeth or third molars require surgical extraction. Many times a stitch is used.

TMJ
TMJ is an abbreviation for Temporo Mandibular Joint, the joining of the lower jawbone or mandible to the temporal bone at the base of the skull. This joint allows chewing, speech and opening and closing of the mouth.

TMD
TMD is an abbreviation for TemporoMandibularDisorder or disease or malfunction of the jaw joint. It may manifest with symptoms of pain in front of the ear or pain when chewing. It may also affect the ability to open or close the jaw.