English is the shared language of dental journals, international congresses, material instructions and licensing exams, and dentists who study or work abroad use it at the chair every day. This glossary gathers the words dentists and dental students really need, from tooth anatomy and charting to fillings, root canal treatment, extractions, orthodontics and prosthetics, with Turkish equivalents and realistic clinic sentences. It also points out everyday clinic words that do not carry over from Turkish, such as davye, frez, detertraj and kaplama.
100 terms
11 topics
52 core terms
201 example sentences
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Teeth and Oral Anatomy
tooth
noun
Meaning
One of the hard, white structures in the jaws used for biting and chewing. Each one has a crown above the gum and one or more roots held in the bone.
Where you use it
The most basic word in dentistry. The plural is irregular: one tooth, two teeth. Dentists refer to a tooth by its type (molar, incisor) or its number, and patients say a tooth hurts, feels loose or has broken.
Examples
Which tooth is giving you trouble, an upper one or a lower one?
The tooth has a crack running down towards the root.
We'll do everything we can to save the tooth.
Usage note
Watch the irregular plural: teeth, never 'tooths'. The adjective is dental, and for babies whose first teeth are coming through, English uses teething.
Common phrases
front tooth · back tooth · loose tooth · lose a tooth · save the tooth
The firm pink tissue that covers the jawbone and fits tightly around the neck of each tooth. The technical word is gingiva.
Where you use it
Usually plural when talking to patients: bleeding gums, sore gums, receding gums. In notes and papers dentists prefer gingiva and the adjective gingival (gingival margin, gingival bleeding).
Examples
Do your gums bleed when you brush?
The gum around the lower molar is red and swollen.
Usage note
Gum also means chewing gum. In clinical writing, gingiva or gingival avoids any confusion.
The hard, shiny outer layer covering the crown of a tooth. It is the hardest substance in the human body and cannot grow back once it is lost.
Where you use it
Comes up in talk about decay, erosion, whitening and bonding. Dentists say enamel is worn, eroded, demineralized or etched, and describe enamel defects in children's teeth.
Examples
Acidic drinks can slowly wear away the enamel.
The lesion is still limited to the enamel, so let's try fluoride before we think about a filling.
The yellowish tissue that forms most of a tooth, lying under the enamel and around the pulp. It contains tiny tubes, so it can feel pain when it is exposed.
Where you use it
Common when talking about how deep decay goes and about sensitivity: caries can reach the dentin, and exposed dentin often causes sharp pain with cold. Researchers talk about dentinal tubules.
Examples
The decay has gone through the enamel into the dentin.
Exposed dentine near the gum line explains her sensitivity to cold.
Usage note
Both spellings are correct: dentin in American English and dentine in British English. Choose one and use it consistently in a paper.
The soft tissue in the center of a tooth that contains nerves and blood vessels. It fills the pulp chamber in the crown and the canals in the roots.
Where you use it
Central to root canal work. Dentists talk about pulp exposure, inflamed or necrotic pulp, pulp capping and pulp testing. Patients usually call it 'the nerve'.
Examples
The cavity is very deep, and there's a risk of pulp exposure.
The pulp was necrotic, so we started root canal treatment.
Usage note
Patients say 'the nerve has died'; in clinical English the pulp is described as necrotic or non-vital.
The part of a tooth below the gum that sits in a socket in the jawbone. Front teeth usually have one, while molars often have two or three.
Where you use it
Used in root canal treatment, extractions and X-ray reports. Dentists talk about root length, root fractures and root resorption, and describe a root as curved, short or fractured.
Examples
The X-ray shows that the upper first molar has three roots.
A small piece of root broke off during the extraction.
One of the large, wide teeth at the back of the mouth used for grinding food. Adults have up to twelve, including the four wisdom teeth.
Where you use it
Molars are named first, second and third (the third is the wisdom tooth), and upper or lower. Children have primary molars too. It is also used as an adjective: molar region, molar teeth.
Examples
There's a deep cavity in the lower left first molar.
The first permanent molars usually come through at around the age of six.
Common phrases
first molar · lower molar · upper molar · molar region · primary molar
One of the eight thin, flat-edged teeth at the front of the mouth, four upper and four lower, used for biting into food.
Where you use it
Divided into central and lateral incisors. They are the teeth people see when someone smiles, so they come up often in trauma, veneers, whitening and orthodontics.
Examples
He fell off his bike and chipped an upper central incisor.
The third and last molar at the back of each side of both jaws. It usually comes through between the late teens and the mid-twenties and often lacks space to erupt properly.
Where you use it
The patient word; in notes dentists write third molar or use the tooth number (18, 28, 38, 48 in FDI notation). Wisdom teeth may be impacted, partly erupted or missing, and are a common reason for extraction.
Examples
My wisdom tooth is coming through and the gum at the back really hurts.
The lower wisdom tooth is impacted against the second molar.
Common phrases
have a wisdom tooth out · impacted wisdom tooth · wisdom tooth removal · lower wisdom tooth
One of the teeth between the canines and the molars, usually with two points (cusps) on the biting surface. Adults normally have eight, while children's first teeth include none.
Where you use it
Named first and second premolar, upper or lower. Premolars are the teeth most often extracted to make space in orthodontic treatment. Some American dentists call them bicuspids.
Examples
The orthodontist wants to extract two upper premolars to relieve the crowding.
There's a small cavity between the lower premolars.
Common phrases
first premolar · second premolar · upper premolars · premolar extraction
The long, pointed tooth at each corner of the dental arch, between the lateral incisor and the first premolar. Upper canines have the longest roots of all the teeth.
Where you use it
Patients may call the upper canine an eye tooth, and some texts use cuspid. Upper canines are often impacted in the palate, and canine guidance is an important idea in occlusion.
Examples
The upper right canine is impacted in the palate.
Her canines are quite pointed, so she'd like them reshaped slightly.
Usage note
Turkish 'köpek dişi' is canine in clinical English; 'dog tooth' is not used.
The first set of 20 teeth that children have. They start to come through at about six months of age and are gradually replaced by permanent teeth from around age six.
Where you use it
The standard clinical term. Parents say baby teeth (US) or milk teeth (UK), and older texts use deciduous teeth. In FDI notation, primary teeth are numbered in quadrants 5 to 8.
Examples
Decay in primary teeth still needs treatment, because they hold space for the adult teeth.
All her primary teeth are present, and the first permanent molars are erupting.
Common phrases
primary teeth · primary molars · loss of primary teeth · retained primary tooth
The second and final set of teeth, which replace the primary teeth. Adults have 32, including the four wisdom teeth, and they have to last for life.
Where you use it
Also called adult teeth or secondary teeth, and together the permanent dentition. Dentists talk about permanent teeth erupting, being congenitally missing, or being lost through decay, gum disease or injury.
Examples
At twelve, he has all his permanent teeth except the second molars.
Two upper permanent teeth are congenitally missing.
Describes the side of a tooth that faces towards the midline of the dental arch, the line between the two central incisors. It is the opposite of distal.
Where you use it
Used constantly in charting, X-ray reports and referral letters, often as the letter M: an MO filling covers the mesial and occlusal surfaces. Dentists say mesial caries, mesial root and mesial surface.
Examples
There's caries on the mesial surface of the lower first molar.
The mesial root is curved, so take your time with the file.
Describes the side of a tooth that faces away from the midline of the dental arch, towards the back of the mouth. It is the opposite of mesial.
Where you use it
Abbreviated D in charting: a DO filling covers the distal and occlusal surfaces, and an MOD filling covers three surfaces. In general medicine distal means far from the center of the body, so the dental meaning is more specific.
Examples
Food keeps getting trapped between the distal of the second premolar and the first molar.
The X-ray shows recurrent caries under the distal margin of the old filling.
Describes the surface of a back tooth that faces the cheek, or anything related to the cheek. For front teeth, the surface facing the lips is usually called labial.
Where you use it
Common in charting (B), local anesthesia (buccal infiltration) and oral medicine (buccal mucosa). Some textbooks use facial for both buccal and labial surfaces.
Examples
There's a small buccal cavity near the gum line on the upper molar.
A buccal infiltration should be enough for this tooth.
Describes the surface of a tooth that faces the tongue. In the upper jaw this surface is usually called palatal, because it faces the palate.
Where you use it
Used in charting (L), orthodontics (lingual braces, lingual retainer) and anesthesia (lingual nerve). Tartar often builds up on the lingual surfaces of the lower incisors.
Examples
She has a bonded lingual retainer on her lower front teeth.
Check the lingual surfaces of the lower incisors for calculus.
Describes the biting or chewing surface of a back tooth, or anything to do with the way the upper and lower teeth meet.
Where you use it
Abbreviated O in charting. Dentists talk about occlusal surfaces, occlusal caries, occlusal adjustment and occlusal splints (night guards). On front teeth the biting edge is called incisal, not occlusal.
Examples
The occlusal fissures on these molars are deep and stained.
Check the occlusal contacts with articulating paper before she leaves.
The roof of the mouth. The front part, the hard palate, is bone covered with soft tissue; the back part, the soft palate, is muscle and moves when you swallow.
Where you use it
Used in anatomy, local anesthesia (palatal injections), dentures and orthodontics. The adjective palatal describes the tongue side of upper teeth: palatal surface, palatal root.
Examples
The upper denture covers the palate, so food may taste a little different at first.
There's a small swelling on the palate behind the upper incisors.
Short for temporomandibular joint: the joint just in front of each ear that connects the lower jaw to the skull and lets the mouth open, close and move sideways.
Where you use it
Dentists examine the TMJ for clicking, pain and limited opening. Problems with the joint and jaw muscles are called temporomandibular disorders (TMD), although patients in the US often say 'I have TMJ'.
Examples
She has clicking in the left TMJ when she opens wide.
Palpate both TMJs and the chewing muscles.
Usage note
Strictly, TMJ is the joint and TMD is the disorder. Each letter is pronounced separately: T-M-J.
The lower jaw bone. It holds the lower teeth, moves at the jaw joints, and contains the canal of the nerve that supplies feeling to the lower teeth and lip.
Where you use it
Used in anatomy, surgery and imaging. The adjective is mandibular (mandibular molars, mandibular block). Patients say lower jaw. Planning for implants and wisdom tooth removal takes the mandibular canal into account.
Examples
The roots of the lower wisdom tooth are close to the nerve canal in the mandible.
A mandibular block numbs the lower teeth on one side, the lip and usually the tongue.
The upper jaw bone. It holds the upper teeth, forms most of the hard palate, and contains the maxillary sinuses above the back teeth.
Where you use it
The adjective is maxillary (maxillary molars, maxillary sinus). Because the sinus lies close to the roots of the upper molars, dentists check it on X-rays before extractions and implants, and a sinus lift may be planned.
Examples
The roots of the upper first molar project into the maxillary sinus.
There isn't enough bone in the posterior maxilla for a standard implant.
Damage to a tooth caused by acids that plaque bacteria make from sugar. It slowly dissolves enamel and dentin and, if untreated, can reach the pulp.
Where you use it
The professional word, used in notes, reports and research; patients say decay or cavities. It is uncountable and takes a singular verb. Dentists talk about active, arrested, secondary (recurrent) and root caries.
Examples
There is interproximal caries between the lower premolars.
Caries risk is high in this patient because of frequent sugary snacks.
Usage note
Caries is not a plural even though it ends in -s: say 'caries is present', and never 'a carie'. The adjective is carious, as in 'a carious lesion'.
A hole in a tooth caused by decay. In restorative dentistry it also means the space the dentist shapes in the tooth before placing a filling.
Where you use it
The everyday word that patients and dentists share: 'You have a small cavity.' In technical use, dentists prepare a cavity and talk about cavity preparation and cavity design.
Examples
Good news: no new cavities since your last visit.
The cavity was cleaned out and filled with composite.
Usage note
Cavity is countable (one cavity, three cavities), while caries is uncountable.
Common phrases
have a cavity · fill a cavity · cavity preparation · small cavity · deep cavity
Pain in or around a tooth. It can be caused by decay, a cracked tooth, infection or inflammation of the pulp, and may be sharp, throbbing or constant.
Where you use it
A patient word, very common at reception and in emergency appointments. In British English it is often uncountable ('I've got toothache'); Americans usually say 'a toothache'. Dentists then ask what triggers the pain and how long it lasts.
Examples
I've had a terrible toothache since last night and couldn't sleep.
Does the toothache start on its own, or only when you drink something cold?
Common phrases
have toothache · severe toothache · throbbing toothache · toothache at night
A collection of pus caused by a bacterial infection, usually at the tip of a root or in the gum next to a tooth. It often causes throbbing pain and swelling.
Where you use it
Dentists separate a periapical abscess (from a dead pulp) and a periodontal abscess (from a gum pocket). An abscess is drained. Patients say 'I've got an abscess' or 'my face has swollen up'.
Examples
There's an abscess at the root tip of the lower left first molar.
We drained the abscess and will start root canal treatment next week.
Usage note
Spelling trap: abscess has 'sc' in the middle and a double s at the end. It is pronounced AB-sess.
The everyday name for the slow destruction of a tooth by acids that bacteria produce. It starts as a white or brown spot and can grow into a cavity.
Where you use it
The plain-language word for caries, used with patients, in leaflets and in public health campaigns. Decay can also stand alone: 'There's some decay under that filling.' It is uncountable.
Examples
Sugary drinks between meals are a major cause of tooth decay.
Fluoride toothpaste helps protect children against tooth decay.
Common phrases
prevent tooth decay · signs of tooth decay · early tooth decay · decay under a filling
Short, sharp pain in a tooth when it meets cold, heat, sweet food or air, usually because dentin has been exposed by gum recession or wear.
Where you use it
Patients say 'My teeth are sensitive to cold.' The clinical name is dentin (or dentine) hypersensitivity. Desensitizing toothpastes, varnishes and bonding agents are the treatments usually discussed.
Examples
Tooth sensitivity after whitening usually settles within a few days.
She came in complaining of tooth sensitivity when drinking cold water.
The habit of grinding or clenching the teeth, often during sleep and without the person knowing. It can wear teeth down and cause jaw pain and headaches.
Where you use it
Dentists distinguish sleep bruxism from awake bruxism and look for wear facets, cracked teeth and tender jaw muscles. Management often includes a night guard (occlusal splint). Patients say 'I grind my teeth'.
Examples
The wear on her canines suggests bruxism.
Because of his bruxism, we made him a hard night guard.
The medical word for bad breath. In most cases it comes from bacteria on the tongue and around the teeth and gums, not from the stomach.
Where you use it
Used in clinical notes and leaflets; with patients, dentists usually say bad breath, which is more tactful. Causes discussed include tongue coating, gum disease, dry mouth and smoking.
Examples
He came in worried about halitosis, but his gums turned out to be the main cause.
Cleaning the tongue often helps with halitosis.
Common phrases
chronic halitosis · cause of halitosis · bad breath · tongue coating
Loss of tooth surface caused by acids that do not come from bacteria, such as acidic drinks, fruit, or stomach acid from reflux or vomiting.
Where you use it
Also called dental or acid erosion. Dentists separate it from attrition (wear from tooth contact) and abrasion (wear from brushing or objects); together these are tooth wear. Eroded teeth look smooth and shiny, with thin edges.
Examples
The erosion on the palatal surfaces of her upper incisors may be linked to reflux.
Daily sports drinks have caused some erosion on his front teeth.
Common phrases
dental erosion · acid erosion · tooth wear · erosion of the enamel
A soft, sticky film of bacteria that forms on the teeth every day. If brushing and cleaning between the teeth do not remove it, it leads to decay and gum disease.
Where you use it
Used in hygiene advice and periodontal notes. Plaque builds up or accumulates and is removed or disrupted. When it hardens it becomes tartar (calculus). Researchers also call it dental biofilm.
Examples
Plaque builds up quickly along the gum line if you skip brushing.
We use a disclosing tablet to show children where the plaque is.
Usage note
The Turkish 'plak' in 'şeffaf plak' or 'gece plağı' is not plaque: in English those are a clear aligner and a night guard. Plaque rhymes with 'back'.
Inflammation of the gums, usually caused by plaque. The gums look red and swollen and bleed easily, but good cleaning can reverse it.
Where you use it
The early, reversible stage of gum disease that can come before periodontitis. Dentists diagnose it from redness, swelling and bleeding on probing. Patients usually describe 'bleeding gums when I brush'.
Examples
You have mild gingivitis, mostly around the lower front teeth.
Pregnancy gingivitis is common because of hormonal changes.
A serious gum disease in which infection destroys the bone and tissues that hold the teeth. Pockets form, teeth may loosen, and lost bone does not grow back by itself.
Where you use it
Used in periodontal charts, referrals and research. Under the 2017 classification, cases are described by stage (I to IV) and grade (A to C). Patients usually say gum disease.
Examples
The X-rays confirm periodontitis with bone loss around the lower molars.
Smoking makes periodontitis worse and slows healing.
Usage note
Older texts call it pyorrhea (UK pyorrhoea); this word is now outdated.
Professional removal of plaque and tartar from the teeth, above and below the gum line, using ultrasonic and hand instruments.
Where you use it
British patients ask for a scale and polish; Americans call it a cleaning, and insurers call it prophylaxis. Deeper cleaning of root surfaces in periodontitis is scaling and root planing (SRP). The verb is scale.
Examples
You're due for scaling and polishing, so I'll book you in with the hygienist.
After scaling, the bleeding from her gums had reduced a lot.
Usage note
Turkish 'detertraj' comes from French détartrage and is not understood in English: say scaling, or scale and polish.
Common phrases
scale and polish · scaling and root planing · ultrasonic scaling · deep scaling
To clean between the teeth and just under the edge of the gum with a thin thread. As a noun, it is the thread itself, also called dental floss.
Where you use it
A key word in hygiene instructions. Dentists ask 'Do you floss?' and patients say they floss daily or now and then. The noun appears in floss, dental floss and floss picks. Interdental brushes are often used for wider gaps.
Examples
Do you floss regularly, or do you just brush?
My gums bleed a little when I floss.
Usage note
Turkish 'diş ipi kullanmak' is simply 'to floss'; in speech you do not need 'use dental floss'.
Common phrases
floss daily · dental floss · floss between your teeth · floss pick
A mineral compound that makes enamel stronger and more resistant to acid, which helps to prevent decay. It is added to toothpaste and, in some places, to drinking water.
Where you use it
Dentists apply fluoride varnish to children's teeth and talk about fluoride toothpaste, fluoride mouthwash and fluoridated water. The amount in toothpaste is given in ppm (parts per million).
Examples
We'll paint some fluoride varnish on his teeth to help protect them.
Fluoride can help early white spots to remineralize.
Usage note
The element is fluorine; what dentists apply is fluoride. A Turkish 'flor uygulaması' is a fluoride treatment or fluoride varnish.
A thin plastic coating painted into the deep grooves (fissures) on the biting surfaces of back teeth, so that food and bacteria cannot collect there and cause decay.
Where you use it
Used mainly on children's permanent molars soon after they erupt. Dentists place or apply sealants and check them at recall visits. Patients often just say 'sealants'.
Examples
Fissure sealants were placed on all four first molars.
Part of the fissure sealant has worn away, so we'll top it up.
Common phrases
apply a fissure sealant · resin fissure sealant · sealant retention · pit and fissure sealant
Movement of a tooth in its socket. A tiny amount is normal, but increased mobility can be a sign of bone loss, infection or injury.
Where you use it
Recorded on periodontal charts as grade 1, 2 or 3 (for example in Miller's classification). Dentists test mobility with the handles of two instruments. Patients say their tooth is loose or wobbly.
Examples
The lower incisors show grade 2 mobility.
Mobility has reduced since the teeth were splinted.
An abnormally deep space between the gum and the tooth root, caused by periodontitis. The healthy gap is about 1 to 3 mm deep; pockets are deeper.
Where you use it
Dentists measure pocket depths with a periodontal probe at six points around each tooth and record them on a periodontal chart. Treatment aims to reduce pocket depth. Notes read, for example, 'pockets of 6 mm on the molars'.
Examples
There's a 7 mm periodontal pocket on the distal of the upper molar.
After treatment, most periodontal pockets had reduced to 4 mm or less.
Shrinking back of the gum from the tooth, which exposes part of the root. It can be caused by gum disease, brushing too hard or thin gum tissue.
Where you use it
Patients say receding gums or 'my teeth look longer'. Dentists measure recession in millimeters and may refer the patient for a gum graft. It often leads to sensitivity and root caries.
Examples
There's 3 mm of gingival recession on the lower canine.
Brushing too hard can contribute to gingival recession.
An image of the teeth and bone made with a small dose of radiation. It shows problems the eye cannot see, such as decay between teeth, infection at a root tip or bone loss.
Where you use it
The everyday word in clinic; reports and papers often say radiograph. You take an X-ray, and an X-ray shows or reveals something. It is also a verb: 'We need to X-ray that tooth.'
Examples
Let's take an X-ray to see what's happening under that filling.
The X-ray shows a dark area at the tip of the root.
Usage note
English does not use 'röntgen' for the image; say X-ray or radiograph. Turkish 'röntgen çekmek' is 'take an X-ray'.
Common phrases
take an X-ray · dental X-ray · the X-ray shows · X-ray report
A routine visit at which the dentist examines the teeth, gums and mouth to find problems early, often together with X-rays and a cleaning.
Where you use it
The usual word for patients and reception staff: come in for a check-up, be due for a check-up. Clinicians may say routine examination or recall exam. It is written check-up in British English and checkup in American English.
Examples
You're due for a check-up next month. Shall I book you in?
The cavity was found at a routine check-up.
Usage note
The Turkish 'kontrol' in 'kontrole gelmek' is usually check-up or follow-up appointment in English, not 'control'.
Common phrases
routine check-up · dental check-up · be due for a check-up · six-month check-up · book a check-up
An X-ray that shows the crowns of the upper and lower back teeth together on one image. The patient bites on a tab or holder to keep the sensor in place.
Where you use it
Used mainly to find decay between the back teeth and to check bone levels. Dentists take bitewings at check-ups, usually one on each side. It is used as a noun on its own or in bitewing radiograph.
Examples
The bitewings show early decay between the upper premolars.
It's been two years, so let's take new bitewings today.
A single wide X-ray that shows both jaws, all the teeth and nearby structures such as the jaw joints and sinuses. The machine moves around the patient's head.
Where you use it
Called an OPG or OPT (orthopantomogram) in the UK and often a 'pano' in the US. Used for wisdom teeth, orthodontic planning, first visits and screening the jaws; it shows less detail than intraoral X-rays.
Examples
We'll take a panoramic X-ray to see the position of your wisdom teeth.
The panoramic X-ray showed a cyst in the left side of the mandible.
Common phrases
take a panoramic X-ray · panoramic radiograph · OPG · on the panoramic X-ray
A diagram of all the teeth on which the dentist records which teeth are present, missing, decayed or filled, and what treatment is needed.
Where you use it
Most clinics now use digital charting in their practice software. Dentists chart the mouth and call out findings such as 'twenty-six, mesial caries' while the assistant records them. Gum measurements go on a separate periodontal chart.
Examples
Can you update the dental chart? Thirty-six now has an MOD composite.
According to the dental chart, the upper left second molar was extracted in 2019.
Common phrases
update the dental chart · periodontal chart · chart the teeth · digital charting
One of the four quarters of the mouth: upper right, upper left, lower left and lower right. In an adult each quadrant has eight permanent teeth.
Where you use it
Used in charting, treatment plans and tooth numbering. In the FDI system the first digit is the quadrant (1 upper right through 4 lower right) and the second is the tooth, so 36 is the lower left first molar.
Examples
We'll do the deep cleaning one quadrant at a time under local anesthetic.
The upper left quadrant needs two fillings.
Usage note
The US mainly uses the Universal system instead (teeth 1 to 32), and the UK sometimes uses Palmer notation. Always check which system a chart uses: FDI 36 is Universal 19.
Common phrases
upper right quadrant · lower left quadrant · quadrant by quadrant · per quadrant
A small intraoral X-ray that shows one or a few teeth from the crown to the root tip, together with the bone around them.
Where you use it
The standard image in endodontics and for diagnosing infection at the root tip. Often shortened to PA. Dentists take periapical X-rays before, during and after root canal treatment.
Examples
Take a periapical X-ray of the upper right lateral incisor, please.
The periapical X-ray shows a well-condensed root filling.
Common phrases
take a periapical X-ray · periapical radiograph · periapical lesion · PA film
Short for cone beam computed tomography: a 3D scan of the teeth and jaws that shows bone height and width, nerve canals and roots in detail.
Where you use it
Used for implant planning, impacted teeth, complex root canal anatomy and lesions. It usually gives a higher radiation dose than ordinary dental X-rays, so it is taken only when it adds useful information. People say 'a CBCT scan'.
Examples
We need a CBCT scan to check the distance between the implant site and the nerve.
The CBCT showed a fourth canal in the upper molar.
Usage note
Turkish dentists often say 'dental tomografi'; in English say CBCT, pronouncing each letter.
Common phrases
CBCT scan · small field of view CBCT · CBCT imaging · order a CBCT
A test in which the dentist gently taps a tooth, usually with the end of a mirror handle, to see whether it is tender. Pain suggests inflammation around the root.
Where you use it
Recorded in notes as TTP (tender to percussion) or as percussion positive or negative. Dentists compare the tooth with its neighbors and may test both vertical and lateral percussion.
Examples
The lower left first molar is tender to percussion.
Percussion was positive on 46 and negative on the neighboring teeth.
Common phrases
tender to percussion · percussion test · vertical percussion · percussion positive
A test that checks whether the nerve of a tooth still responds, usually by applying cold or a small electric current. It helps show whether the pulp is healthy, inflamed or dead.
Where you use it
Common tests are the cold test with refrigerant spray and the electric pulp test (EPT). Strictly, these are sensibility tests, because they measure nerve response rather than blood supply, and many textbooks now use that name.
Examples
The vitality test was negative on the upper central incisor after the injury.
Let's do a vitality test with cold spray on this tooth and its neighbors.
Common phrases
vitality test · cold test · electric pulp test · sensibility testing
Material placed in a tooth to repair the hole left after decay is removed, or to rebuild a broken part, so that the tooth regains its shape and function.
Where you use it
The everyday word; in reports dentists often write restoration. You place or replace a filling, and patients have or get one. A filling can fall out, crack or leak. Types include composite, amalgam and glass ionomer.
Examples
You'll need a small filling on the upper left side.
My old filling fell out while I was eating.
Common phrases
have a filling · white filling · replace a filling · the filling fell out · filling material
A tooth-colored filling material made of resin mixed with fine glass or ceramic particles. It is bonded to the tooth and usually hardened with a blue curing light.
Where you use it
Short for composite resin. Dentists place composite fillings, choose a shade, and build up or bond teeth with composite. Patients call them white fillings.
Examples
We'll replace the old amalgam with a composite that matches your tooth.
The composite has chipped at the edge of the front tooth.
A silver-gray filling material made by mixing mercury with a powder of silver, tin and copper. It is strong and long-lasting but does not match the color of the tooth.
Where you use it
Patients call it a silver or metal filling. Many countries are reducing its use under the Minamata Convention on mercury, so dentists now mostly replace or repair existing amalgams.
Examples
The old amalgam has a crack running through it.
She asked us to replace her amalgam fillings with white ones.
A simple filling placed for a short time, for example between visits during root canal treatment or while a crown is being made.
Where you use it
Also called a temporary restoration, or in the UK a temporary dressing. Patients are usually told it may wear down or come out. Common materials include zinc oxide eugenol and glass ionomer.
Examples
I've put in a temporary filling until we finish the root canal treatment.
Part of my temporary filling came out last night.
Common phrases
place a temporary filling · lose a temporary filling · temporary dressing · temporary restoration
A thin shell of porcelain or composite bonded to the front surface of a tooth to improve its color, shape or apparent position.
Where you use it
Mostly a cosmetic treatment for front teeth. Dentists talk about porcelain and composite veneers, minimal preparation and bonding. Patients sometimes ask for 'a smile makeover'.
Examples
Porcelain veneers could hide the stains on her front teeth.
One of his veneers has chipped at the edge.
Usage note
Turkish 'lamina' is a veneer in English; in English anatomy, lamina means a thin layer of bone or tissue.
Common phrases
porcelain veneer · composite veneer · bond a veneer · no-prep veneer
A cosmetic treatment that makes teeth lighter with a peroxide gel, applied either in the clinic or at home in custom-made trays.
Where you use it
Usually called tooth whitening in the UK and teeth whitening or bleaching in the US. Dentists talk about in-office and home whitening and the change in shade. Whitening does not change the color of fillings or crowns.
Examples
Tooth whitening won't change the color of your front crown.
She had tooth whitening before her wedding and is very happy with the shade.
Common phrases
home tooth whitening · in-office whitening · whitening trays · whitening gel
Treatment that removes inflamed or infected pulp from inside a tooth, then cleans, shapes and seals the root canals so that the tooth can be kept.
Where you use it
Often shortened to RCT in notes; patients usually just say 'a root canal'. Dentists start, complete or redo root canal treatment (retreatment), and the tooth is then described as root-filled.
Examples
This tooth needs root canal treatment, or we'll have to take it out.
Root canal treatment is usually done in one or two visits.
Usage note
Patients often say 'I had a root canal'. In writing, use the full form root canal treatment; the specialist in this field is an endodontist.
Inflammation of the pulp inside a tooth, usually caused by deep decay, cracks or repeated dental work. It ranges from mild and reversible to severe and irreversible.
Where you use it
Dentists diagnose reversible pulpitis (short, sharp pain with cold that stops quickly) or irreversible pulpitis (lingering or spontaneous pain, often worse at night). The diagnosis guides the choice between a filling and root canal treatment.
Examples
The pain lingers for minutes after cold, which suggests irreversible pulpitis.
With reversible pulpitis, a sedative filling may be enough.
The tip of a tooth root, where nerves and blood vessels enter the tooth through a small opening called the apical foramen.
Where you use it
Central in endodontics: dentists measure the working length to the apex with an electronic apex locator and X-rays. The adjective is apical (apical lesion, apical periodontitis). The plural is apices or apexes.
Examples
The apex locator reading matches the length on the X-ray.
There's a dark area around the apex of the mesial root.
Common phrases
root apex · apex locator · open apex · short of the apex
A rubber-like material based on the dried sap of a tropical tree. Together with a sealer, it is used to fill root canals after they have been cleaned and shaped.
Where you use it
Supplied as cones (points) in sizes that match the files. Dentists fill (obturate) the canals with gutta-percha using cold lateral or warm vertical techniques, then check the result on an X-ray. Often shortened to GP.
Examples
Fit a size 30 gutta-percha cone and take an X-ray.
The gutta-percha is about one millimeter short of the apex.
Common phrases
gutta-percha cone · gutta-percha point · warm gutta-percha · obturate with gutta-percha
A thin, flexible metal instrument with cutting edges, used by hand or with a motor to clean and shape the inside of root canals.
Where you use it
Usually just called a file. Files are made of stainless steel or nickel-titanium (NiTi), and their sizes are numbered and color-coded to ISO standards. Dentists talk about hand files, rotary files and a separated (broken) file.
Examples
Start with a size 10 endodontic file to find the canal.
A small piece of the endodontic file separated in the curved canal.
Common phrases
hand file · rotary file · NiTi file · separated file · file size
The removal of a tooth from its socket in the bone. A simple one uses forceps and elevators; a surgical one may need a cut in the gum or removal of some bone.
Where you use it
Dentists perform or carry out an extraction, and the verb is extract. With patients they usually say 'take the tooth out', and patients say they 'had a tooth out'. Notes separate simple and surgical extraction.
Examples
The extraction went smoothly and took about ten minutes.
Because the tooth is badly broken down, a surgical extraction may be needed.
Usage note
'Pull a tooth' is informal; in professional English say extract a tooth, or with patients, take a tooth out.
Common phrases
tooth extraction · simple extraction · surgical extraction · extraction socket · after the extraction
A drug injected near a tooth or nerve to numb one area of the mouth, so that treatment does not hurt while the patient stays fully awake.
Where you use it
Often shortened to LA in notes. Dentists give a local anesthetic by infiltration or by a nerve block; with patients they say 'a little injection' or 'numb the area'. Common agents are lidocaine and articaine.
Examples
I'm going to give you a local anesthetic so you won't feel anything.
The local anesthetic usually wears off after two to three hours.
Usage note
British English spells it anaesthetic and calls lidocaine lignocaine. Anesthesia is the state of not feeling; an anesthetic is the drug.
Common phrases
give a local anesthetic · under local anesthetic · the anesthetic wears off · local anesthetic injection
A plier-like instrument used to grip a tooth and remove it from its socket. Different designs are made for upper and lower teeth and for each type of tooth.
Where you use it
Always plural in form: a pair of forceps, the forceps are. Dentists apply the forceps, grip the tooth and use slow, controlled movements. Common types include upper molar, lower molar and root forceps.
Examples
Can you pass me the lower molar forceps?
The crown was too broken down to grip with forceps, so we used an elevator first.
Usage note
Turkish 'davye' is forceps in English. The word looks plural but can mean one instrument: 'these forceps' or 'this pair of forceps'.
Common phrases
extraction forceps · a pair of forceps · upper molar forceps · apply the forceps
A hand instrument with a narrow blade that is pushed between a tooth or root and the bone to loosen it, before forceps are used or instead of them.
Where you use it
Dentists use an elevator to loosen (luxate) a tooth, lift out roots and remove wisdom teeth. Common types are straight, Cryer and Warwick James elevators. Luxators are a thinner, sharper relative.
Examples
Use a straight elevator to loosen the tooth before you apply the forceps.
The root tip came out easily with a small elevator.
Usage note
What Turkish dentists call a 'bein' is usually a straight elevator in English. In everyday American English, an elevator is a lift.
Common phrases
straight elevator · use an elevator · Cryer elevator · luxate the tooth
Describes a tooth that cannot come through into its normal position because bone, gum or another tooth is in the way. Wisdom teeth and upper canines are most often affected.
Where you use it
Dentists describe the angle of impaction (mesioangular, distoangular, vertical, horizontal) and whether the tooth is covered by bone or only by soft tissue. Impacted teeth are often assessed with a panoramic X-ray or CBCT.
Examples
The lower right wisdom tooth is impacted and lying horizontally.
An impacted canine may need surgical exposure and orthodontic treatment.
Usage note
Turkish 'gömülü diş' is an impacted tooth, not a 'buried tooth'.
A painful complication after an extraction in which the blood clot in the socket breaks down or is lost, leaving bone exposed. The pain usually starts two to four days later.
Where you use it
The clinical name is alveolar osteitis. It is more common after lower molar extractions and in smokers. Dentists usually irrigate the socket and place a soothing dressing.
Examples
Smoking straight after an extraction increases the risk of dry socket.
She came back on day three with a dry socket and severe pain.
Common phrases
develop a dry socket · risk of dry socket · dry socket dressing · treat a dry socket
A stitch used to close a wound or hold gum tissue in place after surgery. Dissolvable sutures disappear by themselves; others are removed after about a week.
Where you use it
Also a verb: suture the flap. Dentists place sutures and talk about resorbable (dissolvable) and non-resorbable sutures; patients say stitches. Removal is often booked as a separate suture removal appointment.
Examples
I've put in two dissolvable sutures, so you won't need to come back to have them removed.
The sutures will be removed in seven to ten days.
Common phrases
place sutures · dissolvable sutures · suture removal · remove the sutures
A fixed orthodontic appliance made of small brackets glued to the teeth and joined by a wire, which slowly moves the teeth into better positions.
Where you use it
Patients get braces, wear them and have them taken off. Orthodontists more often say fixed appliance. Ceramic braces are tooth-colored, and lingual braces are fixed to the back of the teeth.
Examples
She'll need to wear braces for about eighteen months.
Food gets stuck in my braces after every meal.
Usage note
Turkish 'diş teli' is braces, not 'teeth wire'. American English always uses the plural; British English also says 'a brace'.
Common phrases
wear braces · get braces · have braces taken off · ceramic braces · fixed braces
The way the upper and lower teeth fit together when the jaws close, and how they touch during chewing and other jaw movements.
Where you use it
Patients call it their bite ('My bite feels high'). Dentists check and adjust the occlusion after fillings and crowns, and orthodontists classify it, for example as Class I, II or III in Angle's classification.
Examples
Let's check your occlusion; bite together on this paper for me.
After the crown was fitted, the occlusion felt high on that side.
Common phrases
check the occlusion · adjust the occlusion · Class II occlusion · centric occlusion · high occlusion
A problem with the way the teeth meet or line up, such as crowding, gaps, a deep overbite or an underbite. It is the main reason for orthodontic treatment.
Where you use it
Orthodontists describe the type and severity: Class II malocclusion, increased overjet (upper front teeth sticking out), deep overbite, open bite, crossbite. Patients usually just say crooked teeth or a bad bite.
Examples
He has a Class II malocclusion with a large overjet.
Severe malocclusion can make chewing and cleaning difficult.
Common phrases
Class II malocclusion · severe malocclusion · correct a malocclusion · skeletal malocclusion
An appliance used after braces or aligners to keep the teeth in their new positions. It can be removable, or a thin wire bonded behind the front teeth.
Where you use it
Patients wear a retainer, often at night, and orthodontists stress that teeth can drift back (relapse) without one. Types include clear (Essix) retainers, Hawley retainers and fixed or bonded retainers.
Examples
You'll need to wear your retainer every night after the braces come off.
One of a series of thin, transparent plastic trays made to fit the teeth closely. Each tray moves the teeth slightly, and the patient changes to the next one every week or two.
Where you use it
Patients often use a brand name for them. Aligners are worn for most of the day and night and taken out to eat. Orthodontists may bond small tooth-colored attachments so that the aligners can grip and move the teeth.
Examples
She chose clear aligners because she didn't want visible braces.
The clear aligners aren't fitting properly any more, so we'll take a new scan.
Usage note
Turkish 'şeffaf plak' is a clear aligner in English, not 'transparent plaque'; plaque means the bacterial film on teeth.
Common phrases
clear aligner therapy · a set of aligners · wear aligners · aligner attachments
A lack of space in the jaw for all the teeth to line up straight, so that they overlap, twist or are pushed out of the arch.
Where you use it
Orthodontists describe it as mild, moderate or severe, often in millimeters. Treatment may involve expanding the arch, slimming the sides of teeth (interproximal reduction) or extracting premolars. Lower incisor crowding tends to increase with age.
Examples
There's moderate crowding in the lower arch, about five millimeters.
Crowding makes these teeth harder to clean, so plaque builds up.
Usage note
Patients say crooked teeth; dentists say crowding. The adjective is crowded: 'The lower teeth are crowded.'
A cap made of ceramic, metal or both that covers a damaged tooth completely and restores its shape and strength. The word also means the part of a tooth visible above the gum.
Where you use it
Dentists prepare a tooth for a crown, take an impression, fit a temporary crown and later cement the final one. Common types are zirconia, all-ceramic and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns.
Examples
After the root canal treatment, we'll put a crown on this tooth to protect it.
Her crown came off while she was eating toffee.
Usage note
What Turkish patients call 'kaplama' or 'porselen' is a crown in English, not a 'coating'. 'Cap' is an informal patient word.
Common phrases
fit a crown · zirconia crown · temporary crown · crown preparation · cement a crown
A removable set of artificial teeth on a plastic or metal base that replaces some or all missing teeth. A complete denture replaces every tooth in one jaw.
Where you use it
Dentists talk about complete (full) and partial dentures, and about fitting, relining and adjusting them. Patients say false teeth and put in or take out their dentures. The plural is common: 'Her dentures don't fit.'
Examples
Her upper denture is loose and rubs on the gum.
We'll take impressions today and fit the new denture in three weeks.
Usage note
Turkish 'protez' can also cover crowns, bridges and implant restorations; in English a denture is only the removable kind, and the general word is prosthesis.
A small screw, usually made of titanium, placed in the jawbone to replace the root of a missing tooth. Once it has fused with the bone, it supports a crown, bridge or denture.
Where you use it
Implants are placed, and the bone bonds to them in a process called osseointegration. The part that connects the implant to the crown is the abutment. Patients usually just say 'an implant'.
Examples
We can replace the missing molar with a dental implant once the socket has healed.
There isn't enough bone for a dental implant, so we may need a graft first.
Usage note
Turkish 'implant yapmak' is 'place an implant' (dentist) or 'have an implant' (patient), not 'make an implant'.
Common phrases
place a dental implant · implant-supported crown · implant failure · dental implant surgery
A fixed restoration that replaces one or more missing teeth by joining false teeth to crowns on the neighboring teeth or on implants.
Where you use it
The false tooth in a bridge is the pontic, and the supporting teeth are the abutments. A bridge is cemented or bonded in place, and the patient cannot take it out. Types include conventional and resin-bonded bridges.
Examples
A three-unit bridge would replace the missing tooth using the teeth on either side.
An accurate copy of the teeth and gums, made by pressing soft material in a tray against them or by scanning them, so that a lab can make a crown, denture or aligner.
Where you use it
Dentists take an impression with alginate or silicone, or a digital impression with an intraoral scanner. The impression goes to the lab, where it is poured in plaster to make a model (cast).
Examples
I'm going to take an impression of your upper teeth; it will feel a bit cold.
There's an air bubble on the margin in this impression, so we need to retake it.
Usage note
Turkish 'ölçü almak' is 'take an impression', not 'take a measurement'.
Common phrases
take an impression · digital impression · impression tray · silicone impression · retake the impression
A registered dental professional who cleans teeth, removes tartar and gives prevention advice and, in many countries, also takes X-rays and treats gum disease.
Where you use it
A key member of the dental team in the UK, the US and many other countries. Patients 'see the hygienist' for scaling. Turkey has no exact equivalent profession, so this work is mostly done by dentists.
Examples
Your next appointment is with the dental hygienist for a scale and polish.
The dental hygienist noticed bleeding and deep pockets around the molars.
Common phrases
see the hygienist · hygienist appointment · refer to the hygienist · dental hygienist
The hand-held tool that holds and spins a bur or polishing cup. High-speed handpieces cut enamel and old fillings; slow-speed ones remove soft decay and polish.
Where you use it
Patients call it the drill. The high-speed handpiece is an air turbine; slow-speed handpieces are straight or contra-angle. Handpieces are cleaned, oiled and sterilized after every patient.
Examples
Pass me the high-speed handpiece and a round diamond bur, please.
The slow-speed handpiece is making a strange noise; it may need servicing.
Usage note
Turkish clinic names come from other languages: aeratör is a high-speed handpiece (air turbine), anguldurva a contra-angle handpiece and piyasemen a straight handpiece.
A small rotating cutting tool that fits into a handpiece. Burs come in many shapes and sizes and are made of diamond, tungsten carbide or steel.
Where you use it
Dentists select, change and discard burs: a round bur to remove decay, a fissure bur to cut, a finishing bur to smooth. Assistants keep them organized in a bur block or bur stand.
Examples
Can I have a new diamond bur? This one's worn.
Use a round bur at slow speed to remove the soft decay.
Usage note
Turkish 'frez' is a bur. The spelling burr also exists, but dental catalogues usually write bur. It rhymes with 'her'.
A small round mirror on a handle used to see surfaces that are hard to view directly, reflect light into the mouth and hold the cheek or tongue out of the way.
Where you use it
Part of the basic examination kit together with a probe and tweezers, often referred to simply as 'mirror and probe'. Dentists use it for indirect vision when working on upper teeth and lingual surfaces.
Examples
Could you pass me another mouth mirror? This one keeps fogging up.
With the mouth mirror I can see a small crack on the back of this tooth.
A thin hand instrument for examining teeth and gums. A periodontal probe has millimeter marks to measure pocket depth; a sharp probe (explorer) checks surfaces and filling margins.
Where you use it
Also a verb: dentists probe the gums and record probing depths. In the US the sharp instrument is usually called an explorer. Bleeding on probing (BOP) is a key sign of gum inflammation.
Examples
The probe goes in five millimeters on the distal of this molar.
There was bleeding on probing at most sites.
Usage note
Turkish 'sond' comes from French sonde; in English dentistry the word is probe.
Common phrases
periodontal probe · probing depth · bleeding on probing · probe the gums
Equipment that removes saliva, water and debris from the patient's mouth during treatment. High-volume suction also reduces spray and aerosol.
Where you use it
The dental assistant holds or manages the suction. The two main types are the high-volume aspirator and the small saliva ejector. Dentists may ask for 'more suction, please' while cutting.
Examples
Can you keep the suction a bit closer to the tongue?
I'm just going to use the suction to dry things up.
Usage note
In spoken clinic English, the Turkish 'aspiratör' is usually just 'the suction'; aspirator is more formal.
Common phrases
high-volume suction · saliva ejector · hold the suction · suction tip
A thin sheet of latex or latex-free rubber stretched on a frame and held by a clamp, so that only the tooth being treated shows through a hole.
Where you use it
Used to keep the tooth dry, protect the airway and keep irrigants out of the mouth. It is standard in root canal treatment and common for bonded fillings. Dentists place or put on a rubber dam and remove it at the end.
Examples
We'll put a rubber dam on, so you'll just feel a little pressure from the clamp.
In our clinic, all root canal treatment is done under rubber dam.
Usage note
Turkish 'koferdam' comes from German Kofferdam; in English it is always rubber dam.
Common phrases
place a rubber dam · under rubber dam · rubber dam clamp · rubber dam isolation
A machine that sterilizes instruments with steam under high pressure and temperature, usually at 121 °C or 134 °C, killing bacteria, viruses and spores.
Where you use it
Instruments are cleaned, bagged and put through the autoclave; the machine runs a cycle, and staff record and test the cycles. It is also a verb: autoclave the instruments.
Examples
Put the handpieces in the autoclave once they've been oiled.
The autoclave failed its daily test, so we can't use it until it's been checked.
Common phrases
run the autoclave · autoclave cycle · vacuum autoclave · autoclave the instruments
The rules and practices a clinic follows to stop infections spreading between patients and staff, such as hand hygiene, gloves, masks, surface cleaning and instrument sterilization.
Where you use it
Used in clinic policies, inspections and training. Staff follow infection control procedures and standard precautions. Cross-infection means an infection passed from one person to another, and in the UK the related word decontamination is common.
Examples
All new staff complete infection control training in their first week.
The inspector reviewed our infection control records and sterilization logs.
Common phrases
infection control procedures · infection control policy · cross-infection · standard precautions
A trained team member who works beside the dentist at the chair, passing instruments, handling the suction, mixing materials, sterilizing instruments and looking after patients.
Where you use it
The US term; in the UK the same role is called a dental nurse and must be registered with the General Dental Council. Dentists say 'my assistant' or 'my nurse', and working together at the chair is called four-handed dentistry.
Examples
My dental assistant will take you through to the X-ray room.
The dental assistant mixed the impression material and loaded the tray.
Usage note
In the UK a dental nurse is not a nurse in the medical sense; it is the title of the dental assistant.
A written list of the treatments a patient needs, in the order they will be done, often with costs and other options, agreed with the patient before work starts.
Where you use it
Dentists draw up, present and discuss a treatment plan, and patients accept it or ask about alternatives. Plans are often phased: urgent care first, then fillings and gum treatment, then crowns or implants.
Examples
I'll print out your treatment plan with the costs so you can think it over.
The treatment plan includes two fillings, root canal treatment and a crown.
Common phrases
draw up a treatment plan · accept the treatment plan · phased treatment plan · treatment plan options
Unable to feel anything in part of the body for a while, as the lip, tongue and cheek are after a local anesthetic. It is also a verb: to numb an area.
Where you use it
Used all the time with patients: 'Is it numb yet?' and 'Your lip will feel numb for a few hours.' The noun is numbness. Dentists check that the area is numb before starting work.
Examples
Does your lip feel numb yet, or shall we wait a few more minutes?
Be careful not to bite your cheek while it's numb.
Usage note
The b is silent: numb is pronounced /nʌm/ and numbness /ˈnʌmnəs/.
Common phrases
feel numb · go numb · numb the area · the numbness wears off
To move water or another liquid around the mouth and then spit it out. As a noun, it can mean a mouthwash or the act of rinsing.
Where you use it
A common chairside instruction ('Have a rinse', 'Rinse and spit') and a key word in advice after extractions, where patients are usually told not to rinse hard on the first day. Mouthwash is also called a mouth rinse.
Examples
You can have a rinse now; there's water in the cup.
Please don't rinse vigorously today, or the blood clot could come away.
Usage note
Gargle means bubbling liquid at the back of the throat; for the mouth only, say rinse.
Common phrases
rinse and spit · have a rinse · salt water rinse · mouth rinse
A short instruction asking the patient to open the mouth as far as is comfortable, so that the dentist can see and reach the back teeth.
Where you use it
Said many times a day at the dental chair, usually softened with 'please' or 'for me': 'Open wide for me.' Related instructions are 'a little wider', 'close halfway' and 'turn towards me'.
Examples
Open wide for me, please. A little wider... lovely.
If it's hard to keep your mouth open wide, raise your hand and we'll take a break.
Usage note
'Open your mouth' is correct but can sound blunt; 'Open wide for me' or 'Could you open for me?' sounds friendlier.
Common phrases
open wide for me · open a little wider · open as wide as you can
To close the teeth together firmly, for example on a piece of gauze after an extraction or on a holder while an X-ray is taken.
Where you use it
A chairside instruction. Dentists say 'bite down gently', 'bite down on this' or 'bite together' when checking the bite with articulating paper. With an object, 'bite on' is also common: 'bite on the gauze'.
Examples
Bite down firmly on this gauze for twenty minutes.
Bite down on the blue paper and slide your teeth from side to side.
Common phrases
bite down gently · bite down on the gauze · bite down on the holder · bite together
A record of a patient's health, including illnesses, medicines, allergies, operations and habits such as smoking. Dentists check it before any treatment.
Where you use it
Patients fill in or update a medical history form, usually at each new course of treatment. Dentists look especially for blood thinners, bisphosphonates, heart conditions, diabetes, pregnancy and allergies, which can change how treatment is carried out.
Examples
Has anything changed in your medical history since your last visit?
Her medical history includes warfarin, so we checked her INR before the extraction.
Common phrases
take a medical history · update your medical history · medical history form · relevant medical history
A patient's agreement to treatment, given after the dentist has explained what it involves, its risks and benefits, and the other options, including no treatment.
Where you use it
Dentists obtain and record informed consent, often on a signed form for extractions, implants and sedation. Consent must be given freely, and the patient can withdraw it at any time.
Examples
Before you sign the informed consent form, I'll explain the risks of removing the wisdom tooth.
Written informed consent was obtained for implant surgery.
Common phrases
obtain informed consent · written informed consent · consent form · give consent
The system of inviting patients back for regular check-ups, or the check-up appointment itself. The recall interval is the time between two such visits.
Where you use it
Common in practice management: recall appointment, recall letter, recall text. Dentists set the recall interval according to risk, for example three months for active gum disease and longer for low-risk patients.
Examples
Let's put you on a six-month recall.
Recall reminders are sent by text two weeks before the appointment.
The information a patient is given after an extraction or surgery about bleeding, pain, eating, cleaning and warning signs, often on a printed sheet.
Where you use it
Often shortened to post-op instructions, and also called aftercare instructions. Dentists give them or go through them with the patient. Clinical notes often record 'post-operative instructions given verbally and in writing'.
Examples
The nurse will go through the post-operative instructions with you before you leave.
Post-operative instructions given verbally and in writing.
Common phrases
give post-operative instructions · written post-operative instructions · follow the instructions · aftercare
Ten questions from this glossary. Pick the right meaning for each term and see your score.
How to learn dentistry vocabulary
Learn each term in pairs: the clinical word and the word patients use, such as caries and decay, calculus and tartar, extraction and 'having a tooth out', denture and false teeth.
Master the tooth-surface words (mesial, distal, buccal, lingual, occlusal) and both the FDI and the Universal numbering systems; they appear in every chart, referral letter and X-ray report.
Read real dental texts every week, such as journal abstracts, case reports, material instructions and patient leaflets, and notice set phrases like 'tender to percussion' and 'no caries detected'.
Practise the short chairside instructions out loud until they come automatically: 'Open wide for me', 'Bite down gently', 'Have a rinse', 'You'll feel a little pressure'.
Keep a list of clinic words Turkish has borrowed from French or German (davye, frez, anguldurva, piyasemen, detertraj, koferdam) next to their English names: forceps, bur, contra-angle handpiece, straight handpiece, scaling, rubber dam.
Frequently asked questions
How can I learn dental English vocabulary quickly?
Study by topic rather than alphabetically, and learn each word with the words it goes with: take an impression, place a filling, extract a tooth. Read short real texts from your field every day, such as case reports and material instructions, and describe your own cases in English. Ten minutes a day works better than one long session before an exam.
Which dental terms should I learn first?
Start with tooth anatomy and tooth names, the surface words used in charting, the most common conditions (caries, gingivitis, periodontitis, abscess), the core treatments (filling, root canal treatment, extraction, crown) and the instructions you give patients at the chair. The first tier of this glossary covers exactly these.
How are teeth numbered in English-speaking countries?
Most of the world, including Turkey, uses the two-digit FDI system, in which 36 is the lower left first molar. The US mainly uses the Universal system, which numbers the teeth from 1 to 32 starting at the upper right third molar, so the same tooth is 19. In the UK you will also see Palmer notation, a grid symbol with a number from 1 to 8. Always check which system a chart or referral letter uses.
Is dental English different in the UK and the US?
The clinical vocabulary is shared, but some everyday words differ: dental nurse and dental assistant, scale and polish and cleaning, a brace and braces, lignocaine and lidocaine. Spelling differs too (anaesthetic/anesthetic, dentine/dentin, colour/color). Choose one style for your own writing and learn to recognize both.
How do dentists explain treatment to English-speaking patients?
They use plain words and short sentences: 'a filling' rather than 'a restoration', 'gum disease' rather than 'periodontitis', 'take the tooth out' rather than 'extract'. They explain what the patient will feel, check that the patient has understood, and describe the options before asking for consent. Learning both the clinical and the everyday word for each term is the best preparation.
