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Dentistry vocabulary · Teeth and Oral Anatomy

Distal

Meaning in dentistry, with examples

/ˈdɪstəl/adjectiveCommon term

In dentistry, distal means: 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.

In Turkish: distal

How it is used

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.

Example sentences

  1. Food keeps getting trapped between the distal of the second premolar and the first molar.

  2. The X-ray shows recurrent caries under the distal margin of the old filling.

Common collocations

  • distal surface
  • distal caries
  • distal root
  • disto-occlusal
  • mesialDescribes 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.
  • occlusalDescribes the biting or chewing surface of a back tooth, or anything to do with the way the upper and lower teeth meet.
  • dental chartA diagram of all the teeth on which the dentist records which teeth are present, missing, decayed or filled, and what treatment is needed.
  • molarOne 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.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Teeth and Oral Anatomy

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.