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Dentistry vocabulary · Crowns, Bridges, Dentures and Implants

Impression

Meaning in dentistry, with examples

/ɪmˈpreʃən/nounCore term

In dentistry, impression means: 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.

In Turkish: ölçü, ağız ölçüsü

How it is used

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).

Example sentences

  1. I'm going to take an impression of your upper teeth; it will feel a bit cold.

  2. There's an air bubble on the margin in this impression, so we need to retake it.

Common collocations

  • take an impression
  • digital impression
  • impression tray
  • silicone impression
  • retake the impression
  • crownA 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.
  • dentureA 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.
  • bridgeA fixed restoration that replaces one or more missing teeth by joining false teeth to crowns on the neighboring teeth or on implants.
  • clear alignerOne 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.

This word in other fields

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

More terms: Crowns, Bridges, Dentures and Implants

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