Category: Dental Clinic

A Glossary of the Most Commonly Used Dental Terms

Just to describe the oral parts, problems and treatment procedure dentists and their staff use a variety of terms. Such dental terms are often used in the course of delivering oral care to patients. While most of the experienced individuals are familiar with these terms, dentists and dental assistants new to clinical practice have a tough time understanding and memorizing such words.

At Dental Courses in Delhi, we’ve created a handy glossary of dental terms that would help you familiarize with the popular clinical terms. This dental glossary would not only help you stay at ease while in the presence of experienced dentists, but also let you come across as a proficient dentist.

A

  1. Abrasion: Loss and wearing of tooth structure, generally caused by improper brushing and Bruxism
  2. Abscess: A bone/tooth/soft tissue infection
  3. Abutment: Natural teeth supporting a dental bridge
  4. Amalgam: A commonly used tooth filling material

B

  1. Band: A metal ring encircling a tooth which is cemented as a part of orthodontic treatment
  2. Base: Cement used for dental restoration
  3. Bicuspid: Pre-molars
  4. Bitewing:An x-ray used to detect cavities
  5. Block Injection: Anesthesia used to numb teeth, lower jaw and half a tongue
  6. Bonding: Tooth-coloured adhesive restoration material used to change tooth colour and shape
  7. Bruxism: Excessive tooth clenching and grinding

C

  1. Calculus: Medical term for tartar
  2. Canker Sore: Small, shallow sores appearing in the mouth
  3. Caries: Medical term for cavity
  4. Cementum: A thin, but hard tissue covering tooth root
  5. Composite: A tooth-coloured filling
  6. Cuspid: Canines

D

  1. Deciduous Teeth: Primary teeth
  2. Dentin: Tooth structure immediately underneath the enamel and cementum
  3. Diastema: Space between teeth
  4. Dry Socket: Inflammation in the tooth socket prior to tooth removal

E

  1. Edentulous: Lacking teeth
  2. Endodontist: A root canal specialist

F

  1. Filling: Various materials used to restore teeth (resin, porcelain, metal, amalgam, etc.)
  2. Forceps: Instrument used for removing teeth
  3. Freeway Space: the space between the lower and upper teeth while the lower jaw rests

G

  1. Gingiva: Soft tissues around the teeth, i.e. gums
  2. Gingivitis: A gum disease causing inflammation and swelling

H

  1. Halimeter: An instrument that helps in diagnosing halitosis
  2. Halitosis: Chronic bad breath
  3. Hyperemia: Tooth sensitivity arising out of increased blood flow

I

  1. Impacted Tooth: A partially erupting tooth
  2. Impression: Teeth mold
  3. Inlay: Indirect tooth filling

L

  1. Laminate: Veneers made out of porcelain in laboratories

M

  1. Malocclusion: Poorly aligned jaws causing improper bite
  2. Mandible: Lower jaw
  3. Maxilla: Upper jaw
  4. Mouth Guard: Removable device used to protect teeth from injuries

N

  1. Night Guard: A removable device used to prevent teeth grinding
  2. Nitrous Oxide: Used to relieve patients of dental anxiety
  3. NSAID: A dental analgesic

O

  1. Occlusion: Contact between mandible and maxilla
  2. Onlay: Indirect tooth filling for restoring more than one teeth
  3. Oral Sedation: Any substance that’s used to diminish dental anxiety, used along anesthesia
  4. Orthodontist: A dental specialist that corrects teeth positioning

P

  1. Palate: Tissues forming the roof of the mouth
  2. Periodontist: A dentist specializing in children’s teeth
  3. Prosthesis: An artificial tooth replacement
  4. Prognosis: The anticipated treatment outcome
  5. Prosthodontist: A dental specialist who restores teeth through crowns and bridges

R

  1. Radiosurgery: Any dental surgery that involves radiation
  2. Restorative Dentistry: Diagnosis and treatment of teeth and their supporting structures
  3. Retainer: A device used to keep teeth in position prior to a treatment

S

  1. Sealant: A plastic resin that’s bonded in the pits and fissures to prevent tooth decay
  2. Splint: Tying multiple teeth together to increase stability

T

  1. Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ): The joint connecting skull to the lower jaw
  2. Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction: Pops and pain in TMJ
  3. Trauma: Injury to teeth and the nearby soft tissues

X

  1. Xerostomia: A condition causing the mouth to be dry

Designing a Dental Clinic

Dentistry sure requires skills. One must have the right knowledge of the technicalities as it’s an uncertain profession. But a dentist also requires some amount of designing & accounting skills. Why?

The answer is simple. If a dentist wants to be self-employed, it means he/she is looking to build his/her own dental clinic. This is where creativity and math come into play. A good dentist is the one who knows the proper settings that qualify dental standards.

Below is a guideline that one can follow in order to build & design his/her own clinic.

Vision – The vision should be totally clear. The plans should be well setup. For e.g. do you want to keep the treatments limited to a small scale or do you want to use your clinic to expand into a hospital?

Design Trends – A dentist must be aware of the designing trends of the time. New advances like high tech equipment’s, new types of ceramic materials, new implants and surgery types must be looked at during setup.

Right People – This is a universal rule that applies to any start-up or business. Having the right people ensures faster growth with maximum productivity.

Costing – For starting a clinic, the dentist must remember the following costs:

  • Equipment prices
  • Rent and maintenance costs
  • Electricity, water, or telecom bills
  • Staff requirements: the number of receptionists, paramedics, and associate doctors needed for the job
  • Buying goods like furniture, TVs, ACs, computers, refrigerators etc.
  • Marketing costs (if necessary)

Legal Approvals – Setting up any firm requires permission. Some necessary permission includes those from the Health/Dental department, fire, water & electricity department, staff relations department, and document & license registration department.

The Room Setups – The different types of rooms required in a dental clinic are consultation rooms, treatment rooms, staff break rooms, restrooms, X-ray facility/Darkrooms, utility rooms, storage rooms, sterilization areas & the dentist’s private office. There are various types of treatment room configurations like “Y”, “H”,”U” type. One could take a look at them and plan.

Be Arch-Dental or Be Creative – The dentist must visualize and consider the possibilities of him/her being an architect. They need to combine their dental knowledge with architectural explanations.

The question the dentist must ask here is – “What is best for the clinic?” For e.g. lighting, plumbing, coloring, equipment placement, floor plans & keeping stress reducing items like background music, fish aquariums, small fountains, entertainment magazines (comics for kids), books etc. are to be kept in mind.

Keeping Records – Keeping patient & account records after dental setup is a must. Dental software is available in the market that helps you manage these easily. This is necessary for dental insurance.

Attention to Detail – The more professional the clinic looks, the more trust you earn. Make sure to have infection control measures & updated equipment that will give the impression of an appealing clinic.

At the end of the day, you need to take care of three things: Maintaining clinic standards, measuring finances & constantly monitoring the quality. Make sure there are no malpractices happening right under your nose and the clinic will progress well.