Mini dental lexicon

Understanding the diagnosis is often a real challenge: What is the difference between an inlay and an implant? Which restoration is the right one in my case? Your dentist should provide you with good advice and ensure that you are a well-informed patient. Listed below are some definitions to give you a basic idea of the terminology used in dentistry:

Crown:

Covering to protect a damaged tooth. It is like a new shell retained with cement or adhesive on the prepared residual tooth. A crown is used when the tooth has been so damaged by caries that a filling is no longer adequate. The aim is to restore the tooth and preserve it as long as possible. There are various options for crowning a tooth.

Bridge:

A bridge is a fixed restoration, which closes a tooth gap. The adjacent healthy teeth are prepared and crowned as supports for a bridge. There are various options for materials and facings.

Inlay/Onlay:

Long-term fillings for restoring larger defects in a tooth. There are also materials of varying quality and aesthetics available for these types of restoration.

Implant restoration:

This fixed restoration is supported by titanium screws, which are inserted into the jaw bone as artificial tooth roots. Implants can support single teeth, bridges or dentures. The advantage of an implant restoration is that it cannot be distinguished from the natural teeth. The adjacent teeth do not have to be used to provide retention and do not have to be prepared.

Removable restoration (denture):

Full denture: if all the natural teeth are missing, a full denture is fabricated that is retained only on the jaw. Partial dentures on the other hand are retained on the existing teeth. There are various options for retaining a partial denture

Veneer:

Veneers are thin, tooth-coloured porcelain laminates, which are used to improve the appearance of anterior teeth that are damaged, malaligned, discoloured, too long or too short. Small gaps between teeth can also be closed with the aid of veneers. Only a very thin layer of tooth enamel has to be removed so that as much tooth structure as possible is preserved

Caries:

Tooth decay, commonly referred to as "a hole in the tooth". The tooth structure is destroyed by acids, which are formed from sugar by bacteria in the oral cavity. Caries is one of the most common "infection diseases" in the world; over 95% of people in Europe are affected by caries. Oral hygiene, a healthy diet and early treatment of decayed teeth are important in the control of caries.

Periodontitis:

Periodontitis is chronic inflammation of the tooth socket that attacks and destroys the gingiva and supporting tissue. This causes the tooth to loosen and it can fall out as a result. The progression of the disease depends on the susceptibility and also on the oral hygiene regime of the patient.