Dental Hygiene Glossary

A stain-removal and biofilm-disruption technique that directs a pressurised stream of water, air, and abrasive powder on...

The portion of the jawbone that forms and supports the tooth sockets (alveoli). Its height and density are key indicator...

The biological process by which enamel is formed on the crowns of teeth during tooth development.

A hereditary condition characterised by defective enamel formation, resulting in teeth that are abnormally thin, soft, p...

A system developed by Edward H. Angle to categorise malocclusion based on the mesiodistal relationship of the first perm...

Acronym for Acute Necrotising Ulcerative Gingivitis, a painful, rapidly destructive bacterial infection of the gingival...

A structured community of microorganisms adhered to a surface and encased in a self-produced extracellular matrix; in de...

A type of dental X-ray that captures the crowns and crestal alveolar bone of both the upper and lower posterior teeth on...

A clinical indicator of gingival or periodontal inflammation in which haemorrhage occurs upon insertion of a periodontal...

Basic Periodontal Examination; a standardized, rapid screening tool using a specially designed probe to assign numerical...

Abbreviation for Clinical Attachment Level; the millimetre measurement from the cementoenamel junction to the base of th...

Hardened, mineralised dental plaque that adheres to tooth surfaces and cannot be removed by routine brushing alone.

Caries Management by Risk Assessment; an evidence-based protocol for classifying a patient's caries risk level and tailo...

A multifactorial infectious disease of the tooth structure caused by acid produced by bacterial fermentation of dietary...

A chairside or laboratory diagnostic test used to estimate the number or activity of cariogenic microorganisms, particul...

A systematic evaluation of patient-specific biological, behavioral, and socioeconomic factors to classify the likelihood...

Abbreviation for Current Dental Terminology, the standardised code set published by the American Dental Association for...

The anatomical boundary on the tooth surface where the enamel of the crown meets the cementum of the root.

A standardised lateral or posteroanterior extraoral radiograph of the skull used to assess skeletal and dental relations...

A measurement, in millimetres, of the distance from the cementoenamel junction to the base of the periodontal pocket, us...

A procedure limited to the removal of extrinsic stain and soft deposits from the clinical crowns of teeth using a rubber...

A serum-like fluid that seeps into the gingival sulcus from the adjacent connective tissue, often used as a biomarker in...

The CDT procedure code for an adult prophylaxis (professional cleaning), representing removal of plaque, calculus, and s...

A CDT procedure code designating scaling and root planing performed on one to three teeth per quadrant, used for insuran...