Dental Materials Glossary
105 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026
Sintering
A high-temperature thermal process used to densify and fully crystallise pre-sintered ceramic blanks—particularly zirconia—resulting in final mechanical strength and dimensional accuracy.
Leucite
A potassium aluminium silicate crystalline phase dispersed within a feldspar-based dental ceramic to improve its mechani...
Lithium Disilicate
A high-strength glass-ceramic material containing lithium disilicate crystals, widely used for aesthetic all-ceramic cro...
Luting Cement
A dental adhesive cement used to permanently or semi-permanently attach indirect restorations—such as crowns, bridges, a...
Marginal Integrity
The degree of adaptation and seal achieved at the interface between a dental restoration margin and the prepared tooth s...
Metal-Ceramic Restoration
A fixed dental prosthesis consisting of a cast metal alloy substructure (coping or framework) veneered with porcelain, c...
Methacrylate
The ester class of organic compounds derived from methacrylic acid, forming the chemical backbone of most contemporary d...
Microleakage
The clinically undetectable passage of bacteria, fluids, or ions between a restoration and the cavity wall, often assess...
Monolithic Restoration
A dental prosthesis milled, pressed, or cast from a single homogeneous material without a separate veneering layer.
Monomer
A small, reactive molecule that polymerises with other monomers to form the polymer matrix of a dental material such as...
MTA
Mineral Trioxide Aggregate; a calcium silicate–based dental cement used for pulp capping, perforation repair, and root-e...
Nanoleakage
Nanoscale penetration of fluids and tracer agents into the adhesive–dentine interface, particularly within incompletely...
Noble Metal
A group of precious metals—principally gold, platinum, palladium, and rhodium—characterised by high corrosion resistance...
Occlusal Wear
The progressive loss of tooth or restorative material substance from biting surfaces due to attrition, abrasion, erosion...
Onlay
An indirect intracoronal restoration that, unlike an inlay, extends to cover one or more cusps of a posterior tooth.
Osseointegration
The direct structural and functional connection between living bone and the surface of a load-bearing endosseous implant...
Phosphate-Bonded Investment
A high-strength refractory casting investment material, bonded by magnesium ammonium phosphate, used for fabricating met...
Photoinitiator
A light-sensitive compound within a dental resin that, on exposure to a specific wavelength, generates free radicals to...
Pit-and-Fissure Sealant
A preventive resin or glass ionomer material applied to the occlusal grooves of posterior teeth to seal susceptible surf...
PMMA
Polymethyl methacrylate; a thermoplastic acrylic polymer used extensively in dental prosthetics, including denture bases...
Polyacid-Modified Composite
A tooth-coloured restorative material containing both resin monomer and polyacid components, positioned intermediately b...
Polyether
A hydrophilic elastomeric impression material characterised by a stiff set, high detail reproduction, and good dimension...
Polymer-Infiltrated Ceramic Network
A dual-network dental CAD/CAM block material consisting of an interconnected ceramic scaffold interpenetrated by a cross...
Polymerisation Depth of Cure
The maximum depth within a light-cured resin material at which an adequate degree of conversion is achieved by a single...
Polymerisation Initiator
A chemical agent that triggers the chain reaction converting monomer molecules into a polymer network in dental resin ma...