Coronal
Pronunciation: kuh-ROH-nul
Relating to or directed toward the crown of a tooth, as opposed to the root.
Full Definition
In dental terminology, 'coronal' refers to the crown portion of a tooth or to a direction toward the crown from a given reference point. It is used to describe anatomical locations (coronal third of the root), procedural steps (coronal seal, coronal polishing), and radiographic observations. Editors must take care not to confuse dental 'coronal' with its use in neuroanatomy (a coronal plane of the body), and must preserve its directional meaning opposite to 'apical'.
Usage
Usage note: In dental documents, 'coronal' is directional (toward the crown). Do not replace with 'occlusal', which has a more specific anatomical meaning relating to the biting surface.
In Context
- "The coronal seal was placed with glass ionomer cement before commencing root canal treatment." — Endodontic referral letter
- "Coronal polishing was performed after scaling to remove extrinsic staining." — Hygiene treatment note