Distal
Pronunciation: DIS-tul
Directed away from the midline of the dental arch; the tooth surface farthest from the dental midline.
Full Definition
In dental usage, 'distal' describes the surface or aspect of a tooth facing away from the midline of the arch. It is the direct antonym of 'mesial'. Distal surfaces feature prominently in caries notation, contact point descriptions, and orthodontic analyses. Editors should be aware that in general anatomical usage 'distal' means 'far from the point of origin of a limb', which is an entirely different meaning; only the arch-relative dental sense applies in dental records.
Usage
Usage note: In dental documents, 'distal' is strictly arch-relative. Flag any use of 'distal' that appears to carry a general anatomical meaning (far from trunk) as potentially inconsistent with dental editorial context.
In Context
- "The distal contact of the upper left canine was open, creating a visible gap." — Clinical examination note
- "Bone loss was measured as 4 mm at the distal aspect of the lower right second molar." — Periodontal charting record