Longmeadow Family Dental Care Longmeadow Family Dental Care

Glossary

Our glossary features any dental term you need to know, from A to Z. Still confused about something? Give us a call — we’re happy to help.

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  • Exocrine glands that produce saliva and empty it into the mouth; these include the parotid glands, the submandibular glands and the sublingual glands.
  • Removal of plaque, calculus, and stain from teeth.
  • A listing of dental services and the maximum benefit amounts an insurer will pay for a given service. Specificity will vary by benefit plan.
  • A resinous material designed to be applied to the occlusal surfaces of posterior teeth to prevent occlusal caries.
  • An opinion about the appropriateness of a proposed treatment provided by a practitioner other than the one making the original recommendation; some benefit plans require such opinions for selected services.
  • A temporary restoration intended to relieve pain.
  • A benefit plan in which the plan sponsor bears the entire risk of utilization. Some plans may be partially self-funded, if the sponsor employs indemnified stop-loss insurance to protect against the risk of unanticipated higher utilization. Third party administrators may provide claims(...)
  • Setting aside of funds by an individual or organization to meet anticipated dental care expenses or its dental care claims, and accumulation of a fund to absorb fluctuations in the amount of expenses or claims. The funds set aside or accumulated are used to provide dental benefits directly(...)
  • A device, one component of which is fixed to an abutment or abutments and the other is integrated into a fixed or removable prosthesis in order to stabilize and/or retain it.
  • Dental benefit organizations established under not-for-profit state statutes for the purpose of providing health care coverage, e.g., Delta Dental Plans, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.
  • One of the six relatively equal sections into which a dental arch can be divided, for example: tooth numbers 1-5; 6-11; 12-16; 17-21; 22-27; 28-32. Sometimes used for recording periodontal charting.
  • Surgical procedure for the repair of a defect and/or restoration of portion of a salivary gland duct.
  • Inspection of the salivary ducts and glands by radiograph after the injection of a radiopaque medium.
  • Surgical procedure by which a stone within a salivary gland or its duct is removed, either intraorally or extraorally.
  • A term used to describe a single area, position, or locus. For periodontal procedures, an area of soft tissue recession on a single tooth or an osseous defect adjacent to a single tooth; also used to indicate soft tissue defects and/or osseous defects in edentulous tooth positions.
  • A passive appliance, usually cemented in place, that holds teeth in position.
  • This schema (ANSI/ADA/ISO Specification No. 3950–1984 Dentistry Designation System for Tooth and Areas of the Oral Cavity) is designed to identify areas of the oral cavity as well as uniquely number permanent and primary dentition. Supernumerary teeth are not yet identified using this(...)
  • A device used to support, protect, or immobilize oral structures that have been loosened, replanted, fractured or traumatized. Also refers to devices used in the treatment of temporomandibular joint disorders.
  • A system that examines the distribution of treatment procedures based on claims information. In order to be reasonably reliable, the application of such claims analyses of specific dentists should include data on type of practice, dentist's experience, socioeconomic characteristics, and(...)
  • Inflammation of the membranes of the mouth.