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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  • A thin covering of the coronal portion of the tooth usually without anatomic conformity. Custom made or pre-fabricated thimble-shaped core or base layer designed to fit over a natural tooth preparation, a post core, or implant abutment so as to act as a substructure onto which other components(...)
  • the replacement of a part or all of the crown of a tooth whose purpose is to provide a base for the retention of an indirectly fabricated crown.
  • Refers to the crown of a tooth.
  • Those services provided by dentists solely for the purpose of improving the appearance when form and function are satisfactory and no pathologic conditions exist [source: ADA policy "Cosmetic Dentistry (1976:850)].
  • Features of a dental benefit program or of the administration of the program designed to reduce or eliminate certain charges to the plan.
  • The share of health expenses that a beneficiary must pay, including the deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and charges over the amount reimbursed by the dental benefit plan.
  • Benefits available to an individual covered under a dental benefit plan.
  • Services and supplies which are reimbursed in whole or in part under the conditions of the dental benefit plan, subject to all the terms and conditions of the agreement or insurance policy. Charges are subject to any contractual agreements, exclusions and limitations. Any charges not covered(...)
  • An individual who is eligible for benefits under a dental benefit program.
  • Services for which payment is provided under the terms of the dental benefit contract.
  • A collection of symptoms characterized by transient acute pain experienced when chewing.
  • An artificial replacement that restores missing tooth structure by surrounding the remaining coronal tooth structure, or is placed on a dental implant. It is made of metal, ceramic or polymer materials or a combination of such materials. It is retained by luting cement or mechanical means.(...)
  • A surgical procedure exposing more tooth for restorative purposes by apically positioning the gingival margin and removing supporting bone.
  • Clinical laboratory test which identifies a microorganism and the ability of various antibiotics to control the microorganism.
  • Scraping and cleaning the walls of a real or potential space, such as a gingival pocket or bone, to remove pathologic material.
  • The ADA reference manual that contains the Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature and other information pertinent to patient record keeping and claim preparation by a dental office; published biennially (e.g., CDT 2009-2010).
  • A listing of descriptive terms and identifying codes developed by the American Medical Association (AMA) for reporting practitioner services and procedures to medical plans and Medicare.
  • Pointed or rounded eminence on or near the masticating surface of a tooth.
  • Single cusped tooth located between the incisors and bicuspids.
  • Pathological cavity, usually lined with epithelium, containing fluid or soft matter.