Glossary of Common Dental Terms - A-F

AAP - American Academy of Periodontology - dedicated to advancing the art and science of periodontics and improving the periodontal health of the public. Membership consists of specialists in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of the teeth and in the placement and maintenance of dental implants.

AAPD - American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry - dedicated to improving and maintaining the oral health of infants, children, adolescents, and persons with special health care needs.

Abscess - acute or chronic, localized inflammation associated with tissue destruction.

ADA - American Dental Association - promotes the public's health through commitment of member dentists to provide high-quality oral health care and promotes accessible oral health care for everyone. The organization also enhances the integrity and ethics of the profession by strengthening the patient/dentist relationship and providing services through its initiatives in education, research, advocacy and the development of standards.

AGD - Academy of General Dentistry - serves the needs and represents the interests of general dentists. The Academy fosters their continued proficiency through quality continuing dental education in order to better serve the public.

Amalgam - an alloy used in direct dental restorations; a "silver filling."

Attrition - the normal wearing down of the surface of a tooth from chewing.

Baby bottle tooth decay - severe decay in baby teeth due to sleeping with a bottle of milk or juice. The drink's natural sugars combine with bacteria in the mouth to produce acid that decays teeth.

Beneficiary - see enrollee.

Bitewing Radiograph - x-rays of the top and bottom molars and pre-molars to show decay between teeth or under fillings.

Bruxism - involuntary clenching or grinding of the teeth.

Calculus - (tartar) hard deposit of mineralized material, or calcified plaque, that adheres to teeth.

Caries - tooth decay.

CMS - Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services - formally know as the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA); a division of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The organization administers the Medicare, Medicaid, and Child Health Insurance Programs and helps pay the medical bills for more than 75 million beneficiaries. In conjunction with the Departments of Labor and Treasury, it helps millions of Americans and small companies obtain and keep health insurance coverage and helps eliminate discrimination based on health status for people buying health insurance.

Crown - the artificial covering of a tooth with metal, porcelain or porcelain fused to metal; covers teeth that are weakened by decay or severely damaged or chipped.

Customary fee - the fee level determined by the administrator of a dental benefit plan from actual submitted fees for a specific dental procedure to establish the maximum benefit payable under a given plan for that specific procedure.

Deciduous Teeth - baby teeth or primary teeth.

Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO) - a benefit program in which enrollees receive all or most treatment through the dental office where they are enrolled. The dentist receives a single monthly payment from the benefits carrier for each enrolled patient, no matter how many services that patient receives.

DHHS/HHS - Department of Health and Human Services - federal department that oversees the federally funded programs that provide services such as prenatal screening, immunization, child care, nutrition, exercise, long-term care regulation and autopsies. It enables individuals, families, and communities to be healthy and secure, and to achieve social and economic well being.

Endentulous - having no teeth.

Endodontics - a dental specialty concerned with treatment of the root and nerve of the tooth. An endodontist is a dental specialist in this field.


Fluoride - a chemical compound that prevents cavities; makes the tooth surface stronger so that teeth can resist decay.