{"id":808,"date":"2018-01-07T17:05:29","date_gmt":"2018-01-07T17:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/?p=808"},"modified":"2023-07-18T15:38:38","modified_gmt":"2023-07-18T15:38:38","slug":"need-to-know-dental-terms-dentist-in-waco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/need-to-know-dental-terms-dentist-in-waco\/","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s Some Need-to-Know Dental Terms from Your Dentist in Waco"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-809\" src=\"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/AdobeStock_69364328__1516659506_28120-300x191.jpg\" alt=\"A child at his dental appointment.\" width=\"300\" height=\"191\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/AdobeStock_69364328__1516659506_28120-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/AdobeStock_69364328__1516659506_28120-768x489.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/AdobeStock_69364328__1516659506_28120.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Whenever we visit any medical professional, we want to be able to understand what they\u2019re telling us. Since we don\u2019t have the years of experience and study that they do, it can catch us off-guard while discussing treatments or dental products. Terms that are second nature to our dentist might be brand- new to the rest of us. Your dentist in Waco realizes this, which is why they\u2019re prepared to define a few of the commonly-heard terms thrown around their practice.<\/p>\n<p>To keep it organized, we\u2019ll look at phrases you\u2019ll hear depending on the type of treatment you\u2019re seeking. This includes cosmetic dentistry, restorative dentistry, and preventive dentistry.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>Cosmetic Dentistry<\/h2>\n<p>There are many treatments available in the world of cosmetic dentistry. After reviewing these terms, you should have a better understanding of your treatments and why certain cosmetic treatments won\u2019t work:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Tetracycline<\/strong> \u2013 This is an antibiotic typically used to treat acne and skin infections. While effective at removing pimples, it\u2019s also known for discoloring teeth, making teeth-whitening treatments ineffective.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Veneer<\/strong> \u2013 A thin layer of porcelain, composite, or ceramic that sticks to the surface of teeth, making it appear whiter, straighter, and more attractive-looking.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Smile Makeover<\/strong> \u2013 A combination of multiple cosmetic treatments designed to solve many imperfections simultaneously.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Restorative Dentistry<\/h2>\n<p>This type of dentistry is meant to address everything from cavities caused by tooth decay to cracked teeth resulting from an accident:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Restoration<\/strong> \u2013 A tool dentists use to cover cavities or save cracked teeth from breaking worse, reviving their normal function. This includes, crowns (or caps) and bridges.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Dental Prosthesis <\/strong>\u2013 An intraoral tool used to restore defects in the mouth such as missing teeth or aid in function such as chewing. This includes dentures and partial dentures.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Composite Filling<\/strong> \u2013 Similar to a metal filling, only using a tooth-colored, putty-like material instead of metal.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Root Canal (Area)<\/strong> \u2013 Usually associated with the treatment, the root canal itself is a chamber inside the root of the tooth, containing the blood vessels and nerves inside your tooth.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pontic<\/strong> \u2013 The false tooth that sits in between a bridge or as part of a denture.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Root Planing <\/strong>\u2013 The act of cleaning the root area of bacteria in the tooth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Preventive Dentistry<\/h2>\n<p>Preventive dentistry focuses on being as proactive against tooth decay and gum disease as possible. You might hear terms like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Chlorhexidine<\/strong> \u2013 An anti-microbial gel or rinse designed to control gum disease.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Caries<\/strong> \u2013 Another term for tooth decay.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Prophylaxis<\/strong> \u2013 The process of teeth polishing and preventing disease from growing.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sealant<\/strong> \u2013 A plastic-like material designed to cover the grooves and pits in teeth to prevent decay. Typically used for children.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Scaling<\/strong> \u2013 The act of cleaning below your gumline. Exclusively done by dentists.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Still have questions about specific dental terms? Your cosmetic dentist in Waco can offer the answers you need. Simply schedule an appointment with them today to find out more!<\/p>\n<h2>About the Author<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/tour-our-office.html\">Dr. Rick Cofer<\/a> studied biology at McMurray University before earning his dental degree from the Baylor School of Dentistry. He\u2019s a part of the Seattle Study Club and Texas Advanced Dental Seminars where he\u2019s been continuing his dental education for over five years. To learn more about his numerous treatments, contact him at (254) 732-0309 or visit his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/contact.html\">website<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Whenever we visit any medical professional, we want to be able to understand what they\u2019re telling us. Since we don\u2019t have the years of experience and study that they do, it can catch us off-guard while discussing treatments or dental products. Terms that are second nature to our dentist might be brand- new to the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/808","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=808"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/808\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1259,"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/808\/revisions\/1259"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=808"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=808"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=808"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}