Anatomic Key Terms Only Flashcards
Use this deck to study all terms related to dental anatomy (193 cards)
1
Q
distal
A
the tooth surface away from the midline of the mouth
2
Q
fossa
A
a broad, shallow, scooped-out or depressed area of bone (appears radiolucent)
3
Q
zygomatic process of the maxilla
A
a bony projection of the maxilla that articulates with the zygoma (appears as a J-shaped or U-shaped radiopacity)
4
Q
axial plane
A
- a horizontal plane that divides the body into superior and inferior parts
- runs parallel to the ground
5
Q
edentulous patient
A
a patient without teeth
6
Q
palatoglossal air space
A
refers to the space found between the palate and the tongue (on a panoramic image, appears as a horizontal radiolucent band located superior to the apices of maxillary teeth)
7
Q
alveolar crest / crestal bone
A
- the most coronal portion of alveolar bone found between teeth
- composed of cortical bone (appears radiopaque)
8
Q
periodontium
A
specialized tissues that surround and support teeth, such as the gingiva, cementum, periodontal ligament, and alveolar bone
9
Q
midsagittal plane
A
an imaginary line or plane passing through the center of the body that divides it into right and left halves
10
Q
process
A
a marked prominence or projection of bone (appears radiopaque)
11
Q
floor of the nasal cavity
A
a bony plate formed by the palatal process of the maxilla and the horizontal portions of the palatine bones (appears radiopaque)
12
Q
nasal septum
A
a vertical bony wall or partition that divides the nasal cavity into the right and left nasal fossae (appears radiopaque)
13
Q
incipient
A
small, or beginning to exist or appear
14
Q
pulp canal obliteration
A
the calcification, or deposition, of hard tissue within the pulp cavity, causing no visible pulp chamber or canals on the dental image
15
Q
septum (plural: septa)
A
bont wall or partition that divides a cavity into separate areas (appears radiopaque)
16
Q
zygoma / zygomatic bone / malar bone
A
the cheekbone (appears as a diffuse radiopaque band posterior to the zygomatic process of the maxilla)
17
Q
edentulous zone
A
an area where teeth are no longer present
18
Q
medial
A
toward the midline of the body
19
Q
torus (plural: tori)
A
a bony growth in the oral cavity
20
Q
inferior border of the mandible
A
a linear prominence of cortical bone that defines the lower border of the mandible (appears radiopaque)
21
Q
median palatal suture
A
the immovable joint between the two palatine processes of the maxilla (appears radiolucent)
22
Q
mesial
A
the tooth surface towards the midline of the mouth
23
Q
tubercle
A
a rounded prominence of bone (appears radiopaque)
24
Q
contact areas
A
the areas where adjacent tooth surfaces touch each other
25
orbit
the bony cavity that contains the eyeball
26
nonvital
not living
27
anterior
towards the front
28
periapical cyst / radicular cyst
a lesion characterized by an epithelial-lined cavity or sac located around the apex of a nonvital tooth that results from pulpal death *(appears radiolucent)*
29
intrusion
the abnormal displacement of teeth into bone
30
body of the mandible
the U-shaped horizontal portion of the mandible that extends from ramus to ramus
31
condensing osteitis / chronic focal sclerosing osteomyelitis
a well-defined radiopacity seen below the apex of a nonvital tooth that has a history of long-standing pulpitis *(appears radiopaque)*
32
alveolar process
portion of the maxilla or mandible that encases and supports teeth
33
apex
the area of a tooth that allows for blood vessels and nerves to enter the tooth and maintain the vitality of the tooth
34
glenoid fossa
a concave, depressed area of the temporal bone where the mandibular condyle rests
35
endodontic patient
a patient who has undergone endodontic therapy
36
alveolar bone loss
a loss of bone that surrounds and supports teeth in the maxilla and mandible
37
furcation area
the area between the roots of multi-rooted teeth
38
mandibular foramen
a round or ovoid hole in bone on the lingual aspect of the ramus of the mandible *(appears radiolucent)*
39
internal oblique ridge
a linear prominence of bone located on the internal surface of the mandible that extends downward and forward from the ramus *(appears radiopaque)*
40
suture
an immovable joint that represents a line of union between adjoining bones of the skull *(appears radiolucent)*
41
maxillary sinuses
paired cavities or compartments of bone located within the maxilla and located superior to the maxillary posterior teeth *(appear radiolucent)*
42
curve of Spee
the anterior-posterior anatomic curvature of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth
43
overlapped contacts
on a dental image, the area where the contact area of one tooth is superimposed over the contact areas of an adjacent tooth
44
supernumerary teeth / hyperdontia
extra teeth that develop in addition to the normal human dentition
45
canal
a tubelike passageway through bone that houses nerves and blood vessels *(appears radiolucent with radiopaque borders)*
46
dentulous
* with teeth
* areas that exhibit teeth
47
intersecting
cutting across or through
48
vertical
an up-and-down plane
49
infraorbital foramen
a hole or opening in bone found inferior to the border of the orbit *(on a panoramic image, appears radiolucent)*
50
anterior teeth
central incisors, lateral incisors, and canines/cuspids
51
extraoral
outside the mouth
52
open contacts
on a dental image, appears as a thin radiolucent line between adjacent tooth surfaces
53
internal root resorption
the destruction of dentin around the pulp cavity within the crown or root of a tooth *(appears radiolucent)*
54
mandibular canal
a tubelike passageway through bone that travels the length of the mandible *(appears radiolucent with radiopaque borders)*
55
periapical abscess
a lesion characterized by a localized collection of pus around the apex of a nonvital tooth that results from pulpal death *(appears radiolucent)*
56
posterior teeth
first and second premolars/bicuspids, and first, second and third molars
57
endodontic
found within a tooth
58
inverted Y
a landmark viewed on dental images above the maxillary canine that represents the intersection of the anterior border of the maxillary sinus and the lateral wall of the nasal fossa *(appears radiopaque)*
59
edentulous
* without teeth
* an area where teeth are no longer present
60
nutrient canal
a tiny tubelike passageway through bone which contains blood vessels and nerves that supply teeth and interdental areas *(appears radiolucent)*
61
occlusal
the chewing surfaces of posterior teeth
62
pulp cavity
a cavity within a tooth that includes both the pulp chamber and the pulp canals, containing blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatics *(appears radiolucent)*
63
pericoronal
around the crown of a tooth
64
mandibular teeth
teeth located in the mandible or lower arch
65
periapical
around the apex of a tooth
66
vertical bone loss / angular bone loss
bone loss that does not occur in a plane parallel to the cemento-enamel junctions of adjacent teeth
67
facial / labial
the tooth surface towards the cheek/lips on anterior teeth
68
anterior nasal spine
a sharp projection of the maxilla located at the anteroinferior portion of the nasal cavity *(appears radiopaque)*
69
temporomandibular joint **(TMJ)**
the jaw joint, including the temporal bone, the mandible, and the articular disc between the two bones
70
cavitation / cavity
a hole in a tooth that results from the caries process *(appears radiolucent)*
71
opposing
maxillary and mandibular teeth that occlude together
72
cementum
calcified connective tissue that covers the outer root surface of the tooth
73
superior foramina of the incisive canal
two tiny openings or holes in bone that are located on the floor of the nasal cavity *(appear radiolucent)*
74
generalized bone loss
bone loss that occurs evenly throughout the dental arches
75
periapical granuloma
a lesion characterized by a localized mass of granulation tissue around the apex of a nonvital tooth *(appears radiolucent)*
76
luxation
the abnormal displacement of teeth
77
lipline
an area of soft tissue seen on panoramic images formed by the positioning of the patient's lips
78
mandible
the lower jaw
79
interproximal incipient caries
caries located between two teeth that extends less than halfway through the thickness of the enamel *(appears radiolucent)*
80
occlusal moderate caries
caries located on the occlusal surfaces of posterior teeth that extend into dentin *(appears as a thin radiolucent line)*
81
periapical lesion
a lesion located around the apex of a tooth
82
mental foramen
an opening or hole in bone located on the external surface of the mandible in the region of the mandibular premolars *(appears radiolucent)*
83
interproximal caries
caries located between two adjacent teeth *(appears radiolucent)*
84
anatomic order
the order in which teeth are arranged within the dental arches
85
external auditory meatus / external acoustic meatus
a hole or opening in the temporal bone located superior and anterior to the mastoid process
86
recurrent caries / secondary caries
caries located adjacent to a pre-existing restoration *(appears radiolucent)*
87
inferior nasal conchae
wafer-thin, curved plates of bone that extend from the lateral walls of the nasal cavity *(appears radiopaque)*
88
dentin
the tooth layer found between the enamel and surrounding the pulp cavity *(appears radiopaque)*
89
gag reflex / pharyngeal reflex
gagging that is elicited by stimulation of the sensitive tissues of the soft palate region
90
incisive foramen
an opening or hole in bone located at the midline of the anterior hard palate directly posterior to the maxillary central incisors *(appears radiolucent)*
91
coronal plane
* a vertical plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior sides
* runs perpendicular to the ground
92
spine
a sharp, thornlike projection of bone *(appears radiopaque)*
93
interproximal
between two adjacent surfaces
94
hamulus / hamular process
a small, hooklike projection of bone that extends form the medial pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone *(appears radiopaque)*
95
pterygomaxillary fissure
a narrow space or cleft that separates the lateral pterygoid plate and the maxilla *(on a panoramic image, appears radiolucent)*
96
horizontal
a side-to-side plane
97
superior
describes an area that is higher on a vertical axis
98
tooth-bearing areas
regions of the maxilla and mandible in which the 32 teeth of the human dentition are normally located
99
maxillary torus / torus palatinus
a nodular mass of bone along the midline of the hard palate
100
localized bone loss
bone loss that occurs in isolated areas
101
periodontal disease
a group of diseases that affect the tissues around teeth
102
buccal
the tooth surface towards the cheek on posterior teeth
103
nondeciduous teeth
permanent teeth that do not replace a primary/deciduous tooth *(permanent first, second, and third molars)*
104
cortical bone / compact bone
the dense outer layer of bone *(appears radiopaque)*
105
mandibular torus / torus mandibularis
a bony growth seen along the lingual aspect of the mandible
106
soft palate
the fleshy, movable posterior portion of the roof of the mouth separating the mouth and the phaynx
107
glossopharyngeal air space
refers to the airspace of the pharynx located posterior to the tongue and oral cavity *(on a panoramic image, appears as a vertical radiolucent band superimposed over the ramus of the mandible)*
108
external root resorption
a regressive alteration of root structure that occurs along the periphery of the root surface
109
pulpal sclerosis
a diffuse calcification of the pulp chamber and pulp canals of teeth that results in a pulp cavity of decreased size *(appears radiopaque)*
110
interproximal severe caries
cares located between two teeth that extend through enamel, through dentin, and more than half the distance toward the pulp *(appears radiolucent)*
111
nasal cavity / nasal fossa
a pear-shaped compartment of bone located superior to the maxilla *(appears radiolucent)*
112
pathologic resorption
resorption of a tooth not associated with the normal shedding of deciduous teeth
113
mental ridge
a linear prominence of a cortical bone located on the external surface of the anterior portion of the mandible *(appears radiopaque)*
114
periodontal abscess
a lesion that originates in a soft tissue pocket and is characterized by the accumulation of pus and destruction of bone *(appears radiolucent)*
115
caries
tooth decay caused by microorganisms *(appears radiolucent)*
116
maxillary tuberosity
a rounded prominence of bone that extends posterior to the third molar region *(appears radiopaque)*
117
long axis of a tooth
an imaginary line that divides a tooth longitudinally into two equal halves
118
gagging
the strong involuntary effort to vomit
119
apical
towards the apex of a tooth
120
mental fossa
a scooped-out, depressed area of bone located on the external of the anterior mandible *(appears radiopaque)*
121
sclerotic bone / osteosclerosis / idiopathic periapical osteosclerosis
a term used to describe a well-defined radiopacity viewed on a dental image located below the apices of vital, noncarious teeth
122
foramen
an opening or hole in bone that permits the passage of nerves and blood vessels *(appears radiolucent)*
123
mandibular condyle
a rounded projection of bone extending from the posterosuperior border of the ramus of the mandible *(appears radiopaque)*
124
buccal caries
caries located on the buccal tooth surface *(appears radiolucent)*
125
mandibular notch
a scooped-out concavity of bone located distal to the coronoid process on the ramus of the mandible
126
uvula
a small, fleshy extension located on the free edge of the soft palate at the midline
127
root surface caries
caries located on the root surfaces of teeth *(appears radiolucent)*
128
extrusion
the abnormal displacement of teeth out of bone
129
interproximal moderate caries
caries located between two teeth that extends more than halfway through the thickness of the enamel but does not involve the dentino-enamel junction *(appears radiolucent)*
130
horizontal bone loss
bone loss that occurs in a plane parallel to the cemento-enamel junction of adjacent teeth
131
submandibular fossa / mandibular fossa
a depressed area of bone located on the internal surface of the mandible inferior to the mylohyoid ridge *(appears radiolucent)*
132
periodontal
around a tooth
133
coronoid process
a marked prominence of bone located on the anterior ramus of the mandible *(appears radiopaque)*
134
lateral fossa
a smooth, depressed area of the maxilla located just interior and medial to the infraorbital foramen between the maxillary canine and lateral incisor *(appears radiolucent)*
135
hard palate
the bony plate that separates the nasal cavity from the oral cavity in the anterior portion of the roof of the mouth *(appears radiopaque)*
136
alveolar bone
bone of the maxilla and mandible that supports and encases the roots of teeth *(appears radiopaque)*
137
mylohyoid ridge
a linear prominence of bone located on the internal surface of the mandible that extends from the molar region downward and forward to the lower border of the mandible *(appears radiopaque)*
138
external oblique ridge / external oblique line
a linear prominence of bone located on the external surface of the body of the mandible *(appears radiopaque)*
139
lateral pterygoid plate
a wing-shaped bony projection of the sphenoid bone located distal to the maxillary tuberosity region *(on a panoramic image, appears radiopaque)*
140
genial tubercles
* tiny bumps of bone located on the lingual surface of the anterior mandible *(appear radiopaque)*
* serves as attachment sites for the genioglossus and geniohyoid muscles
141
ear
structure composed of cartilage with a thin covering of connective tissue and skin *(on a panoramic image, appears as a radiopaque shadow projecting anteriorly and inferiorly from the mastoid process)*
142
sigmoid notch / mandibular notch
a curved depression located between the mandibular condyle and the coronoid process of the mandible
143
lingual caries
caries located on the lingual tooth surface *(appears radiolucent)*
144
trauma
injury produced by an external force
145
palate
the roof of the mouth
146
tongue
a movable muscular organ attached to the floor of the mouth
147
rampant caries
caries that affect numerous teeth in the dentition *(appears radiolucent)*
148
angle of the mandible
* the area of the mandible where the body meets the ramus
* the corner portion formed by the junction of the posterior and lower borders on the ramus
149
calculus
a stone-like concretion that forms on the crowns and roots of teeth as a result of the calcification of bacterial plaque *(appears radiopaque)*
150
vital
living
151
pediatric patient
child patient
152
occlusal caries
caries located on the chewing surfaces of posterior teeth *(appears radiolucent)*
153
sagittal plane
* a vertical plane that divides the body into right and left sides *(the sides do not need to be equally divided)*
* runs perpendicular to the ground
154
gutta percha
rubberlike material used in endodontic therapy to fill the pulp canals and pulp chamber
155
interproximal advanced caries
caries located between two teeth that extends to the dentino-enamel junction or through the dentino-enamel junction and into the dentin but does not extend through the dentin more than half the distance towards the pulp *(appears radiolucent)*
156
dentition
the character of a set of teeth, including their number, kind, and location/arrangement
157
maxilla
the upper jaw
158
fracture
the breaking of a part *(appears as a thin radiolucent line)*
159
incisal
the chewing edge of anterior teeth
160
occlusal severe caries
caries located on the occlusal surfaces of posterior teeth that extends into dentin *(appears as a large radiolucency)*
161
adjacent / proximal
objects next to/touching each other
162
periodontal ligament space **(PDL)**
* a space that exists between the root of a tooth and the lamina dura *(appears radiolucent)*
* contains connective tissue fibers, blood vessels, and lymphatics
163
primary teeth / deciduous teeth
baby teeth
164
styloid process
a long, pointed, and sharp projection of bone that extends downward from the inferior surface of the temporal bone; located anterior to the mastoid process *(on a panoramic image, appears radiopaq*ue)
165
intraoral
inside the mouth
166
lingula
a small, tongue-shaped projection of bone seen adjacent to the mandibular foramen *(appears radiopaque)*
167
lateral
away from the midline of the body
168
cancellous bone / trabecular bone
the soft, spongy bone located between the two layers of dense cortical bone *(appears radiolucent)*
169
lingual foramen
a small opening or hole in bone surrounded by the genial tubercles and located at the midline of the internal surface of the mandible *(appears radiolucent)*
170
endodontics
the branch of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the dental pulp
171
occlusal incipient caries
* caries located on the occlusal surface of posterior teeth
* cannot be seen on a radiograph
172
enamel
* the outermost layer of the crown of the tooth *(appears radiopaque)*
* the densest structure in the human body
173
lingual
the tooth surface towards the tongue
174
cervical / gingival
the tooth surface towards the gumline/cervical third area
175
clinical attachment loss **(CAL)**
the measurement in millimeters of the distance between the cemento-enamel junction and the case of the sulcus or periodontal pocket
176
posterior
towards the back
177
mastoid process
a marked prominence of the temporal bone located posterior and inferior to the temporomandibular joint *(on a panoramic image, appears radiopaque)*
178
nasopharyngeal air space
refers to the airspace portion of the pharynx located posterior to the nasal cavity *(on a panoramic image, appears as a diagonal radiolucency located superior to the radiopaque shadow of the soft palate and uvula)*
179
inferior
describes an area that is lower on a vertical axis
180
ramus
vertical portion of the mandible that is found posterior to the third molar
181
avulsion
the complete displacement of a tooth from alveolar bone
182
ridge
a linear prominence of bone *(appears radiopaque)*
183
lamina dura
the wall of the tooth socket that surrounds the root of a tooth *(appears radiopaque)*
184
rampant
growing or spreading unchecked
185
dentino-enamel junction **(DEJ)**
the junction between the dentin and enamel of a tooth
186
incisive canal / nasopalatine canal
a passageway through bone that extends from the superior foramina of the incisive canal to the incisive foramen
187
hypercementosis
the excess deposition of cementum on the root surfaces of teeth *(appears radiopaque)*
188
inter-radicular
between the roots of adjacent teeth
189
sinus
a hollow space, cavity, or recess in bone *(appears radiolucent)*
190
articular eminence
a rounded projection of the temporal bone located anterior to the glenoid fossa *(appears radiopaque)*
191
hyoid bone
a horseshoe-shaped bone that lies below the mandible, between the chin and thyroid cartilage *(appears radiopaque on a panoramic image)*
192
pulp stones
calcifications found in the pulp chamber or pulp canals of teeth *(appear radiopaque)*
193
maxillary teeth
teeth located in the maxilla or upper arch
