THE DENTIST AND THE DENTAL TEAM

Vocabulary

• adjust- to change something slightly, especially to make it more correct

• affect-to cause a change in someone or something
• appliance- a device, machine, or piece of equipment
• bridge- a piece of material that keeps artificial teeth in place by being fastened to
the natural teeth
• calculus- a hard substance that forms on the teeth
• caries- decay in the teeth or bones
• conversely- in an opposite way
• crown- an artificial piece used to cover a damaged tooth
• dental care- the maintenance of healthy teeth and may refer to: oral hygiene, the
practice of keeping the mouth and teeth clean in order to prevent dental disorders
• denture- a small piece of plastic or similar material, with false teeth attached, that
fits inside the mouth of someone who does not have their own teeth
• eradicate- to get rid of something completely or destroy something bad
• extraction- the process of removing a tooth
• filling- the artificial substance put into holes in teeth to repair them
• inlay- a filling shaped to fit a tooth cavity
• onlay- a metal covering attached to a tooth to restore one or more of its surfaces
• orthodontic appliance- corrective and supportive braces, designed and prescribed
by an orthodontist
• periodontal disease- also known as gum disease, is a set of inflammatory conditions
affecting the tissues surrounding the teeth
• scaling- to remove tartar (= hard white substance) and plaque (= soft substance in
which bacteria breed) from teeth