Core Dental Knowledge
This is the professional who diagnoses and treats problems related to teeth and oral health.
What is the dentist?
This part of the tooth is visible above the gumline.
What is the crown?
This instrument is used to examine teeth and reflect light into the mouth.
What is a mouth mirror?
This type of bond involves the sharing of electrons.
What is a covalent bond?
This common procedure removes plaque and tartar from teeth to maintain oral health.
What is a dental cleaning?
Adults typically have this many permanent teeth.
What is 32?
This hard, outermost layer of the tooth is the strongest substance in the human body.
What is the enamel?
This instrument is used to transfer and place restorative materials like composite into a cavity preparation.
What is a composite placement instrument?
This type of reaction involves the loss of electrons.
What is oxidation?
This procedure is done to restore a tooth damaged by decay using materials like composite or amalgam.
What is a filling?
This specialty of dentistry focuses on cleaning teeth and preventing oral diseases.
What is dental hygiene?
These teeth are primarily used for tearing food and are often called “cuspids.”
What are canines?
This instrument is used to remove supragingival calculus.
What is a scaler?
This biological process produces ATP in the absence of oxygen.
What is anaerobic respiration (glycolysis/fermentation)?
This procedure involves removing the infected pulp of a tooth and sealing it to prevent further infection.
What is a root canal?
This structure anchors the tooth to the alveolar bone via connective tissue fibers.
What is the periodontal ligament (PDL)?
This part of the tooth contains nerves and blood vessels and is located in the center of the tooth.
What is the pulp?
This type of hand instrument has a blade perpendicular to the handle and is commonly used for removing caries.
What is a spoon excavator?
According to this principle, when a system at equilibrium is disturbed, it shifts to counteract the change.
What is Le Châtelier’s Principle?
This procedure replaces a missing tooth by inserting a metal post into the jawbone, which later supports a crown.
What is a dental implant?
This type of X-ray shows the entire tooth from crown to root and is commonly used to check for infections or bone loss.
What is a periapical X-ray?
This structure connects the tooth to the alveolar bone and acts as a shock absorber during chewing.
What is the periodontal ligament?
This instrument is used to condense amalgam into a cavity preparation and ensure proper adaptation.
What is an amalgam condenser (plugger)?
This enzyme initiates the breakdown of starch in the oral cavity.
What is salivary amylase?
This procedure involves reshaping the tooth structure to prepare it for a crown by removing part of the enamel.
What is a crown preparation?