Prepare for the Dental Assistant exam with these terminology flashcard questions and answers. This covers dental anatomy, instruments, procedures, and clinical terms.
Q: Dentition
Answer: Refers to the natural teeth in their normal position in the mouth.
Q: Primary Dentition
Answer: consists of 20 teeth that are normally lost during childhood and are replaced by the permanent teeth
Q: Mixed Dentition
Answer: A mixture of permanent teeth and primary teeth that occurs until all primary teeth have been lost, usually between the ages of 6 and 12
Q: Permanent Dentition
Answer: consists of 32 teeth that are designed to last a lifetime
Q: Eruption
Answer: Primary/permanent teeth appearing in the mouth
Q: Maxillary Arch
Answer: The upper jaw
Q: Mandibular Arch
Answer: The lower jaw
Q: Dental Arches
Answer: The teeth as they are arranged in the upper and lower jaws
Q: Temporomandibular Joint
Answer: connection on either side of the head between the temporal bone of the skull and mandibular bone of the jaw
Q: Occlusion
Answer: The natural contact of the maxillary and mandibular teeth.
Q: Malocclusion
Answer: misalignment of the jaw
Q: Quadrant
Answer: One quarter of the dentition
Q: Midline
Answer: Imaginary line drawn vertically from middle of the forehead through the umbilicus floor
Q: Pedodontics
Answer: Specialty for children’s dentistry
Q: Orthodontics
Answer: Specialty of dentistry designed to prevent, intercept, and correct skeletal and dental problems.
Q: Oral Surgery
Answer: branch of dentistry that uses surgical means to treat dental conditions
Q: Prosthodontics
Answer: A special area of dentistry that involves the replacement of missing teeth with artificial devices like bridgework or dentures.
Q: Crown
Answer: portion of tooth projecting above the gingiva
Q: Cervix
Answer: Neck of the tooth
Q: Root
Answer: Covered with cementum. They help to hold the tooth in its boney socket.
Q: Apical Foreman
Answer: Opening in the tip of the root
Q: Apex
Answer: (11) The tip of the root of the tooth
Q: Apicoectomy
Answer: Surgical removal of the tip of the root
Q: Periapical
Answer: Surrounding the apex or tip of the root
Q: Periapical Abscess
Answer: Localized collection of pus resulting from pupal death
Q: Proximal Surface
Answer: The place where the mesial of one tooth contacts the distal of the adjacent
Q: Mesial
Answer: Towards the midline
Q: Distal
Answer: Away from the midline
Q: Facial
Answer: Refers to the surfaces of the teeth which are toward either the lip or cheek
Q: Occlusal
Answer: Chewing surface of posterior teeth
Q: Lingual
Answer: Surface of tooth facing the tongue
Q: Incisal
Answer: Biting edge of anterior teeth
Q: Labial Surface
Answer: Surface of the incisors and canines that face towards the lips
Q: Buccal Surface
Answer: Tooth surface facing towards the cheek
Q: Incisors
Answer: Teeth between the canines that are used for cutting.
Q: Canine (cuspid)
Answer: Has a single cusp instead of an incisal edge and is designed for cutting and tearing
Q: Premolars(bicuspids)
Answer: The teeth immediately behind the canines; used in chewing, grinding, and shearing food.
Q: Molar
Answer: Posterior teeth with a broad chewing surface that is used for grinding the more solid pieces of food which require the use of heavy forces
Q: Anterior Teeth
Answer: includes the central incisors, lateral incisors, and the canines (front/middle six teeth)
Q: Posterior teeth
Answer: Premolars and molars(back 8-20 teeth)
Q: Enamel
Answer: (E) Covers the dentin of the crown, hardest substance in the body
Q: Cementum
Answer: (H) material covering the tooth root
Q: Dentin
Answer: (B)Dense tissue forming the bulk of a tooth.
Q: Pulp Chamber
Answer: Section of pulp located in the crown of the tooth
Q: Root/Pulp Canal
Answer: Runs from the apical foramen to the pulp chamber
Q: Pulp
Answer: The tissue that contains the blood vessels and nerves of a tooth
Q: Pulpitis
Answer: Inflammation of the pulp
Q: Pulpotomy
Answer: The partial removal of the dental pulp
Q: Pulpectomy
Answer: Complete removal of vital pulp from a tooth
Q: Pulp cavity
Answer: the space as a whole that contains the pulp or ‘nerve’ of the tooth
Q: Endodontics
Answer: Branch of dentistry dealing with disease of the pulp.
Q: Alveolar Ridge(process)
Answer: the upper portion of the mandible and the lower portion of the maxilla that contain sockets for the roots of the teeth
Q: Periodontal ligament
Answer: Bundles of fibers that attaches the tooth to bone & surrounding alveolar structures
Q: Gingiva
Answer: Gums
Q: Alveolar Socket
Answer: Cavity within the alveolar process that surrounds the root of a tooth
Q: Alveolectomy
Answer: UghThe Surgical procedure for removing or trimming the alveolar bone
Q: Periodontal
Answer: Around the tooth
Q: Periodontal Abscess
Answer: A localized area of pus located in any of the periodontal tissues.
Q: Periodontal Disease
Answer: an inflammation of the tissues that surround and support the teeth
Q: Periodontics
Answer: Dental specialty involved with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the supporting tissues
Q: Oral Mucosa
Answer: Lining of the oral cavity
Q: Free Gingiva
Answer: the unattached tissue that encircles the neck of the tooth
Q: Attached Gingiva
Answer: soft tissue that is firmly bound to the underlying alveolar bone
Q: Gingival Sulcus
Answer: The space between the tooth and gum
Q: Periodontal Pocket
Answer: Deepening of the gingival sulcus beyond normal (3mm) resulting from periodontal disease
Q: Subgingival
Answer: Referring to the area below the gingiva.
Q: Gingivitis
Answer: inflammation of the gums
Q: Gingivectomy
Answer: surgical removal of gum tissue
Q: Diagram of INSIDE & OUTSIDE OF THE TOOTH
Answer: (A)the bony (or hard) anterior portion of the palate that is covered with specialized mucous membrane
Q: Hard Palate
Answer: ridges on the hard palate
Q: Rugae
Answer: (B)the flexible posterior portion of the palate
Q: Soft Palate
Answer: (C)hangs from the free edge of the soft palate
Q: Uvula
Answer: the failure of the palate to close during the early development of the fetus
Q: Cleft palate
Answer: A normal reflex mechanism that causes retching; activated by touching the soft palate or the back of the throat.
Q: Gag reflex
Answer: Dental specialty that diagnoses and treats diseases of the oral structures.
Q: Oral Pathology
Answer: top surface of the tongue
Q: Dorsum of the tongue
Answer: Band of tissue that attaches the tongue to the floor of the mouth
Q: Lingual Frenum
Answer: Band of tissue that connects upper and lower lip to lower gums
Q: Labial Frenum
Answer: Surgical removal or loosening of the frenum