Curing

Is the process by which dental material hardens or sets.

Cavity Varnishes

Are sealants that are placed on top of the cavity liner and underneath the restoration.

Amalgamator

Mixes the mercury and alloy and create usable amalgam.

Glass Ionomers

They chemically bond with the tooth surface.

Provisional Crowns

Are acrylic, aluminum, or stainless-steel crowns that are cemented into place with temporary cement.

Dental Lathe

Is used to trim and polish custom impressions trays, dentures, and some restorations.

Noble Metals

Are known for their resistance to tarnish and corrosion.

Planning for Preparation

The dentist must remove all of the diseased tooth structure and any old restorative material in the cavity.

Class 1 Restorations

Are the simplest form of restorations. These lesions are located in the pits of teeth, without extending into the tooth's inner anatomy.

Working as an Operator

The transition from assistant to the operator requires rethinking the way you approach a procedure.

Whitening

Over the Counter products often use the same ingredients as dental preparations, but in lesser concentrations.

Coronal Polishing

Is a largely cosmetic procedure used to remove stains and discoloration from the coronal surface of teeth.

Suture Removal

Is typically performed five to seven days after they have been placed.

Bridge

Is used to fill the space where a tooth is missing.

Pontic

Artificial teeth that fill the space where a missing tooth once was.

Porcelain

Is a ceramic material that is often used in prosthodontics to improve appearance of teeth.

Dental Implants

Implants are placed directly into the bone or gingival tissue.

Overdenture

When the patient's retained teeth are used for support, an attachment for the retained tooth or implant.

Components of Partial Denture

The framework engages with abutment teeth with a clasp assembly.

Denture Home Care

Storing unworn dentures in water or in a moist, airtight container at night during sleep.

Pulp Necrosis

Death of the pulp tissue.

Transillumination Testing

Uses a fiber optic light to look for cracks or other signs of bacteria leakage that could cause pulp necrosis.

Pulpotomy

A frequent procedure designed to remove the coronal portion of the pulp, while maintaining healthy pulp tissue.

Periodontitis

Results in irreversible destruction to the tissues of the periodontium and can lead to tooth loss.

Periodontal Probing

The dentist or dental hygienist uses THIS to measure pocket depth around individual teeth.

Periodontal Dressings

Bandages that protect tissues while the patient heals from a procedure.

Orange Stick

The first surgical scrub of the day should be ten minutes long using THIS to scrub under your nails.

Retractors

Used to hold the patient's lips, tongue, and soft tissue out of the way during a procedure.

Forceps

Are used to extract a tooth from its socket after the application of elevators to loosen the tooth.

Modeling

Involves showing the child how other children act/behave during a procedure.

Avulsed Tooth

A tooth that has been completely removed from the socket as a result of trauma.

Extrinsic Stains

Exist only on the outside of the tooth.

Prophy Angle

Is an angled instrument that holds the rubber cup or brush bristles.

Flour of Pumice

Made from volcanic glass.

Not Needed in Tray Set Up

Needed: Air-water syringe tip, Prophy angle, Dental floss. Not Needed: Curette.

Polishing

Can contribute to the permanent removal of microscopic amounts of enamel.

Elastics

Rubber appliances used to connect teeth in the same arch, from one to the other, to apply specific pressure.

Retainers

Custom devices made from plastic to conform to the patient's anatomy.