Bleaching – teeth whitening, which can be accomplished by in office laser or with take-home trays and whitening gel.
Bonding – a technique for attaching dental restorations to teeth. Bonding can be used to attach white composite fillings, veneers, crowns and bridges.
Bridge – a permanent appliance that is custom fabricated to replace one or more missing teeth which attaches to existing teeth on either side of the space.
Cap – a common name for a crown.
Composite Resin – a tooth-coloured plastic filling material.
Crown – a custom made “cap” that covers the tooth and not only strengthens it but can change the shape and colour.
Denture – a removable prosthetic designed to replace some or all missing teeth in the upper or lower jaw.
Gingiva – the soft tissue surrounding the teeth commonly known as the gum.
Implant – titanium posts surgically embedded into the jawbone to act as artificial teeth roots for the replacement of missing teeth.
Inlays – a laboratory-fabricated porcelain or gold tooth restoration commonly used for heavily broken down teeth.
Mouthguard -a flexible appliance made out of plastic that is worn in athletic and recreational activities to protect teeth from trauma.
Nightguard – an appliance that may be suggested by your dentist to eliminate grinding and/or bruxing at night.
Onlays – a laboratory-fabricated porcelain or gold tooth restoration that fills and restores a defect in the tooth. It extends over the edges of the defect to hold the remaining parts of the tooth together, thereby strengthening the tooth.
Orthodontist – the dental specialist concerned with straightening and aligning of teeth.
Periodontist – the dental specialist concerned with the health of one’s gums.
Porcelain Veneers – thin porcelain shells permanently bonded to one’s teeth to camoflauge major chips, stains, fillings and close gaps.
Root Canal Therapy – a dental treatment involving the removal of diseased or injured nerve from inside the tooth and replacement with an inert material.
TMJ – temporomandibular joint is where the lower jaw connects to the temporal bone and can often be painful. Nightguards are often made to relieve the pressure on this joint and relieve headache symptoms.
Smile Contouring – selectively reshaping teeth to improve the appearance of one’s smile.