VTNE Review: Dentistry

apical

direction toward the root

attrition

wearing of the teeth from mastication or teeth rubbing together

buccal

direction toward the cheek

calculus

calcified plaque which hardens on the tooth and sometimes the crown

cementum

hard connective tissue covering the tooth root and sometimes the crown

crown

portion of the root that sits above the gum line and is covered in enamel

dentin

the bulk of the tooth; hard connective tissue made mostly of calcium and collagen

enamel

the white hard outer layer of the crown (made mostly of calcium)

endodontics

treatment involving the pulp cavity

floating

smoothing a horses teeth with a file to rid of sharp edges

gingiva

mucosa/gums surrounding the teeth

halitosis

bad breath

lingual

direction toward the tongue

malocclusion

abnormal position of the teeth

occlusal

the chewing surface of the tooth, which meets the tooth surface on the opposite jaw

periodontal ligament

collagen fiber that attaches tooth to the bone and holds the tooth in place

periodontium

supportive tissues around the tooth, including bone of alveolus, periodontal ligament, cementum, and gingiva

plaque

a film which accumulates on the tooth made of food, bacteria, cells, and mucin

pulp

the soft part inside the tooth made of nerves, vessels, odontoblasts, connective tissues, and lymphatics

ranula

a salivary cyst under the tongue

recession

apical gingival movement away from the tooth crown

root

lower part of the tooth that is in the alveolus

stomatitis

inflammation of the soft tissues in the mouth

sulcus

pocket under the gingiva; normal is 0-3 mm, greater than this suggests periodontal disease

hypsodont teeth

• high crowned teeth

• seen in horses, cattle, deer (radicular continuously erupting but not growing)

• in rodents, lagomorphs, chinchillas (aradicular: continuously growing)

brachydont teeth

• low crowned teeth

• seen in dogs, cats, and humans

dog dental formula

2 (I 3/3 C 1/1 P 4/4 M 2/3) = 42

cat dental formula

2 (I 3/3 C 1/1 P 3/2 M 1/1) = 30

cow/sheep/goat dental formula

2 (I 0/3 C 0/1 P 3/3 M 3/3) = 32

horse dental formula

1 (I 3/3 C 0-1/0-1 P 3-4/4 M 3/3) = 36-42

pig dental formula

2 (I 3/3 C 1/1 P 4/4 M 3/3) = 44

lagomorph dental formula

2 (I 2/1 C 0/0 P 3/2 M 3/3) = 28

rat/mouse dental formula

2 (I 1/1 C 0/0 P 0/0 M 3/3) = 16

• curette

• used for subgingival removal of calculus and root planing; can also be used supragingivally; has a rounded back and tip

• dental elevator

• used for breaking down the periodontal ligament with pressure and leverage

• luxator

• used for breaking down/cutting the periodontal ligament; not used for leverage

• extraction forceps

• used to extract the tooth after the periodontal ligament has been broke down

• probe

• has a blunted tip; inserted into gingival sulcus to measure pocket depth and evaluate mobility

• polisher

• removes plaque and smoothes the scaled tooth surface

• used with prophy paste and done on slow speed (not faster than 1000 rpm or may cause thermal damage)

• scaler

• used for supra-gingival removal of calculus (not sub-gingival due to sharp tip)