Dental Terminology Lecture Notes

Flashcards based on dental terminology lecture notes.

What is the language of medicine?

Specialized vocabulary used by health care practitioners.

What percentage of medical terms are based on Greek or Latin?

Approximately 75%.

What are the four elements of a medical word?

Word roots, combining forms, suffixes, prefixes.

What is a word root?

Foundation of a medical term that contains its primary meaning.

What does a word root usually describe?

Body part.

From which languages are word roots usually derived?

Greek or Latin.

What do Latin roots describe?

Anatomical structures.

What do Greek roots describe?

Disease, condition, treatment, or diagnosis.

What is a combining form?

Word root combined with a vowel.

What is the purpose of a combining vowel?

To enable two word elements to be connected.

What is the most common combining vowel?

"o", but sometimes it is an "i" or "u".

What is used to link multiple word roots?

Combining vowel.

When two word roots are joined, where is a combining vowel added?

Added to the first word root.

When is a combining vowel used when adding a suffix to a word root?

Consonant.

What is a suffix?

Word element placed at the end of a word that changes its meaning.

What happens when you change the suffix?

It changes the meaning of the word.

What does a suffix usually describe in medical terminology?

Describes something.

From where are many suffixes derived?

Greek or Latin words.

What is a prefix?

Word element attached to the beginning of a word root.

What happens when you add a prefix?

Changes the meaning of the word.

Can a word root stand alone?

It cannot stand alone.

What must always be added to the end of a word to complete the term?

A suffix.

Where is a prefix always placed?

Beginning of the word.

Why is a suffix added to the end of a word root or combining form?

Change its meaning.

What do suffixes denote?

Singular and plural forms of a word.

What are the major types of suffix categories?

Surgical, diagnostic, pathological, related, and grammatical.

List some suffixes meaning "abnormal condition or disease".

-iasis, -osis, -esis, -ion, -ia, -ism

What does pneumonia mean?

Infection of the lung.

What does cyanosis mean?

Blue discoloration of skin and mucous membrane.

What does syndactylism mean?

Condition of joined fingers or toes.

What does diuresis mean?

Increased formation and secretion of urine.

What does cholelithiasis mean?

Abnormal condition of gallstones.

Process or condition. Give an example.

Hypnosis

Abnormal condition or disease. Give an example.

Cyanosis

Increase in case of blood. Give an example.

Leukocytosis

What does the suffix -penia mean?

Decrease or deficiency.

What does erythropenia mean?

Decrease in red blood cells.

What does leukocytopenia mean?

Decrease in number of white blood cells.

What is pathology?

Study of all aspects of diseases.

What does path mean?

Disease.

What does -o/logy mean?

Study of.

What does a noun name?

Person, place, or thing.

What does a suffix do in medical terminology?

Changes the word root into a noun.

What does the suffix -icle mean?

Small or minute.

What does the suffix -ole mean?

Small.

What does the suffix -ule mean?

Small.

What does an adjective do?

Defines or describes a thing.

What does the etiology mean ?

Description of diseases.

What does pathogenesis mean?

study of disease origin and development.

What does prophylaxis mean?

protection from a disease.