Untitled Flashcard Set

🦷 TOOTH ANATOMY

1. What are the 3 main parts of a tooth?
Crown (visible part), Root (in bone), Cervix/CEJ (junction between crown and root)

2. What is enamel?
Hardest substance in the body (96% mineral), covers crown, no nerves, cannot regenerate, made of enamel rods

3. What is dentin?
Main bulk of tooth, contains dentinal tubules (cause sensitivity), supports enamel

4. What are the 3 types of dentin?
Primary (initial formation), Secondary (forms over time), Tertiary (repair/protective)

5. What is cementum?
Covers root, helps anchor tooth to bone via periodontal ligament

6. Types of cementum?
Acellular (top root), Cellular (bottom root)

7. What is pulp?
Soft tissue inside tooth with nerves and blood vessels

8. Functions of pulp?
Sensory (pain), Nutritive, Formative (makes dentin), Protective

🦷 PERIODONTIUM (SUPPORT)

9. What is the periodontal ligament (PDL)?
Connects tooth to bone, shock absorber, contains nerves + blood vessels

10. What is gingiva?
Gums that protect underlying structures

11. What is alveolar bone?
Bone that holds tooth sockets

12. What is lamina dura?
Dense bone lining seen on X-rays

🦷 TYPES OF TEETH

13. Incisors function + roots?
Cutting, 1 root

14. Canines function + roots?
Tearing, longest root

15. Premolars function + roots?
Crushing, usually 1 root (maxillary 1st may have 2)

16. Molars function + roots?
Grinding, maxillary = 3 roots, mandibular = 2 roots

🦷 DENTITION SYSTEMS

17. Universal numbering system?
Permanent: 1–32, Primary: A–T

18. Palmer notation?
Quadrants with brackets, numbered 1–8 per quadrant

19. FDI system?
First digit = quadrant, second digit = tooth

🦷 TOOTH SURFACES

20. Anterior tooth surfaces?
Labial, Lingual, Mesial, Distal, Incisal

21. Posterior tooth surfaces?
Buccal, Lingual, Mesial, Distal, Occlusal

👅 TONGUE FUNCTIONS

22. Functions of the tongue?
Taste, speech, swallowing, food movement, cleaning mouth

🪥 DENTAL INSTRUMENTS

23. Mouth mirror uses?
Indirect vision, reflection, retraction

24. Explorer use + types?
Detect decay; shepherd’s hook, pigtail

25. Periodontal probe?
Measures pocket depth in mm

26. Scalers & curettes?
Remove calculus (tartar)

🏥 DENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

27. American Dental Association (ADA)?
Professional org for dentists; ethics, guidelines, support

28. Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)?
Approves dental programs, ensures education quality

29. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)?
Workplace safety, PPE, bloodborne pathogens

30. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)?
Infection control guidelines, standard precautions

31. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)?
Regulates dental materials, devices, X-rays

32. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)?
Waste disposal, mercury/amalgam regulation

33. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)?
Researches workplace hazards

🧼 INFECTION CONTROL

34. What is a pathogen?
Disease-causing organism

35. What is asepsis?
Absence of infection

36. What is cross-contamination?
Spread of microorganisms

🦠 CHAIN OF INFECTION (6-STEP PROCESS — IN ORDER)

37. What is the chain of infection (in order)?

  1. Pathogen (infectious agent)

  2. Reservoir (where it lives)

  3. Portal of exit

  4. Mode of transmission

  5. Portal of entry

  6. Susceptible host

🧼 CLEANING LEVELS

38. Sanitization?
Reduces microbes

39. Disinfection?
Kills most microbes (not spores)

40. Levels of disinfection?
Low, Intermediate, High

41. Sterilization?
Kills ALL microbes including spores (ex: autoclave)

🧪 INSTRUMENT CLASSIFICATION

42. Critical instruments?
Must be sterile (penetrate tissue)

43. Semi-critical?
High-level disinfection

44. Non-critical?
Low-level disinfection

🧤 PPE

45. Types of PPE?
Gloves, mask, goggles, face shield, gown

46. Donning PPE order?
Gown → Mask → Goggles/Face shield → Gloves

47. Doffing PPE order?
Gloves → Goggles/Face shield → Gown → Mask → Hand hygiene

⚙ STERILIZATION EQUIPMENT

48. Autoclave?
Steam sterilization

49. Ultrasonic cleaner?
Pre-cleans instruments

50. Chemical indicators?
Color strips to confirm exposure

51. Biological indicators?
Spore tests (most accurate)

🦷 CROWNS & IMPLANTS

52. Types of crowns?
Metal, PFM, Ceramic, Zirconia

53. Dental implant?
Titanium root placed in bone

54. Parts of implant?
Fixture, Abutment, Crown

⚠ MATERIALS & SAFETY

55. Amalgam?
Contains mercury + metals, safe when set, regulated

56. Composite?
Tooth-colored, no mercury

57. Lead use?
X-ray aprons + thyroid collars for radiation protection

🧠 EXTRA VOCAB

58. Mesial vs Distal?
Mesial = toward midline, Distal = away

59. Apical vs Coronal?
Apical = toward root tip, Coronal = toward crown

🦷 CONDITIONS

60. Caries?
Tooth decay

61. Gingivitis?
Gum inflammation

62. Periodontitis?
Bone loss around teeth

🦷 PROCEDURES

63. Prophylaxis?
Professional cleaning

64. Scaling?
Removal of calculus

65. Root planing?
Smoothing root surfaces

🦷 WEAR TYPES

66. Attrition?
Tooth-to-tooth wear

67. Abrasion?
Mechanical wear (brushing, etc.)

68. Erosion?
Chemical wear (acid)

🩻 RADIOLOGY

69. Radiolucent?
Dark on X-ray

70. Radiopaque?
Light on X-ray

🦷 OCCLUSION & GROWTH

71. Occlusion?
How teeth come together (bite)

72. Eruption?
Tooth emerging through gums

73. Dentition types?
Primary, Permanent, Mixed