Pediatric Dentistry Vocabulary

Scope of Pediatric Dentistry

• Stages of child’s development:

  • Dental: Tooth formation, eruption patterns, and dental health.

  • Physical: Height, weight, motor skills, and overall physical growth.

  • Mental: Cognitive abilities, emotional development, and social skills.

Development and Growth Concerns

• Caries (tooth decay): The breakdown of tooth structure due to bacterial activity.

• Epulis (a tumor-like mass usually found on the gingiva): A benign growth on the gums.

• Abscess (a localized collection of pus in tissues): A pocket of infection.

• Cellulitis (a bacterial infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissues): Spreading infection under the skin.

• Anodontia (congenital absence of teeth): Missing teeth from birth.

• Macrodontia (abnormally large teeth): Teeth that are larger than normal.

• Hyperdontia (having more teeth than normal): Extra teeth.

• Hypodontia (having fewer teeth than normal): Missing some teeth.

• Enamel hypoplasia (a defect of tooth enamel): Imperfect enamel development.

• Dentinogenesis imperfecta (a genetic disorder affecting dentin formation): Defective dentin formation.

• Amelogenesis imperfecta (a genetic disorder affecting enamel formation): Defective enamel formation.

• Aplasia (failure of an organ or tissue to develop or function normally): Lack of development of a tissue or organ.

• Dens in dente (a tooth within a tooth, a developmental abnormality): A malformation where a tooth forms within another tooth.

• Germinated teeth (a single tooth bud attempting to divide): An attempt of a tooth bud to split into two.

• Fusion of teeth (the joining of two separate tooth buds): Two tooth buds join together.

• Early tooth exfoliation (premature loss of teeth): Losing teeth earlier than expected.

• Ankylosis (fusion of tooth root to bone): Tooth root fused to the bone.

• Intrinsic coloration (discoloration within the tooth structure): Discoloration originating from within the tooth.

• Improper tooth development: Abnormal tooth formation.

• Bone and tissue problems: Issues affecting jaw bones and related tissues.

• Odontoma (a benign tumor of odontogenic origin): A benign tumor made of dental tissues.

• Macroglossia (abnormally large tongue): An unusually large tongue.

• Ankyloglossia (tongue-tie, restricted tongue movement): Limited tongue movement due to a short lingual frenum.

• Fissured tongue (grooves or fissures on the tongue's surface): Grooves and cracks on the tongue.

• Abnormal labial frenum (unusual attachment of the lip to the gums): Unusual attachment of the lip to the gums.

• Micrognathia (abnormally small jaw): A small jaw.

• Cherubism (a rare genetic disorder causing swelling in the jaw): A genetic disorder causing jaw swelling.

• Neoplasms (abnormal growth of tissue): Uncontrolled tissue growth.

• Papilloma (a benign epithelial tumor): A benign tumor of the epithelium.

• Verruca vulgaris (common wart): Skin wart.

• Fibroma (a benign tumor of connective tissue): A benign tumor of connective tissue.

• Granuloma (a mass of granulation tissue): A mass of immune cells forming in response to infection or inflammation.

• Neurofibromatosis (a genetic disorder causing tumors to grow on nerves): A genetic disorder with nerve tumors.

• Hemangioma (a benign tumor of blood vessels): A benign tumor of blood vessels.

• Lymphangioma (a benign tumor of lymphatic vessels): A benign tumor of lymphatic vessels.

• Lymphoma (cancer of the lymphatic system): Cancer affecting the lymphatic system.

• Mucocele (a cyst-like lesion caused by blocked salivary gland): A cyst caused by blocked salivary gland.

• Ranula (a mucocele in the floor of the mouth): A mucocele under the tongue.

Maintenance and Preservation of Dentition

• Home care: Daily oral hygiene practices.

• Dental visits: Regular check-ups and professional cleaning.

• Good nutrition: A balanced diet for healthy teeth and gums.

• Fluoride intake: Fluoride to strengthen teeth.

• Enameloplasty and sealants: Procedures to protect tooth enamel.

• Oral surgery and space maintenance: Surgical procedures and space maintainers to guide tooth eruption.

Restorative Dental Care for Primary Dentition

• T-band matrix: A band used in pediatric dentistry to create a temporary wall around a tooth during restoration.

• Stainless steel crowns: Durable crowns for restoring primary teeth.

• Space maintainers: Appliances to hold space for unerupted teeth.

• Habit-breaking devices: Appliances to stop habits like thumb sucking.

• Pulpal treatment:

  • Larger apical opening to allow for better circulation and healing: Allowing better blood flow and healing.

  • Apexogenesis and apexification: Procedures for immature teeth.

  • Direct and indirect pulp capping: Protecting the dental pulp.

  • Pulpotomy: Removal of coronal pulp.

  • Pulpectomy: Removal of all pulp.

Control and Sedation of Pediatric Patients

• Positive reinforcement: Rewarding good behavior.

• Distraction: Diverting attention during procedures.

• Voice control: Using a firm, calm voice.

• Rapid treatment, but calm appearances: Efficient treatment with a relaxed demeanor.

• Dental (rubber) dam: Isolation of teeth during treatment.

• Papoose board or towel wrap: Restraining a child for safety.

• Topical anesthesia: Numbing the surface.

• Injection anesthesia: Injecting anesthetic.

• Analgesia or drug ingestion: Pain relief medication.

• Methods of drug administration: Ways to give medication.

Treatment for Trauma and Abuse

• Classifications of traumatized teeth:

  • Class I: Enamel infraction or crack.

  • Class II: Enamel and dentin fracture.

  • Class III: Enamel, dentin, and pulp fracture.

  • Class IV: Tooth is non-vital with or without crown fracture.

• Pulpal hyperemia: Increased blood flow to the pulp.

• Internal hemorrhage: Bleeding inside the tooth.

• Internal or external resorption: Tooth structure breakdown.

• Ankylosis: Fusion of tooth to bone.

• Intrusion: Tooth pushed into the socket.

• Extrusion: Tooth partially out of the socket.

• Luxation: Tooth displaced.

• Avulsion: Tooth completely out of the socket.

• Smoothing of rough edges: Polishing sharp edges.

• Pulp capping: Protecting the pulp.

• Pulpotomy: Removing coronal pulp.

• Pulpectomy with or without endodontic treatment: Removing all pulp with or without root canal treatment.

• Stainless steel banding: Stabilizing teeth with bands.

• Crowns or placement of posts: Restoring teeth with crowns or posts.

• Reimplantation and stabilization: Putting a tooth back in place and securing it.

Dental Records for Patient Identification

• Legal and professional use of records: Records used for legal and professional purposes.

• Role of records in patient identification: Records helping to identify patients.

• Personal information data: Patient's personal details.

• Dental charting record: Recording dental findings.

• Radiographs of present and future tooth placement: X-rays showing tooth positions.

• Photographs for future growth: Photos documenting growth.

• Tooth impressions for saliva and DNA recording: Impressions for forensic analysis.

Child Health Conditions

• Effects of the following in growth of permanent teeth:

  • AIDS: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.

  • Autism: Neurodevelopmental disorder.

  • Blindness: Loss of sight.

  • Asthma: Respiratory condition.

  • Cerebral palsy: Neurological disorder affecting muscle movement.

  • Congenital heart disease: Heart defects present at birth.

  • Cystic fibrosis: Genetic disorder affecting the lungs and digestive system.

  • Deafness: Hearing loss.

  • Juvenile diabetes: Diabetes in children.

  • Down syndrome: Genetic disorder causing developmental delays.

  • Fragile X syndrome: Genetic disorder causing intellectual disability.

  • Hemophilia: Bleeding disorder.

  • Learning difficulties: Challenges in learning.

  • Leukemia: Cancer of the blood.

  • Rheumatic fever: Inflammatory disease.

  • Viral hepatitis: Liver inflammation.