Australian dentistry glossary

Section

Anatomy + occlusion

enamel

The outer mineralised layer of the crown of the tooth. The hardest tissue in the body but does not regenerate once lost.

dentine

The mineralised tissue beneath enamel, makes up the bulk of the tooth. Contains tubules connecting to the pulp – source of sensitivity when enamel is lost.

pulp

The nerve + blood vessels at the centre of the tooth. Pulpitis (pulp inflammation) is a major cause of toothache.

cementum

The mineralised tissue covering the root of the tooth. Anchors the periodontal ligament to the tooth.

periodontal ligament (PDL)

Fibrous tissue connecting the root cementum to the alveolar bone of the jaw. Allows micro-movement under bite forces.

alveolar bone

The bone of the jaw surrounding the tooth roots. Resorbs (shrinks) after tooth extraction unless preserved with a bone graft or implant.

gingiva

The gum tissue surrounding the teeth.

occlusion

The way the upper + lower teeth meet when the mouth closes.

malocclusion

Misalignment of the teeth or bite. Categorised by Angle’s classification (Class I – III). Orthodontic correction varies by class + severity.

TMJ

Temporomandibular Joint. The hinge joint connecting the jaw to the skull. TMJ disorder presents as jaw pain, clicking, locking + headaches.

bruxism

Habitual grinding or clenching of the teeth, often at night. Causes tooth wear, jaw pain, headaches. Managed with a night splint (occlusal splint) + sometimes botulinum toxin injections.

attrition

Tooth wear from tooth-on-tooth contact. Distinct from abrasion (toothbrush wear) + erosion (acid wear).

abrasion

Tooth wear from external mechanical action (over-vigorous brushing, abrasive toothpaste).

erosion

Tooth wear from chemical (acid) attack. Sources: gastric reflux, acidic diet, sport-drink consumption.

abfraction

V-shaped notches at the gum line theorised to result from flexure of the tooth under bite stress. Aetiology still debated.

Section

Conditions

caries

Dental decay. Bacterial demineralisation of enamel + dentine, driven by acid produced from dietary sugars. Treated with restoration once the lesion is cavitated.

gingivitis

Reversible inflammation of the gums caused by plaque. Bleeding on brushing is the classic sign. Reversible with improved oral hygiene + scale + clean.

periodontitis

Inflammation extending into the supporting bone + ligament. Causes attachment loss, pocketing, mobility + eventual tooth loss. Irreversible bone loss but progression can be arrested by periodontal therapy.

pulpitis

Inflammation of the pulp. Reversible pulpitis = sharp pain on stimulus that resolves; irreversible pulpitis = lingering pain that may wake you at night. The latter typically progresses to apical infection without root canal therapy.

apical periodontitis

Inflammation at the tip of the root following pulp necrosis. Often shows on X-ray as a periapical radiolucency. Treated with root canal therapy or extraction.

abscess

Localised collection of pus arising from a dental infection. Periapical abscess (root tip) or periodontal abscess (gum). Requires drainage of the source; antibiotics alone insufficient.

dry socket

Post-extraction complication where the blood clot is lost or fails to form. Severe pain 2 – 4 days post-extraction. Treated with socket irrigation + medicated dressing.

MIH

Molar Incisor Hypomineralisation. Developmental defect of enamel mineralisation on permanent first molars + incisors. Affects ~12 – 14pct of Australian children. Increased sensitivity + caries risk.

fluorosis

Enamel mottling caused by excess fluoride exposure during tooth development. Mild fluorosis is cosmetic only. Australian water fluoridation is set to avoid clinical fluorosis.

hypersensitivity

Sharp transient pain in response to cold, sweet or air stimuli through exposed dentine tubules. Managed with desensitising toothpaste (potassium nitrate, stannous fluoride) + sometimes professional fluoride or bonding.

oral cancer

Malignant lesions of the lip, tongue, floor of mouth, palate, gum or oropharynx. Australian incidence ~1,500 cases per year. Early detection is essential – ask for oral-cancer screening as part of any check-up if you smoke, drink heavily or are HPV-positive.

leukoplakia

White patch on the oral mucosa that cannot be scraped off + cannot be classified as another condition. Considered potentially malignant – biopsy if persistent.

sialolithiasis

Salivary stones. Blockage of a salivary gland duct (usually submandibular) by a calcified stone. Presents with swelling + pain at meal times.

Section

Diagnostics

bitewing X-ray

Standard 6-monthly diagnostic radiograph showing the crowns + interproximal areas of the back teeth. Detects early caries + bone-level changes. ADA item 022.

periapical X-ray

Detailed radiograph of the entire length of a single tooth + the surrounding bone. Used for diagnosis of root + apical pathology. ADA item 022 per film.

OPG

Orthopantomogram. Panoramic X-ray of the entire upper + lower jaw including TMJs. ADA item 037. Used for wisdom tooth planning, orthodontic assessment, oral surgery.

CBCT

Cone Beam Computed Tomography. 3D imaging of the jaws used for implant planning, impacted teeth, endodontic surgery + complex oral surgery. Lower radiation than medical CT.

caries detection device

Adjunct laser-based device (e.g. DIAGNOdent) that quantifies bacterial activity in pits + fissures. Adjunct only – not replacement for visual + radiographic exam.

Section

Restorative + endodontics

composite

Tooth-coloured resin filling material. Bonds directly to tooth structure. The dominant filling material in Australia in 2026.

amalgam

Historic silver-mercury filling material. Now rarely placed in Australia. Existing amalgams remain serviceable + are not routinely replaced unless failing.

GIC

Glass Ionomer Cement. Fluoride-releasing filling material. Used in paediatric work + as a temporary or interim restoration.

inlay / onlay

Lab-made or CEREC-fabricated indirect restoration covering part (inlay) or part-plus-cusp (onlay) of a tooth. Stronger than a direct composite for large cavities; less aggressive than a full crown.

crown

Full-coverage indirect restoration encasing the entire visible portion of a tooth. Indicated when a tooth is too broken-down for a filling or inlay. Materials: zirconia, e-max, porcelain-fused-to-metal, gold.

bridge

Multi-tooth prosthesis using adjacent teeth as anchors to span a gap left by missing teeth. Less common in 2026 as implants have largely replaced bridges for single-tooth replacement.

CEREC

Chairside CAD-CAM crown system. The dentist scans the tooth, designs the crown digitally + mills it in-clinic in one appointment. Avoids the temporary-crown phase + second appointment of the lab-made workflow.

root canal therapy (RCT)

Endodontic procedure to save a tooth with infected or necrotic pulp. The pulp is removed, the canals cleaned + shaped, then filled with gutta-percha + sealer. Followed by a crown for posterior teeth.

retreatment (re-RCT)

Repeating a previous root canal where the original treatment has failed (persistent apical pathology, missed canals, fractured instrument). Often referred to an endodontist.

apicoectomy

Surgical removal of the root tip + curettage of apical pathology. Performed when conventional retreatment is not possible. Specialist procedure.

pulpotomy

Removal of the coronal pulp only, preserving the radicular pulp. Used in primary (baby) teeth + occasionally in immature permanent teeth.

post + core

A prefabricated or custom post placed in the root canal + a core build-up to provide retention for a crown on a heavily-broken-down tooth.

gutta-percha

Rubber-like filling material used to fill the prepared root canal after cleaning + shaping. Inert, biocompatible.

rubber dam (dental dam)

A thin latex (or non-latex) sheet placed over the tooth + held by a clamp. Isolates the tooth from saliva + improves clinical outcomes – particularly for endodontics + bonded restorations. Considered standard-of-care.

Section

Surgery + implants

extraction

Removal of a tooth. Simple extraction (forceps only) vs surgical extraction (flap + bone removal). ADA items 311, 314, 316.

wisdom tooth (third molar)

The last molar to erupt, typically late teens to mid-20s. Frequently impacted (unable to erupt fully) + may require surgical removal.

implant

A titanium (rarely zirconia) screw surgically placed into the jaw bone, allowed to osseointegrate over 3 – 6 months, then restored with an abutment + crown. The current gold-standard replacement for a single missing tooth.

osseointegration

The biological process by which an implant fuses with the surrounding bone. Typically 3 months in the mandible, 6 months in the maxilla.

all-on-4

Full-arch fixed bridge supported by 4 implants per arch. A defined treatment protocol – not the only option for full-arch rehabilitation, but the most-marketed.

bone graft

Augmentation of the jaw bone using particulate bone (autograft, allograft, xenograft, alloplast) before or alongside implant placement. ADA item 688.

sinus lift

Augmentation of the floor of the maxillary sinus to allow implant placement in the upper back jaw. Lateral window vs crestal approach.

GBR

Guided Bone Regeneration. Use of a barrier membrane + grafting material to direct new bone formation.

GTR

Guided Tissue Regeneration. Same concept applied to periodontal defects, encouraging selective regeneration of bone + periodontal ligament.

ridge augmentation

Surgical building-up of a deficient alveolar ridge prior to implant placement.

peri-implantitis

Inflammation around an implant with progressive bone loss. The implant equivalent of periodontitis. Managed with mechanical debridement + sometimes surgery.

denture

Removable prosthesis replacing multiple teeth. Complete denture (full arch) or partial denture (some teeth remaining). Made by a dentist or by a registered Dental Prosthetist.

implant-retained overdenture

A denture stabilised by 2 – 4 implants in each arch. Cheaper than a full implant-supported fixed bridge + materially improves function over a conventional denture.

Section

Periodontal

scaling

Mechanical removal of plaque + calculus from teeth, above + below the gum line. The core of every dental hygiene visit.

root planing

Smoothing of the root surface beneath the gum line after scaling. Used in periodontal therapy. ADA items 222, 223.

periodontal pocket

A gap between the tooth + gum deepened by attachment loss in periodontitis. Measured in mm with a periodontal probe.

gum graft

Surgical augmentation of receded gum, using palatal tissue (autograft) or allograft material. Improves aesthetics + reduces root sensitivity.

crown lengthening

Surgical removal of gum + bone to expose more of the tooth for restorative or aesthetic reasons.

Section

Orthodontic

braces

Fixed orthodontic appliances – brackets bonded to each tooth, connected by archwires + elastic ties. Move teeth over 12 – 24 months.

Invisalign

Brand-name clear-aligner orthodontic system. A series of removable plastic trays that move teeth incrementally. Other aligner brands include SureSmile + ClearCorrect.

retainer

Post-treatment appliance worn to prevent relapse of orthodontic movement. Removable (Vivera, Essix) or fixed (bonded wire behind the front teeth).

expander

Orthodontic appliance that widens the upper jaw (palatal expansion). Most-effective in children before suture fusion.

phase-I + phase-II

Two-stage paediatric ortho. Phase-I (interceptive, age 7 – 9) addresses skeletal + early-eruption issues. Phase-II (comprehensive, around age 11 – 14) finalises tooth alignment in the permanent dentition.

Section

Cosmetic

veneer

A thin layer bonded to the visible surface of a tooth to change its colour, shape or alignment. Porcelain (lab-made, 10 – 20 year life) or composite (chairside, 5 – 7 year life).

whitening (bleaching)

Use of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to lighten tooth colour. In-chair (Zoom, Philips), take-home tray-based, or over-the-counter strips.

smile makeover

Multi-procedure cosmetic plan – typically a combination of whitening, veneers + sometimes orthodontics – designed to remodel the appearance of the smile.

gum lift

Cosmetic procedure to reshape the gum line, exposing more tooth surface. May use laser or scalpel. Sometimes combined with crown lengthening.

Section

Practice + regulation

AHPRA

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. Operates the national registration scheme for health practitioners in partnership with the Dental Board of Australia. Register check guide.

ADA

Australian Dental Association. Professional body representing dentists. Publishes the schedule of dental services + glossary (the item-number system used industry-wide) + the annual national dental fees survey.

ADA item numbers

The four-digit codes used industry-wide to identify each dental procedure. Every quote, invoice + insurance claim is itemised against these. Item 011 = comprehensive oral exam, 114 = scale + clean (unit), 522 = 2-surface posterior filling.

CDBS

Child Dental Benefits Schedule. Means-tested federal scheme providing up to $1,095 per eligible child across a 2-year benefit period. CDBS guide.

HICAPS

Health Industry Claims + Payments Service. The terminal in dental + allied-health practices that processes private-fund rebate claims at the point of sale + bulk-bills CDBS claims to Medicare.

preferred provider

A dental practice that has a fee-schedule contract with a private health fund (e.g. Bupa Members First, HCF More for Teeth, Medibank Members Choice). Reduces member out-of-pocket on a defined item list.

Dental Hygienist

A registered dental practitioner trained in prevention + periodontal therapy. Performs scaling, root planing, fluoride, sealants + patient education. Cannot perform restorative or surgical work.

Oral Health Therapist (OHT)

A dual-trained practitioner combining the scope of a Dental Hygienist + Dental Therapist. Can perform preventive + simple restorative work on children + adults within their scope.

Dental Prosthetist

A registered dental practitioner whose scope is the construction + fitting of dentures + mouthguards. Direct-to-public; no dentist referral required.

Specialist Dentist

An AHPRA-registered dentist holding additional 3 – 4 year specialty training + entered on the Specialist register. 13 recognised specialty classes. AHPRA-protected title.

AACD

American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. International professional membership organisation for cosmetic dentistry. Membership signals interest + commitment; not an AHPRA-recognised specialty.

ASID

Australian Society of Implant Dentistry. Professional membership organisation for implant dentistry. Not an AHPRA-recognised specialty; implant dentistry is practised by general dentists + by AHPRA Specialists (Periodontists, Prosthodontists, Oral + Maxillofacial Surgeons).

Therapeutic Guidelines: Oral + Dental

The Australian standard reference for evidence-based prescribing + management of dental conditions. Updated every few years. Antibiotic use guidance + acute pain management protocols are widely referenced.

Related guides

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