Dental Terminology (How To Understand Your Dentist)
TLDRWhitney, a dental hygienist, educates viewers on dental terminology to help them understand conversations with dentists. She explains the names and numbering system for maxillary (upper) and mandibular (lower) teeth, including incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. Whitney also describes how to identify tooth surfaces, such as interproximal (between teeth), lingual (inside towards the tongue), facial (outside towards lips and cheeks), and occlusal/incisal (chewing surfaces). She clarifies terms like 'clinical decay' and 'radiolucency', the latter referring to X-ray appearances. Whitney's goal is to demystify dental language, making it more accessible for patients and those interested in dental health.
Takeaways
- 🦷 The upper teeth are referred to as maxillary teeth, and the lower teeth as mandibular teeth.
- 🦷 Anterior teeth are the front teeth from canine to canine, while posterior teeth are the back teeth behind the canines.
- 🦷 The four central incisors are located in the middle of the front teeth, with the central incisors being the two in the middle and the lateral incisors being the outer two.
- 🦷 Premolars, also known as bicuspids, are the first two teeth behind the canines, and molars are the last two or three teeth in the back, with the third molar often called the wisdom tooth.
- 🦷 Teeth are numbered starting from the upper right, including wisdom teeth, and then counted from the lower left.
- 🦷 Wisdom teeth (teeth numbers 1, 16, 17, and 32) are often missing but are still counted in the numbering system.
- 🦷 The interproximal surfaces (IPR) are the surfaces between the teeth, with the mesial surface being closest to the midline and the distal surface facing away from the midline.
- 🦷 The lingual surfaces are the inside surfaces of the teeth that can be touched with your tongue, also called palatal surfaces for the upper teeth.
- 🦷 The facial surfaces are the outside surfaces of the teeth towards the lips and cheeks, with the anterior facials sometimes called labels and the posterior facials called buccal surfaces.
- 🦷 The occlusal surface is the chewing surface of the posterior teeth, while the incisal surface refers to the biting surface of the anterior teeth.
- 🦷 Dental terminology can be confusing, but understanding the scientific terms used can help patients better understand their dental conditions and treatments.
Q & A
What is the main purpose of Whitney's video?
-The main purpose of Whitney's video is to help people understand dental terminology, either for those starting school in the field or for patients who want to better comprehend what dentists are saying about their teeth.
What is the term used to describe the upper teeth?
-The upper teeth are referred to as 'maxillary teeth'.
How are the front teeth categorized in dental terminology?
-The front teeth are categorized as 'anterior' teeth, which include the canines and incisors. The central two incisors are called 'central incisors', and the outer two are 'lateral incisors'.
What are the two types of teeth found in the back of the mouth?
-The two types of teeth found in the back of the mouth are 'premolars' and 'molars'.
What is the term for the surface of a tooth that is closest to the midline of your face?
-The surface of a tooth closest to the midline of your face is called the 'mesial' surface.
What does the term 'distal' refer to in dental terminology?
-The term 'distal' refers to the surface of a tooth that faces toward the back of your head or away from the midline.
How does Whitney suggest memorizing tooth numbers?
-Whitney suggests memorizing the tooth numbers by first memorizing the canines as 6, 11, 22, and 27, and then visualizing the rest of the numbers from there.
What is the term used to describe the surfaces on the insides of the teeth that can be touched with your tongue?
-The surfaces on the insides of the teeth that can be touched with your tongue are called 'lingual surfaces'.
What is another term for the facial surfaces of the posterior teeth?
-The facial surfaces of the posterior teeth can also be referred to as 'buccal surfaces'.
What is the term used to describe the chewing surface of posterior teeth?
-The chewing surface of the posterior teeth is called the 'occlusal' surface.
What does the term 'incisal' refer to in dental terminology?
-The term 'incisal' refers to the biting surface of the anterior teeth, which is flatter compared to the chewing surfaces of the posterior teeth.
What does Whitney imply about the use of scientific terminology in dentistry?
-Whitney implies that scientific terminology is used in dentistry because it is more descriptive and allows dental professionals to communicate more precisely about what they observe in a patient's mouth.
Outlines
🦷 Understanding Dental Terminology
Whitney, a dental hygienist, introduces the video's purpose: to help new students and patients understand dental jargon. She explains that dental professionals use scientific terms for precision. Whitney outlines the basics, including the names for upper (maxillary) and lower (mandibular) teeth, and the distinction between anterior (front) and posterior (back) teeth. She details the specific names for different types of teeth: incisors, canines, premolars, and molars, including the wisdom tooth. Whitney also covers the tooth numbering system commonly used in the U.S. and offers a trick for memorizing tooth numbers by starting with the canines. Lastly, she explains how to describe tooth surfaces, including interproximal (between teeth), mesial and distal (specific interproximal areas), lingual (inside surfaces), facial (outside surfaces), and occlusal/incisal (chewing surfaces).
📚 Decoding Dental Surfaces and Terminology
This paragraph delves deeper into dental terminology, focusing on tooth surfaces. Whitney clarifies the difference between mesial and distal surfaces, using tooth numbers 8 and 9 as examples. She explains that lingual surfaces are the inner tooth surfaces that can be touched with the tongue, with palatal being a specific term for the upper teeth's lingual surfaces. The facial surfaces are the outer tooth surfaces towards the lips and cheeks, with labial used specifically for anterior teeth and buccal for posterior teeth. The occlusal surface refers to the chewing surface of posterior teeth, while the incisal surface is used for the anterior teeth due to the lack of grooves. Whitney also touches on radiographic terms, mentioning radiolucency and radiopaque, but noting that x-ray terminology is a topic for another video. She concludes by offering further help in understanding dental language and invites feedback for future content.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Dental Hygienist
💡Maxillary Teeth
💡Mandibular Teeth
💡Anterior Teeth
💡Posterior Teeth
💡Incisors
💡Premolars
💡Molars
💡Tooth Numbers
💡Interproximal Surfaces
💡Occlusal Surface
💡Facial Surfaces
💡Radiolucency
Highlights
Whitney, a dental hygienist, introduces the video aimed at helping people understand dental terminology.
Differentiates between maxillary (upper) and mandibular (lower) teeth.
Explains anterior (front) teeth include canines, also known as cuspids, eye teeth, or vampire teeth.
Details that posterior (back) teeth are all molars and premolars behind the canines.
Defines incisors as the four middle front teeth, with central and lateral incisors.
Premolars, also known as bicuspids, are the first two teeth after the canines.
Molars, including the wisdom tooth, are the last two or three teeth at the back of the mouth.
Tooth numbering system starts from the upper right, including wisdom teeth, and goes to the lower left.
Many people are missing their wisdom teeth, which are still counted in the numbering system.
Provides a trick for memorizing tooth numbers by starting with the canines at 6, 11, 22, and 27.
Discusses the importance of using scientific terminology for precise communication among dental professionals.
Interproximal surfaces (IPR) are the surfaces between the teeth, with mesial and distal distinctions.
Lingual surfaces are the inside surfaces of the teeth that can be touched with the tongue.
Facial surfaces are the outside surfaces towards the lips and cheeks, with buccal being a more specific term for posteriors.
Occlusal surfaces are the chewing surfaces at the back, while incisal refers to the biting surface of the front teeth.
Clinical decay refers to visible cavities, and radiolucency mentioned is related to X-ray imaging, a topic for another video.
Invites viewers to request a video on X-ray terminology if they are interested.
Provides a website, t-girl.com, for more dental health articles and videos.
Transcripts
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)
Thanks for rating: