This page includes a collection of frequently occurring terms, used in this web site. Most of these terms are dental or medical in nature and are just briefly explained in ‘plain English’.
Abutment – usually some metal or ceramic piece that is machined and attached to the implant fixture. There are several types of abutments; each designed for a specific task. Some are designed to heal or shape tissues after the Uncovery procedure (Healing Abutments) , others are designed to ‘carry’ the crowns for the implants, yet others are designed to secure different types of implant restorations.
Adrenal Insufficiency – a condition where the medulla and/or the cortex of the adrenal gland is compromised in its production of epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, corticosterone and aldosterone. Cortical insufficiency produces a clinical condition called “Addison’s Disease”, characterized by extreme weakness, low blood pressure and pigmentation of the skin. If severe enough, elective surgery such as implant surgery may not be indicated.
Amalgam - A "silver filling" is a euphemism for an amalgam restoration, which a dentist places in a patient's tooth after a cavity is created by drilling out decay. Amalgam restorations consist of mercury, silver, tin, copper, and a trace amount of zinc. The dental amalgam has two fundamental flaws that adversely effect a patient's health. The first fundamental flaw is that all amalgam metals are cations. The net result of the tendency for covalent, ionic and metallic bonding and van der Waals forces between amalgam cations is a weak repulsion. So there is a sustained release of mercury and other metals from the amalgam into the body. Researchers have measured a daily release of mercury on the order of 10 micrograms from the amalgam into the body. It has yet to be determined that this concentration has a negative systemic health effect
Anemia – indicates a quantitative deficiency of hemoglobin and usually also a corresponding decrease of red blood cells. There are several classifications of anemia, however they all have a decreased healing potential in common. Again, depending on the severity of the condition, elective surgery such as implant surgery may not be indicated.
Aortitis – an inflammation of the aorta or other arteries. The acute variety may arise from bacterial infections and carry along complications such as thrombosis, rupture with hemorrhage and aneurysms. The chronic variety may often be seen in tuberculosis and syphilis. This, in turn, may lead to necrotizing and fibrosing inflammation, which may compromise the structural integrity of blood vessels.
Aortic Aneurysm – a localized, abnormal and persistent dilation of a section of the aorta. This usually results from a weakness in the vessel wall. If severe enough, rupture of the aorta with severe hemorrhage is a potential hazard.
Arteriosclerosis – literally means ‘hardening of the arteries’ and is often used synonymously with ‘atherosclerosis’. There is only a histologic difference between the two, depending on which layer of the artery wall is involved. Arteriosclerosis itself is characterized by thickening of the artery wall, and simultaneous decrease of the inside diameter (lumen) of the artery, thus compromising blood flow and increasing the blood pressure.
Autogenous Bone – bone harvested for grafting purposes from a donor site (usually a different part of the jaw of the hip bone) within the same individual. It is considered the ‘Gold Standard’ to which all other bone graft materials are compared.
Blade Implant - (Endosseous Blade Implant) Their name is derived from their flat, blade-like (or plate-like) portion, which is the part that gets embedded into the bone. Blade implants are not used too frequently any more, however they do find an application in areas where the residual bone ridge of the jaw is either too thin (due to resorption) to place conventional Rootform Implants or certain vital anatomical structures prevent conventional implants from being placed.
Bone Morphogenic Proteins (BMPs) – endogenous family of proteins belonging to the ‘Growth Factor’ group. BMPs were isolated and later produced via recombinant gene technology in order to find a bone graft substitute closely matching, if not improving the qualities of autogenous bone. Several variations (fourteen) of BMPs were isolated so far; two of which may find great potential in future bone grafting procedures.
Bone Grafting – the process of augmenting a bone deficient site or area with more bone. The bone graft can be autogenous, allogenic, xenogenic or alloplastic in nature (see Bone Grafting). Recently Growth Factors (above) have also entered the scene for potential graft material.
Bridge – a fixed prosthesis designed to replace missing teeth. A conventional bridge uses the teeth adjacent to the edentulous (toothless) site as anchorage to suspend the missing tooth. All teeth in a bridge are usually splinted together. An implant bridge may sometimes not suspend a missing tooth, but rather splint all teeth, which are attached to implants together, in order to improve the biomechanical loading characteristics of the implant fixtures.
Composite - is a dental material which consists of high molecular weight monomers that when cured create rigid cross-linked polymers - basically, dental composite is a plastic.
CT Scan – an x-ray machine that can deliver sectional x-ray pictures in small intervals in three different dimensions (panoramic, cross-sectional, and axial). Three-dimensional pictures can also be generated from the CT-Scan data. In addition to that CT-Scanners also have the ability to measure bone and tissue density, based on “Houndsfield” units.
Dental Implant – a device placed into or on top of the jaw bone to provide support and/or retention for a dental restoration or prosthesis (see the Dental Implants section for more details).
Denture – (a.k.a. Full Denture) a removable prosthesis or appliance designed to replace all the missing teeth in the upper as well as the lower jaw. A denture is only supported by the soft tissues in the mouth and, thus, does not offer great stability and/or chewing power.
Diabetes – a.k.a. Diabetes Mellitus is a disease caused by an absolute or relative deficiency of the hormone insulin. This, in turn, gives rise to a disturbance in carbohydrate metabolism, the inability to store glycogen in the liver, excessive glucose in the blood and urine, acidosis and disturbance in protein metabolism. The latter can be a factor responsible for poor wound healing.
Foramen – a hole in a bony structure, through which nerves, and blood vessels either enter or exit. Foramina (pl.) are used in surgery as anatomical landmarks.
Fibrous Dysplasia – a developmental defect mainly involving bone. Symptoms usually include pain, disability and deformity of limbs, usually beginning in early childhood. The abnormal bone formation may reduce the success rates for dental implants.
Healing Abutment or Collar – an Abutment (see above) placed on implants after the Uncovery procedure (see below). Its purpose is to create an emergence profile in the gum tissues for the future implant crown. Sometimes the healing abutments are replaced with temporary crowns instead.
Hemophilia (Factor VIII, IX, X, XII) – an inherited abnormality of the blood appearing only in the male population. The coagulation time of the blood is prolonged, despite the fact that bleeding time, prothrombin time, platelet count and tourniquet tests are normal. In the classical hemophilia (caused by a deficiency in Factor VIII) severe and prolonged hemorrhages can follow trivial injuries. This can pose a management problem during elective-type surgeries.
Histiocytosis X – a condition where diffuse hyperplasia of certain tissues involves organs such as spleen, liver, lungs, bone marrow and lymph nodes. This condition is more frequent in infants and little children.
Hydroxylapatite – (HA) with respect to dental implants, a coating bonded to the titanium surface of an implant in order to enhance its ability to fuse to bone faster.
Hypothyroidism – a condition where insufficient function of the thyroid gland produces a general retardation of physical growth and depressed metabolism.
Implant Dentistry - a specialized field of dentistry, dealing with the placement and / or restoration of dental implants.
Lymph Nodes - Lymph nodes are glands that play an important part in your body's defense against infection. They produce lymph, which travels throughout your body in the lymph system, and filters impurities in your body.
Mallet – a surgical instrument in the shape of a double-ended blunt hammer, used to drive other surgical tools or devices into bone.
Membrane – in the field of dental implant surgery it is referred to a little ‘sheet’ made up of different materials (GoreTex, Collagen etc.) and designed to protect a grafted bone site from influx of soft tissue cells. Soft tissue cells would compromise bone healing, since they proliferate at a faster rate than bone cells.
Oral Implantology – (an older term for Implant Dentistry) a specialized field of dentistry, dealing with the placement and restoration of dental implants.
Orthognathic Surgery - Orthognathic surgery involves the surgical manipulation of the elements of the facial skeleton to restore the proper anatomic and functional relationship in patients with dentofacial skeletal anomalies.
Osseointegration – the ‘fusion’ of the surface of a dental implant to the surrounding bone, so that it is secured tightly in the bone and ready to be used as an anchor for a tooth. Once a dental implant is "osseointegrated" or "integrated" it can not be removed from the surrounding bone without fracturing the bone interface. A microscopic image of an integrated implant can be seen here.
Overdenture – much like a conventional denture, except for some attachment mechanism built in, giving it better retention. Overdentures can be made for implants as well as for some remaining natural teeth.
Paget’s Disease – a condition where the existing bone is resorbed with simultaneous overgrowth of new, poorly calcified, irregular bone. This type of bone may not have enough density for proper integration of dental implants.
Para-nasal Sinuses – two air filled bony sacks or cavities on each side of the nose. Phylogenetically a remnant from our marine origin, the para-nasal sinuses grow larger in volume as we get older (they undergo pneumatization). Each sinus has a direct communication with the nose via an opening called the ostium.
Peri-Implantitis – an inflammatory condition around dental implants, often associated with some bone loss. Peri-implantitis can be compared to periodontits in natural teeth.
Periodontics – a specialized field of dentistry, mainly dealing with the repair and maintenance of the supporting tissues (gums and bone) around teeth. Many periodontists also place dental implants.
Prosthesis – with respect to dentistry, any type of appliance that replaces actual missing teeth. This can range from a bridge, replacing a single missing tooth to a removable appliance, such as a denture, replacing all missing teeth.
Removable Partial Denture – a removable appliance or prosthesis, which typically attaches to selected teeth in the mouth and replaces usually several missing teeth.
Ramus Frame Implant - are long cross-arch bar implants, which belong in the category of endosseous implants, although their appearance might not suggest that at first. These implants are designed for the toothless lower jaw only and are surgically inserted into the jaw bone in three different areas: the left and right back area of the jaw (the approximate area of the wisdom teeth), and the chin area in the front of the mouth. Only on implant is placed for a lower jaw. The part of the implant that is visible in the mouth after the implant is placed looks similar to that of the Subperiosteal Implant described below.
Rootform Implant - Rootfrom implants have become the most popular implants in the world today. Rootform implants are also categorized as endosseous implants. These implants come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials and are being offered by many different companies worldwide. They are all somewhat cylindrical in shape. Some clinicians regard them to be the “Standard of Care” in Implant Dentistry.
Sarcoidosis – a systemic, granulomatous disease involving several organs as well as bone marrow. Heavy involvement of the heart and lung tissues as well as the immune system may make a patient with sarcoidosis not an ideal candidate for elective surgeries.
Subperiosteal Implant - Subperiosteal Implants were already introduced in the 1940s. These implants are also cross-arch implants, so that only one implant is needed for the entire dental arch. Of all currently used devices, it is the type of implant that has had the longest period of clinical trial. These implants are not anchored inside the bone, such as Endosseous Implants, but are instead shaped to "ride on" the residual bony ridge of either the upper or lower jaw.
Template (surgical) - a surgical guide that helps placing implants in their proper position, angulation and trajectory in reference to the final restoration. It is usually made out of clear acrylic, and and shows the position of the "future" teeth.
Temporary Prosthesis or Crown – a prosthesis (crown, bridge, denture, etc.) used for temporary purposes until the final prosthesis is ready to be used.
Titanium – although by some considered an exotic metal it is actually on of the most abundant elements on earth. However, it took scientific advances of modern metallurgy to turn this black sand into useful metal. Commercially pure titanium comes in four different grades (1-4), grade four being the finest. Most dental implants are either machined out of commercially pure titanium or an alloy thereof. The most frequently used alloy is Ti Al6V4. This alloy improves the fracture resistance of titanium and does not compromise the Osseointegration (see above) into bone.
Tuberculosis – caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, stimulating specific tissue reactions resulting in necrosis. The lung is the organ most frequently affected, but other organs are also commonly involved. If the respiratory system is severely compromised, blood oxygen levels may drop and make surgical management more complicated.
Uncovery – a small surgical procedure done, in order to expose the head of the implant and connect a healing Abutment or temporary prosthesis (see above). This is usually done after the implant has “matured” in the bone for several months. Some implants are designed to remain exposed in the mouth right after they are placed, abolishing an uncovery procedure all together.
Vasoconstrictor – a chemical substance that triggers constriction of blood vessels (usually arterioles, limiting blood flow through these vessels.