Zdorovie Mliving with dentures and implants: a calm reference guide

An independent reference guide to living with dental prostheses and implants. It is not a clinic, does not see patients and has no connection with the previous website on this domain. Treatment and care are prescribed by your dentist; if you have severe pain, swelling or an injury, see a doctor, and in an emergency call 112 or 103 (or your local emergency number).

Glossary

Dental glossary

At appointments and in leaflets you will come across words whose meaning is not always obvious. We have gathered the most common ones and explained them without unnecessary detail. The glossary helps you understand your dentist, but it is not meant for diagnosing yourself or choosing treatment.

A word you understand turns a dentist's monologue into a conversation between two people talking about the same thing.

— Editor's note

Fixed restorations

Crown
An artificial cover fitted over a tooth or implant that reproduces the shape of the visible part of the tooth. Only a dentist fits or removes it.
Bridge
A fixed restoration that replaces one or more missing teeth and is held by supports at either end of the gap.
Inlay
A piece made to the shape of a tooth that restores part of it. It is fixed in place by the dentist.
Supporting tooth
A natural tooth that holds a bridge or anchors a removable denture. It needs particularly thorough care.

Removable dentures

Removable denture
A restoration the wearer takes out for cleaning and puts back in themselves. It can be partial, when some natural teeth remain, or full.
Cast partial denture
A type of partial removable denture with a supporting metal framework. Your dentist explains how to wear it and care for it.
Adaptation
The period of getting used to a new restoration, when speech, chewing and the feeling in your mouth gradually return to normal. It lasts differently for each person.
Relining
Work done by the dentist to refit the inner surface of a removable denture to tissues that have changed. It is not something to do yourself.

Implants

Implant
A support placed in the jawbone in place of a tooth root. A crown, bridge or denture is then attached to it.
Abutment
The connecting part between the implant and the visible part of the tooth. It sits above the gum and holds the crown.
Mucositis
A general name for inflammation of the soft tissue around an implant. Only a dentist can recognise it during an examination and decide what to do.

Care

Oral hygiene
The daily actions that keep your teeth, gums, tongue and restorations clean: brushing, cleaning between teeth and caring for your denture.
Water flosser
A device that cleans gaps with a jet of water. It adds to a toothbrush but does not replace it; your dentist will say whether you need one.
Interdental brush
A small brush for the gaps between teeth and the area under a bridge. The size is chosen together with your dentist.
Plaque
A soft layer that forms on teeth and restorations every day. If it is not removed, it irritates the gums.

Where these words appear in the guide

  • Topics

    Topics by group: fixed restorations, removable dentures, implants, gums and natural teeth. The article catalogue is here too.

  • Care

    Step-by-step daily care for dentures and implants: cleaning, storage and checking yourself in the mirror.

  • Approaches

    What your dentist does and what is up to you, plus the signs that mean a visit should not be put off.

  • Research

    How to read adverts for 'lifelong' implants and 'invisible' dentures, reviews and bold promises.

  • Ask your dentist

    Questions for your dentist before treatment, after a restoration is fitted and about everyday care.

  • Sources

    Where the information in this guide comes from and the limits of what it can explain.

  • Topics

    Topics by group: fixed restorations, removable dentures, implants, gums and natural teeth. The article catalogue is here too.

  • Approaches

    What your dentist does and what is up to you, plus the signs that mean a visit should not be put off.

  • Care

    Step-by-step daily care for dentures and implants: cleaning, storage and checking yourself in the mirror.

  • Ask your dentist

    Questions for your dentist before treatment, after a restoration is fitted and about everyday care.

What we rely on

  • Advice from your dentist and the instructions for your specific restoration
  • WHO materials on oral health (general principles)

This page brings together generally accepted information about caring for dental restorations as it stood when the page was prepared. Details are refined over time, and how to care for your own denture or implant is decided by the dentist who fitted it or who looks after it.