Any number of different cancers which affect the hard and soft tissues of the mouth. If caught early they are usually easily treated, if undiagnosed they can be deadly. Adults over the age of 40 are most at risk but anyone can be affected. Tobacco use and drinking alcohol on a regular basis increase your risk of developing oral cancers.

Also known as braces this specialty of dentistry which deals with tooth and jaw alignment and the altering of the teeth positions and control of the jaw growth to create an ideal relationship between the teeth and jaws.

A dentist who has completed a two to three year specialty residency in the field of orthodontics, in order to learn how the jaws and teeth develop and how to safely move teeth into the proper positions.

The direct contact between living bone and a dental implant without soft tissue between them, at the light microscope level. Clinically it is an implant which does not have any mobility.

Bony

The growth of new bone.

Dead or dying bone.

A definition to describe a low bone “mass” or density. It is considered a risk factor for the development of osteoporosis.

A disease of bone metabolism characterized by a decrease in bone “mass” or density and deterioration of the bone’s internal architecture. Diagnosis is made by the presence of a pathologic fracture or by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) which measures mineral density at multiple skeletal sites.

A removable denture or partial denture which uses one or more healthy remaining tooth roots to help support itself. They may also uses implants for this purpose.