D
Dentist The Colony, TX
DDS - Doctor of Dental Surgery, this degree is equivalent to DMD
debridement - removal of plaque and calculus that is interfering with proper evaluation
debanding - removal of cemented orthodontic bands from teeth
debonding - removal of cemented orthodontic brackets from teeth
decay - the destruction of tooth structure
deciduous teeth - also known as “baby” or “primary” teeth, these first teeth generally arrive between the ages of birth and 3 and will fall out later as permanent teeth begin to erupt in their place
dental implant - small cylinder, generally titanium, implanted into the upper or lower jawbone to anchor a dental appliance or restoration
dentin - hard inner layer of the tooth, just beneath the enamel, forms the bulk of the tooth structure
dentistry - medical field characterized by the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and disorders of the teeth, mouth, gums, jaws, and other oral and maxillofacial areas by a trained and certified professional
dentition - the arrangement of teeth within the mouth
denture - set of one or more prosthetic teeth
diagnostic cast - impression used to aid in planning treatment
diagnostic imaging - photographs or radiographs taken for the purpose of diagnostic evaluation
diastema - the space between two adjacent teeth
discectomy - removal of intra-articular disc from a joint
displaced tooth - tooth that has grown or shifted into an incorrect placement within the mouth
distal - part of the tooth furthest from the center of the arch
DMD - Doctor of Medical Dentistry, this degree is equivalent to DDS
dressing - medicines, bandages, or other materials applied to a wound to promote healing
dry socket - painful localized inflammation of a tooth socket after extraction, caused by infection or loss of the blood clot needed for proper healing
