Periodontal Terms

A

Abscess

A pocket of infection that forms when bacteria and pus collect in a localized area of tissue. In the mouth, abscesses can develop around the root of a tooth or in the gum, and they typically cause pain, swelling, and sometimes a bad taste.

Abutment

A tooth or implant that acts as an anchor to hold a dental prosthesis — such as a crown, bridge, or denture — in place.

Alveolar bone

The portion of the jaw bone that directly surrounds and supports your tooth roots. Preserving alveolar bone is a central goal of periodontal treatment, as bone loss is one of the key consequences of untreated gum disease.

Alveolus

The individual socket in the jaw bone that houses a tooth root. Each tooth sits in its own alveolus and is held there by the periodontal ligament.

Ankylosis

A condition in which a tooth becomes rigidly fused to the surrounding bone, losing its normal slight flexibility. An ankylosed tooth can interfere with jaw development and may be difficult to move or extract.

Apicoectomy

A minor surgical procedure in which the very tip (apex) of a tooth root is removed, usually to eliminate an infection that hasn't resolved with root canal treatment alone. The root tip is sealed to prevent reinfection.

B

Bone graft

A procedure in which bone — often taken from elsewhere in the body, from a donor, or from a synthetic source — is placed in an area where bone has been lost. In periodontics, bone grafts help rebuild the foundation that supports your teeth after gum disease has caused bone loss.

Bruxism

The habit of grinding or clenching your teeth, most commonly during sleep. Over time, bruxism can wear down tooth surfaces, strain the jaw joint, and make periodontal conditions more difficult to control.

C

Calculus

Hardened dental plaque, also commonly called tartar. Calculus forms when plaque that isn't brushed away mineralizes and hardens on the tooth surface. It can only be removed professionally and provides a rough surface where more bacteria can accumulate.

Cementum

A thin, mineralized layer that covers the surface of your tooth roots. It works together with the periodontal ligament to anchor each tooth firmly in its socket.

Chlorhexidine

An antiseptic agent often prescribed as a mouth rinse to reduce harmful bacteria in the mouth. It is commonly used following periodontal procedures or to help manage active gum disease.

Collagen

The primary structural protein in connective tissues throughout the body, including the gums and periodontal ligament. Healthy collagen gives your gum tissue its firmness and resilience.

Connective tissue graft (CT graft)

A surgical procedure in which a small piece of tissue is taken from the roof of the mouth and placed over an area where the gum has receded. This technique helps restore the gum line and can protect exposed root surfaces.

Curettage

The removal of diseased or infected tissue from inside a periodontal pocket using specialized instruments. This is part of deep cleaning procedures aimed at eliminating the source of infection.

D

Debridement

The thorough removal of plaque, calculus, and infected tissue from the teeth and gum pockets. Debridement is often the first step in periodontal treatment.

Dental plaque

A sticky, colourless film that continuously forms on your teeth and along the gum line. Plaque is made up of bacteria, and when it isn't removed through daily brushing and flossing, it triggers the inflammation that leads to gum disease.

Dental prophylaxis

A professional tooth cleaning that removes plaque, calculus, and surface staining. For most healthy patients, this is recommended every six months; patients with periodontal disease may need more frequent visits.

E

Edema

Swelling caused by excess fluid building up in body tissues. In the mouth, edema in the gums is a common sign of inflammation from infection or irritation.

Edentulous

A clinical term meaning without teeth. A partially edentulous patient is missing some teeth; a fully edentulous patient has lost all their natural teeth.

F

Flap surgery

A surgical procedure in which the gum tissue is gently lifted back — like opening a flap — to allow the periodontist direct access to the roots and bone underneath. After thorough cleaning and any necessary bone work, the flap is repositioned and sutured closed to promote healing.

Free gingival graft

A surgical procedure in which a thin piece of tissue is taken from the palate and transplanted to an area where there isn't enough attached gum tissue. It is used to increase the zone of gum tissue around teeth or implants.

Frenectomy

The removal or repositioning of a frenum — one of the small folds of tissue that connect the lips or tongue to the gum. A frenum that pulls on the gum can contribute to recession, and a frenectomy can prevent further damage.

Furcation

The area between the roots of a multi-rooted tooth, where the roots branch apart. Furcation involvement — when gum disease reaches this area — indicates more advanced bone loss and can make cleaning more challenging.

G

Gingiva

The clinical term for your gums — the firm, pink tissue that surrounds and protects the base of your teeth and underlying jaw bone.

Gingivectomy

A surgical procedure that removes excess or diseased gum tissue. It is used to eliminate deep periodontal pockets and create an environment that is easier to keep clean.

Gingivitis

The earliest and most reversible stage of gum disease, characterized by red, swollen gums that may bleed when you brush or floss. At this stage, no bone loss has occurred and the condition can be fully reversed with proper care.

H

Halitosis

Persistent bad breath. In the context of periodontal disease, halitosis is often caused by odour-producing bacteria living deep in infected gum pockets.

Hemisection

A procedure in which a multi-rooted tooth is divided through its centre, allowing one root and the crown portion above it to be removed. This can salvage part of a tooth that would otherwise need to be extracted.

I

Impacted tooth

A tooth that is unable to fully emerge through the gum because it is blocked by another tooth, bone, or soft tissue. Impacted teeth — most often wisdom teeth or upper canines — sometimes require surgical removal or orthodontic intervention.

Implant

A small titanium post surgically placed into the jaw bone to replace the root of a missing tooth. Once the bone has fused to the implant surface (osseointegration), a crown, bridge, or denture can be attached on top.

Inflammation

The body's natural response to injury or infection, resulting in redness, warmth, swelling, and discomfort. In the gums, chronic low-grade inflammation driven by bacterial plaque is the root cause of periodontal disease.

Interdental

Relating to the spaces or surfaces between adjacent teeth. Good interdental cleaning — typically with floss, soft picks, or interdental brushes — is essential for preventing gum disease.

Interproximal

The contact or surface area between two neighbouring teeth. Plaque and calculus buildup in interproximal areas is a common starting point for periodontal disease.

J

Jaw

The bony structure of the face that holds the teeth. The upper jaw is called the maxilla; the lower, moveable jaw is called the mandible. Periodontal disease can affect the bone in both jaws.

L

Ligament (periodontal)

The network of connective tissue fibres that suspends each tooth in its socket and connects the tooth root to the surrounding bone. The periodontal ligament acts as a natural shock absorber during chewing. Advanced gum disease destroys this tissue, causing teeth to loosen.

M

Maintenance therapy

Ongoing, scheduled visits with your periodontist or dental hygienist after active periodontal treatment has been completed. The goal is to control bacteria, monitor healing, and prevent the disease from returning. Also called supportive periodontal therapy.

Malocclusion

An imperfect alignment of the upper and lower teeth when biting. Malocclusion can place uneven forces on teeth and contribute to periodontal problems if left unaddressed.

Mandible

The lower jaw — the only moveable bone in the skull. The roots of the lower teeth are anchored in the mandibular bone.

Maxilla

The upper jaw, which is fixed to the rest of the skull. The upper teeth are rooted in the maxillary bone.

Mobility (tooth mobility)

The degree to which a tooth can be moved side to side or up and down. Some very slight flexibility is normal, but noticeable looseness is a sign that the supporting bone and ligament have been significantly damaged by periodontal disease.

Mucosa

The moist tissue that lines the inside of the mouth, including the inner cheeks, the floor of the mouth, and the palate. Healthy oral mucosa acts as a barrier against infection.

N

Necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (NUG)

A severe and painful infection of the gums — sometimes called trench mouth — characterized by bleeding, intense pain, tissue death along the gum margins, and a distinctive foul odour. It is most commonly seen in people experiencing significant stress, poor nutrition, or suppressed immunity, and who smoke.

Necrosis

The death of living tissue. In the mouth, necrotic tissue may appear grey or black and is often associated with severe infection or injury.

O

Occlusion

The way your upper and lower teeth contact each other when you close your mouth or chew. Uneven or excessive occlusal forces can accelerate bone loss in people with existing periodontal disease.

Oral hygiene

The daily habits that keep your mouth free of bacterial buildup, including brushing, flossing, and any additional cleaning tools your clinician has recommended. Consistent oral hygiene is the foundation of periodontal health.

Osseointegration

The process by which the jaw bone grows directly onto and bonds with a dental implant surface. This biological fusion — which typically takes three to six months — is what makes implants stable and long-lasting.

Osseous surgery

Any surgical procedure involving the jaw bone that supports the teeth. In periodontics, osseous surgery is used to reshape bone that has been damaged or deformed by disease, and to eliminate pockets where bacteria accumulate.

P

Palate

The roof of the mouth, made up of a hard bony portion at the front and a softer, moveable portion at the back. Tissue from the palate is commonly used as a donor site in gum grafting procedures.

Papilla

The small triangular point of gum tissue that fills the space between two adjacent teeth. When gum disease is present, the papillae may appear swollen and red, or may recede and leave a visible gap.

Pedicle graft

A gum grafting technique in which tissue is harvested from an adjacent area — rather than the palate — while still remaining attached at one side. The tissue is then rotated or slid over to cover a recession site nearby.

Periapical

Relating to the tissue at the very tip of a tooth root. Periapical infections — abscesses at the root tip — can develop from untreated cavities or cracked teeth.

Periodontal pocket

A deepened space that forms between the gum and the tooth when gum disease causes the gum to detach from the root surface. Bacteria thrive inside these pockets, making it impossible to clean them with regular brushing. Pocket depth is measured in millimetres at every periodontal exam.

Periodontics

The dental specialty focused on the health of the structures that support the teeth — the gums, periodontal ligament, and jaw bone — as well as the placement and maintenance of dental implants.

Periodontitis

The advanced form of gum disease that occurs when untreated gingivitis progresses to destroy the bone and connective tissues supporting the teeth. Unlike gingivitis, bone loss from periodontitis is irreversible, though treatment can stop the disease from progressing.

Periodontium

The collective term for all the tissues that support your teeth: the gums, periodontal ligament, cementum, and alveolar bone.

Prognosis

Your clinician's assessment of how a tooth, area of the mouth, or your overall periodontal health is expected to respond to treatment and hold up over time.

Pulp

The soft inner core of a tooth, containing nerves and blood vessels. While the pulp is not directly part of the periodontium, pulp infections can sometimes spread to the surrounding bone and complicate periodontal conditions.

Q

Quadrant

One of the four equal sections into which the mouth is divided for treatment purposes: upper right, upper left, lower right, and lower left. Periodontal treatment is often carried out one quadrant at a time.

R

Recession

The process in which the gum margin pulls back from the tooth, exposing the root surface. Recession can result from gum disease, aggressive brushing, thin gum tissue, or misaligned bite forces. Exposed root surfaces are more sensitive and more vulnerable to decay.

Ridge augmentation

A surgical procedure to rebuild or reshape the bone and soft tissue of the jaw ridge, typically in an area where teeth have been missing for some time. It is often performed to prepare a site for a dental implant or to improve the appearance under a bridge.

Root planing

Part of a deep cleaning procedure in which the surface of the tooth root is carefully smoothed after calculus has been removed. A smooth root surface discourages bacteria from reattaching and helps the gum tissue re-adhere to the root.

Root scaling and planing

A non-surgical procedure — the foundation of periodontal treatment — in which the periodontist or hygienist removes plaque and calculus from below the gum line and then smooths the root surfaces. This is often performed under local anaesthetic for patient comfort.

Root resorption

The gradual breakdown and loss of tooth root structure. Root resorption can occur as a complication of orthodontic treatment, trauma, or certain dental diseases.

S

Scaling

The careful removal of plaque and calculus from both the visible tooth surfaces and below the gum line using specialized instruments. Scaling is the first step in treating gum disease.

Splint

An appliance used to stabilize teeth that have become loose due to bone loss from periodontal disease. A splint connects mobile teeth to adjacent stable teeth to reduce movement and allow healing.

Subgingival calculus

Hardened deposits that form on the tooth root below the gum line. Subgingival calculus is denser and more tightly adherent than calculus above the gum line, and its removal requires deeper instrumentation.

Sulcus

The shallow, healthy groove between the gum and the tooth surface. In a healthy mouth this measures 1–3 mm. When it deepens due to gum disease, it becomes a periodontal pocket.

T

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ)

The sliding hinge joint that connects the lower jaw to the base of the skull, located just in front of each ear. Problems with this joint — jaw pain, clicking, or limited opening — can be related to bruxism or bite issues that also affect periodontal health.

U

Ultrasonic scaling

A method of removing plaque and calculus using a high-frequency vibrating instrument tip, combined with a water spray that flushes away debris. Ultrasonic scaling is effective for clearing both above and below the gum line.

V

Vestibule

The space inside the mouth between the gums and the inner surface of the lips and cheeks. The depth and health of the vestibule can affect gum tissue grafting and implant procedures.