Dental terminology
There are specific dental terminology to be aware of when describing teeth and dental disease on orthopantomogram or other imaging studies of the teeth or jaw .
- apical: the direction towards the apex of the root of a tooth
- mesial: the direction towards the anterior midline of the dental arch
- distal: the direction away from the anterior midline of the dental arch
- buccal: the surface of the tooth towards the inner aspect of the cheek
- lingual: the surface of the tooth towards the tongue
- crown: region of tooth projecting from the bone
- root: region of tooth embedded within the bone
- interproximal: between two adjacent teeth
Note a contracture can be made between the above terms for more accurate description (e.g. mesial and buccal can be made into mesiobuccal).
See also
