Have you ever gone to the dentist and felt like they were speaking another language to you with the terms they were using? If so, it will help to know what some of those terms mean so you can have a better conversation with your dentist.

1. Abscess

If your dentist says you have an abscess, this means that there is an inflamed part of your gums that is infected and has pus inside it. You may be prescribed antibiotics to treat the infection so that the pain and swelling go away.

2. Inlay

An inlay is similar to a dental filling but designed to improve the look of the tooth in the process. The material is laid inside the tooth and is exposed on the surface, and is designed to have a more natural appearance than a metal filling.

3. Crown

A crown is quite different than the decorative piece that sits on top of your head. Instead, it's a restorative dental technique that is designed to be placed over a tooth and provide it with protection and strength. It's often used when people want to retain their natural tooth, but it suffered from serious decay and the structure is not as stable as it once was.

4. Bonding

Dental bonding is the process where a special tooth-colored resin is applied to your tooth. It can be used to fix minor cosmetic problems by going over the visible surface of the tooth or used to build up a missing part of a tooth that broke off.

5. Suture

A suture is a fancy way of saying a stitch. You may hear the dentist say this if you had a tooth extracted since they'll use a suture to close up your gums after having the tooth removed.

6. Scaling and Planing

Scaling and planing is a process where a dentist tries to help reduce your chance of having gum disease by cleaning your teeth. Scaling is when they remove all of the plaque that is on the visible surface of your teeth, and planing is when they go deep within the gums where plaque could be hidden.

7. Pulp

Pulp is the tissue that is found within your tooth and known for having nerve tissue and blood vessels that help keep the tooth alive and healthy. If you have infected pulp, you'll likely need to have the pulp removed by having a root canal.

8. Endodontist

If your dentist says you need to visit an endodontist, know that it is a specialist that performs root canals to treat infected tooth pulp.

9. Plaque and Tartar

It's important to know the difference between plaque and tartar. Plaque is when you have a sticky and soft substance on your gums at the end of the day from all of the bacteria in your mouth. Tartar is when the plaque solidifies and bonds with your tooth, which makes it very difficult to remove.

If you have further questions, contact a general dentistry.