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Palate - hard and soft tissue forming the roof of the mouth
Palliative treatment -
non invasive treatment for pain relief
Panoramic Radiograph - A radiographic view
showing both the entire upper and the lower jaw in one film
Parasthesia - tingling,
pricking, or numbness sensation (altered sensation)of a person's skin , more generally
known as the feeling of pins and needles; may be temporary or permanent
Partial denture
- removable dental prosthesis (appliance) replacing one or more natural teeth
Pathology
- study of disease onset, course and duration
Periapical (PA) - region at the end
of the roots of teeth
Peri-implantitis - Inflammatory reactions in the hard and soft
tissues surrounding an implant exposed to the oral environment.
Periodontal surgery
- recontouring or esthetic management of diseased gum and supporting tissue
Periodontist
- dental specialist treating the gums and supporting soft and hard tissues retaining
natural teeth and the surgical placement of dental implants
Pedodontics or pediatric
dentistry - dental specialty specializing in the treatment of children
Periodontal
chart – chart used to record pocket depths measurements around the teeth
Permanent
teeth – second and final set of teeth in humans ; (usually) thirty-two adult teeth
in a complete dentition
Pit - a small defect in the tooth enamel; junction of four
formative lobes of a developing tooth
Placebo - inert medication or treatment that
produces psychological benefit
Plaque - soft sticky substance that accumulates on
teeth; composed of bacteria and food debris due to inadequate dental hygiene
Pontic
– artificial tooth replacing one or two missing teeth ; part of a fixed bridge
Porcelain
crown - all porcelain restoration covering the coronal portion of tooth (above the
gum line) to reestablish function and esthetics
Porcelain fused to metal (PFM) crown
- restoration with metal coping (for strength) covered by porcelain (for appearance)
Porcelain
inlay or onlay – lab processed tooth-colored restoration made of porcelain, cemented
or bonded in place
Porcelain veneers - a thin layer of porcelain, fabricated by a
laboratory bonded to a natural tooth to replace lost tooth structure, close spaces,
straighten teeth or change color and/or shape
Post - thin metal or fiber rod inserted
into the root of a tooth after root canal therapy; provides retention for a "coping"
that replaces lost tooth structure and retains crown
Post-core - post and buildup
to replace lost tooth structure and retain crown
PPO or PDO - preferred provider (dental)
organization which a health care (dental) provider may join, offering fee for service
treatment at reduced fees
Prognosis - the anticipated outcome of treatment
Progressive
loading - Gradual increase in the application of load on a prosthesis and thus on
the implant
Prophylaxis – regular routine cleaning of the teeth for the prevention
of periodontal disease and tooth decay
Prosthesis - An artificial replacement of a
missing part of the body
Prosthodontist - dental specialist skilled in restoring or
replacing teeth with fixed or removable prosthesis (appliance), maintaining proper
occlusion; treats facial deformities with artificial prostheses such as eyes, ears,
and noses
Pulp - the nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue inside a tooth
Pulp
cap - a medicated covering over a small area of exposed pulp tissue to aid healing
Pulp chamber - the center or innermost portion of the tooth containing the pulp
Pulpectomy
- complete removal of the infected pulp
Pulpitis - inflammation of the pulp; common
cause of toothache; could be reversible or irreversible
Pulpotomy - partial removal
of the pulp tissue commonly done in children teeth
Pyorrhea - older term for periodontal
(gum) disease