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Dental Implant Glossary (A-E)

Abutment (syn: Head) That portion of an implant above the neck utilized to provide support for a fixed, semi- fixed or removable dental prosthesis.

Allograft Transplants from one individual to a genetically non-identical individual of the same species.

Alloplast Graft of a relatively inert synthetic material. Generally metal, ceramic or polymeric material.

Alloys Strong and relatively ductile substances that provide electro-positive ions to a corrosive environment and can be polished to a high luster. Characterized by metallic atomic bonding. Most often used for surgical implants because of a combination of favorable properties and the long- term experience for the construction of surgical implants. Primarily titanium, cobalt or iron based systems.

Aluminum Oxide (Alpha Single Crystal) An inert highly biocompatible strong ceramic material from which endosseous implants are fabricated.

Aluminum Oxide (Poly Crystal) A fused AL203 biocompatible material.

Alveolar Mucosa The mucous membrane covering the basal part of the alveolar process and continuing without demarcation into the vestibular fornix and the floor of the mouth. It is loosely attached to the periosteum and is movable.

Asepsis Prevention from contact with micro-organisms. The state of the surgical field desirable for implant surgery.

Attached Gingiva The portion of the gingiva extending from the marginal gingiva to the alveolar mucosa. The attached gingiva is fairly dense and tightly bound down to the underlying periosteum, tooth, and bone.

Attachment A mechanical device for the fixation, retention and stabilization of a dental prosthesis.

Augmentation The placement of autogenous or alloplastic materials to correct bony insufficiencies.

Autograft A graft taken from one part of the patient's body and transplanted to another part.

Bone Curettage Gentle removal of medullary bone, using hand instruments, to create an implant receptor site.

Cancellous Bone Spongy bone tissue located in the medulla of bone rather than the cortex which is compact. This bone is composed of a variable trabecular network containing interstitial tissue which may be hematopoietic.

Carbons Vitreous (polycrystalline or glassy) or pyrolytic graphitic structures of relatively hard, inert, and stable compounds that are conductors of thermal and electrical energy. Characterized by ionic and Van der Waals type atomic bonding. Primarily carbon or carbon-silicon compounds. Once used in endosseous dental implant system and as implant coatings.

Ceramics Compounds of a metal and oxygen formed of chemically and bio-chemically stable substances that are strong, hard, brittle and inert nonconductors of thermal and electrical energy. Characterized by ionic bonding.

Connecting Bar A fixed bar that connects two or more permucosal extensions. In the case of the ramus frame or subperiosteal implant it can be an integral part of the substructure.

Corrosion Biomaterials where the elemental constituents are lost to the adjacent environment due to corrosion mechanisms. The same type phenomena exists for carbons (conductors) and ceramics (nonconductors) although at reduced magnitudes. The polymers undergo biodegradation due to preferential leach- ing of lower molecular weight fractions and poly- meric chain breakdown by enzymatic cleavage and/or hydration and/or oxidation-reduction processes.

Cortical Bone A peripheral layer of compact osseous tissue. The average thickness of the cortex of alveolar bone is two millimeters.

Chrome Cobalt Molybdenum A surgical metal alloy used to fabricate cast custom implants.

Degreaser Chemicals for the purpose of removing organic contaminants from implant surfaces.

Dehiscence (a)Implant Dehiscence, a splitting open, a break in the covering epithelium leaving an isolated area of an implant exposed to the oral cavity. (b)Mandibular Dehiscence, exposure of inferior alveolar nerve caused by extreme resorption of the mandibular to the point that the roof of the mandibular canal is no longer covered with bone, leaving only soft tissue separa- ting the contents of the canal from the oral cavity.

Dental Implant A permucosal device which is biocompatible and biofunctional and is placed on or within the bone associated with the oral cavity to provide support for fixed or removable prosthetics.

Depassivation When local conditions produce an acidic environ- ment at the metallic interface, the metallic oxide may be broken down (reduced).

Digastric Muscle This muscle, detached during staple implant insertion, consists of a posterior belly and anterior belly which are connected by a round tendon that slides through a pulley of fascia that is attached to the hyoid bone. The pos- terior belly arises from the mastoid notch of the temporal bone and the Digastric fossa of the mandible. The posterior belly is inervated by a branch of the facial nerve and the anterior by the Mylohyoid branch of the mandibular nerve.

Endodontic: Endosteal Implant A smooth and/or threaded pin implant which extends through the root canal of a tooth into periapical bone to stabilize a mobile tooth.

Endosteal Implant A device placed into alveolar and/or basal bone.

Epithelial Attachment The continuation of the succular epithelium that is joined to the tooth structure and is located at the base of the sulcus, or pocket.

Eternal Oblique Ridge A smooth ridge on the buccal surface of the body of the mandible that extends from the anterior border of the ramus, with diminishing prominence, downward and forward to the region of the mental foramen. This ridge changes very little in size and direction throughout life and is an important landmark in the design of a subperiosteal implant.

[Glossary Index]

Abutment (syn: Head)	That portion of an implant above the neck utilized to provide support for a fixed, semi- fixed or removable dental prosthesis.
Allograft	Transplants from one individual to a genetically non-identical individual of the same species.
Alloplast	Graft of a relatively inert synthetic material. Generally metal, ceramic or polymeric material.
Alloys	Strong and relatively ductile substances that provide electro-positive ions to a corrosive environment and can be polished to a high luster. Characterized by metallic atomic bonding. Most often used for surgical implants because of a combination of favorable properties and the long- term experience for the construction of surgical implants. Primarily titanium, cobalt or iron based systems.
Aluminum Oxide (Alpha Single Crystal)	An inert highly biocompatible strong ceramic material from which endosseous implants are fabricated.
Aluminum Oxide (Poly Crystal)	A fused AL203 biocompatible material.
Alveolar Mucosa	The mucous membrane covering the basal part of the alveolar process and continuing without demarcation into the vestibular fornix and the floor of the mouth. It is loosely attached to the periosteum and is movable.
Asepsis	Prevention from contact with micro-organisms. The state of the surgical field desirable for implant surgery.
Attached Gingiva	The portion of the gingiva extending from the marginal gingiva to the alveolar mucosa. The attached gingiva is fairly dense and tightly bound down to the underlying periosteum, tooth, and bone.
Attachment	A mechanical device for the fixation, retention and stabilization of a dental prosthesis.
Augmentation	The placement of autogenous or alloplastic materials to correct bony insufficiencies.
Autograft	A graft taken from one part of the patient's body and transplanted to another part.
Bone Curettage	Gentle removal of medullary bone, using hand instruments, to create an implant receptor site.
Cancellous Bone	Spongy bone tissue located in the medulla of bone rather than the cortex which is compact. This bone is composed of a variable trabecular network containing interstitial tissue which may be hematopoietic.
Carbons	Vitreous (polycrystalline or glassy) or pyrolytic graphitic structures of relatively hard, inert, and stable compounds that are conductors of thermal and electrical energy. Characterized by ionic and Van der Waals type atomic bonding. Primarily carbon or carbon-silicon compounds. Once used in endosseous dental implant system and as implant coatings.
Ceramics	Compounds of a metal and oxygen formed of chemically and bio-chemically stable substances that are strong, hard, brittle and inert nonconductors of thermal and electrical energy. Characterized by ionic bonding.
Connecting Bar	A fixed bar that connects two or more permucosal extensions. In the case of the ramus frame or subperiosteal implant it can be an integral part of the substructure.
Corrosion	Biomaterials where the elemental constituents are lost to the adjacent environment due to corrosion mechanisms. The same type phenomena exists for carbons (conductors) and ceramics (nonconductors) although at reduced magnitudes. The polymers undergo biodegradation due to preferential leach- ing of lower molecular weight fractions and poly- meric chain breakdown by enzymatic cleavage and/or hydration and/or oxidation-reduction processes.
Cortical Bone	A peripheral layer of compact osseous tissue. The average thickness of the cortex of alveolar bone is two millimeters.
Chrome Cobalt Molybdenum	A surgical metal alloy used to fabricate cast custom implants.
Degreaser	Chemicals for the purpose of removing organic contaminants from implant surfaces.
Dehiscence	(a)Implant Dehiscence, a splitting open, a break in the covering epithelium leaving an isolated area of an implant exposed to the oral cavity. (b)Mandibular Dehiscence, exposure of inferior alveolar nerve caused by extreme resorption of the mandibular to the point that the roof of the mandibular canal is no longer covered with bone, leaving only soft tissue separa- ting the contents of the canal from the oral cavity.
Dental Implant	A permucosal device which is biocompatible and biofunctional and is placed on or within the bone associated with the oral cavity to provide support for fixed or removable prosthetics.
Depassivation	When local conditions produce an acidic environ- ment at the metallic interface, the metallic oxide may be broken down (reduced).
Digastric Muscle	This muscle, detached during staple implant insertion, consists of a posterior belly and anterior belly which are connected by a round tendon that slides through a pulley of fascia that is attached to the hyoid bone. The pos- terior belly arises from the mastoid notch of the temporal bone and the Digastric fossa of the mandible. The posterior belly is inervated by a branch of the facial nerve and the anterior by the Mylohyoid branch of the mandibular nerve.
Endodontic: Endosteal Implant	A smooth and/or threaded pin implant which extends through the root canal of a tooth into periapical bone to stabilize a mobile tooth.
Endosteal Implant	A device placed into alveolar and/or basal bone.
Epithelial Attachment	The continuation of the succular epithelium that is joined to the tooth structure and is located at the base of the sulcus, or pocket.
Eternal Oblique Ridge	A smooth ridge on the buccal surface of the body of the mandible that extends from the anterior border of the ramus, with diminishing prominence, downward and forward to the region of the mental foramen. This ridge changes very little in size and direction throughout life and is an important landmark in the design of a subperiosteal implant.