2016 Glossary - 2

adhesive n: a substance that binds or adheres surfaces
together.
adiadochokinesia n: inability to make opposing
movements in quick succession, such as jaw opening and closing.
adipose atrophy n: loss of fat tissue.
adjunctive treatment n: supplemental or additional
therapeutic treatments used in conjunction with the
primary treatment.
adjustable anterior guidance n: the anterior guide
portion on a dental articulator that allows for variable (individualized) settings that provide guidance
for the occlusion in protrusive and lateral protrusive
movements.
adjustable articulator n: a dental articulator that is adjustable in the sagittal and horizontal planes to duplicate or simulate recorded mandibular jaw movements.
adult periodontitis n: see under periodontitis.
age atrophy n: a wasting or decrease in size or physiological activity of the body related to the normal
aging process.
agenesis n: failure of a body part to form.
aggressive periodontitis n: see under periodontitis.
agnathia n: a growth-related defect characterized by a
severely undersized mandible or no mandible.
air abrasion n: a wearing away of a material's surface
due to particulate material carried by an air current.
Akers' clasp n: the archetypal direct retainer for removable partial dentures that comprises a rest, guide
plate, retentive arm, and reciprocal arm. Akers' clasps
are customarily directed away from the area that is
edentulous. If they are directed toward the edentulous area, they are called reverse Akers' clasps. This
clasp was named after its inventor, Polk E. Akers.
ala nasi n: the expanded outer wall of cartilage on the
lateral aspect of the nose.
ala-tragus line n: a line that runs from the inferior border of the ala of the nose to a point on the tragus
(usually the tip) of the ear. It is often correlated with
the tragus of the opposite ear. It is used in determining the ala-tragus plane. The ala-tragus and occlusal
planes should be parallel. When viewed in the mid2

sagittal plane, the occlusal plane is at an approximately 10° angle to the Frankfort horizontal plane.
alginate n: an impression material derived from seaweed that sets in an irreversible rubbery mass. Frequently, a gypsum material is poured into the set
impression to form a cast that reproduces a patient's
dental anatomy.
allogeneic adj: antigenically distinct individuals or tissues from the same genetic species.
allograft n: a graft material used to augment a tissue
that is from the same species but genetically dissimilar individuals.
alloplast n: an inorganic material that surgically replaces or augments missing tissue.
all-polymer prosthesis n: a nonmetallic or nonceramic removable or fixed dental prosthesis composed of
a glass fiber-reinforced composite framework with a
particulate composite resin covering or overlay.
altered cast n: a technique where a removable partial
denture frame is related to the existing dentition
by sectioning the cast on which the frame was constructed. A new overimpression is made and pieced
together with the existing cast.
aluminous porcelain n: a ceramic material with >35%
aluminum oxide (by volume) glass matrix phase
alveolar adj: the portion of jaw bones that support
teeth or that supported teeth at one time.
alveolar augmentation n: surgical placement of bone
augmentation material(s) to increase or alter the volume of the alveolar bone.
alveolar bone n: the bone of the jaws that support
teeth or that supported teeth at one time.
alveolar process n: the (alveolar) portion of jaw bones
that support teeth or that supported teeth at one
time.
alveolar ridge n: the ridge portion of the jaw bone that
support teeth or that supported teeth at one time.
alveolectomy n: removal of all or a portion of the alveolar process of the jaw bone(s).
alveoloplasty n: the surgical procedure of altering the
alveolar ridge or its surrounding bony structures by
cutting, smoothening, or reshaping to correct the al-

2016 Glossary

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2016 Glossary