Dental glossary — terms beginning with M

Marginal bone loss, peri-implant bone loss as an unwanted side effect of implant placement.

Milk teeth, which make up a small child's dentition until the age of six.

Minimally invasive, an umbrella term for procedures and operations involving the smallest possible injury to skin and soft tissue. non-invasive

Maxillofacial surgeon, a specialist in oral, maxillofacial and facial surgery.

Molar, the back or grinding teeth. Their broad, multi-cusped chewing surface is particularly suited to grinding food. teeth

Molar region, the region of the grinding teeth (molars); the premolars are the two teeth between the canine and the molars.

Oral galvanism, the "battery effect" that arises when different metals come into contact in the mouth (amalgam and gold, for example). Saliva conducts electricity well and allows a minimal current to flow, which can release the less noble metals – mercury from amalgam, for instance – into the mouth. amalgam

Floor-of-mouth plasty, lowering the floor of the mouth to improve the hold of a full lower denture.