NZDREX key terms

An ordered summary of a patient's active dental and medical diagnoses, ranked by urgency, that directs which problems are treated first and which are deferred.

A structured appraisal of factors such as caries activity, periodontal status, smoking, medication, and oral hygiene that predicts future disease and shapes the recall interval and preventive strategy.

A sequenced schedule of procedures, phased from urgent relief through definitive care to maintenance, that records alternatives discussed, expected outcomes, and the patient's informed agreement.

A patient's voluntary agreement to a procedure after receiving an explanation of its nature, benefits, material risks, alternatives including no treatment, and the likely consequences of declining.

A structured evaluation of factors such as past caries experience, diet, fluoride exposure, salivary flow, and bacterial load used to decide restoration, prevention, and recall intervals.

A philosophy that preserves sound tissue by preventing disease, arresting early lesions, and restoring only when necessary with the smallest effective cavity preparation.

The controlled removal of diseased and unsupported tissue to create a shape that retains the restoration, resists fracture, and allows adequate access and visibility.

The feature of a preparation that lets both the tooth and the restorative material withstand occlusal and functional forces without fracture or displacement.

The interdiffusion zone formed when resin infiltrates acid-etched demineralised dentine, creating a micromechanical bond between adhesive and collagen network.

A bonding system that conditions enamel and dentine with phosphoric acid, rinses the acid away, then applies primer and bonding resin to form the bond.

A tooth-coloured restorative material of resin matrix filled with silanated ceramic particles, polymerised by light and finished to match surrounding tooth structure.

Volume reduction occurring as resin monomers link into polymer chains, generating stress at bonded interfaces that can cause marginal gaps, postoperative sensitivity, or cuspal deflection.

The ratio of bonded to unbonded surface area in a preparation; higher values concentrate shrinkage stress because the material cannot flow freely to relieve it.

The soft tissue within the tooth chamber and canals containing nerves, blood vessels, and connective cells that forms dentine and senses stimuli.

Inflammation of the dental pulp, classified as reversible when provoked pain settles after stimulus removal and irreversible when pain persists spontaneously or the pulp cannot heal.

The distance from a coronal reference point to the apical constriction or chosen apical limit, established radiographically and electronically to control instrumentation and obturation depth.

The narrowest part of the root canal near the cementodentinal junction, generally regarded as the ideal limit for cleaning, shaping, and filling the canal.

The three-dimensional sealing of the cleaned and shaped canal space with a core material and sealer to prevent bacterial re-entry and reinfection.

The use of a chlorine-releasing solution to dissolve organic tissue and kill microorganisms in the canal system, delivered with care to avoid extrusion beyond the apex.

The distance in millimetres from the gingival margin to the base of the sulcus or pocket, measured with a periodontal probe at defined sites around each tooth.

The distance from the cementoenamel junction to the base of the pocket, indicating the true loss of periodontal support independent of gingival margin position.

A pathologically deepened gingival sulcus caused by apical migration of the junctional epithelium and destruction of supporting connective tissue and bone.

Non-surgical debridement that removes plaque, calculus, and contaminated cementum from crown and root surfaces to reduce inflammation and allow healing.

The direct structural and functional connection between living bone and the loaded implant surface, achieved through healing without an intervening soft tissue layer.

Inflammation of peri-implant soft tissues accompanied by progressive loss of supporting bone, distinguished from peri-implant mucositis where bone levels remain stable.

A resonance frequency value used clinically to gauge implant stability at placement and during healing, informing decisions about progressive loading.

The component that connects a fixed or removable prosthesis to a natural tooth root or implant, transmitting functional loads to the supporting structure.

A guideline stating that the total root surface area of the abutment teeth supporting a fixed partial denture should equal or exceed that of the teeth being replaced.

The planned arrangement of contacts and guidance during mandibular movement, designed so that forces are directed along the long axes of teeth and implants.

The geometric features of a crown or inlay preparation that prevent a restoration from being dislodged along its path of insertion or tilted by oblique forces.

A maxillomandibular relationship with the condyles in their most anterior-superior position against the articular eminences, independent of tooth contact.

The face height determined when the teeth or occlusion rims are in maximum intercuspation, used as a reference when constructing dentures or restoring worn dentition.

The systematic selection of hue, chroma, and value for a restoration, best done under corrected lighting with the tooth hydrated and the shade tab adjacent to the tooth.

A thin bonded layer of ceramic placed on the facial enamel of a tooth to alter colour, shape, or contour while conserving most of the underlying structure.

The contemporaneous, legible documentation of findings, consent discussions, treatment provided, materials used, and communications in a form that can be retrieved and audited.

Standard precautions including hand hygiene, appropriate personal protective equipment, instrument reprocessing, and safe sharps handling applied to every patient regardless of known status.

The boundaries of procedures and responsibilities a clinician is trained, competent, and legally permitted to perform, with referral required when care exceeds those limits.