DCaldwell Dentist DDS – Doctor of Dental Surgery, this degree is equivalent to DMDdebridement – removal of plaque and calculus that is interfering with proper evaluationdebanding – removal of cemented orthodontic bands from teethdebonding – removal of cemented orthodontic brackets from teethdecay – the destruction of tooth structuredeciduous teeth – also known as “baby” or “primary” teeth, these first teeth generally arrive between the ages of birth and 3 and will fall out later as permanent teeth begin to erupt in their placedental implant – small cylinder, generally titanium, implanted into the upper or lower jawbone to anchor a dental appliance or restorationdentin – hard inner layer of the tooth, just beneath the enamel, forms the bulk of the tooth structuredentistry – medical field characterized by the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and disorders of the teeth, mouth, gums, jaws, and other oral and maxillofacial areas by a trained and certified professionaldentition – the arrangement of teeth within the mouthdenture – set of one or more prosthetic teethdiagnostic cast – impression used to aid in planning treatmentdiagnostic imaging – photographs or radiographs taken for the purpose of diagnostic evaluationdiastema – the space between two adjacent teethdiscectomy – removal of intra-articular disc from a jointdisplaced tooth – tooth that has grown or shifted into an incorrect placement within the mouthdistal – part of the tooth furthest from the center of the archDMD – Doctor of Medical Dentistry, this degree is equivalent to DDSdressing – medicines, bandages, or other materials applied to a wound to promote healingdry socket – painful localized inflammation of a tooth socket after extraction, caused by infection or loss of the blood clot needed for proper healing