- Abscess
- Acute or chronic, localized inflammation, with a collection of pus, associated with tissue destruction and, frequently, swelling, usually secondary to infection.
- Abutment
- A tooth or implant used to support a prosthesis.
- Abutment Crown
- Artificial crown serving for the retention or support of a dental prosthesis.
- Accession
- Addition of a test specimen, previously collected by a health care provider, to a laboratory specimen collection; recording of essential specimen identification data in a laboratory-maintained file in chronological order of laboratory specimen acquisition; assignment to the specimen of an identification code.
- Acid Etching
- Use of an acidic chemical substance to prepare the tooth enamel and/or dentin surface to provide retention for bonding.
- Adhesive
- Any substance that joins or creates close adherence of two or more surfaces.
- Adjudication
- The process used by health plans to determine the amount of payment for a claim.
- Allogenic Graft
- Having cell types that are antigenically distinct from patient's cell type (usually freeze dried and/or irradiated).
- Alloplastic
- Refers to synthetic material often used for tissue augmentation.
- Allowed Benefit
- The maximum dollar amount that CareFirst approved for covered services, regardless of the provider’s actual charge. A provider who participates in the network cannot charge the member more than this amount for any covered services.
- Alternate Procedure
- A code in the Alternate Procedure field that indicates the procedure code to be used in the calculation of benefits in place of the procedure code actually submitted on the claim.
- Alveolar
- Referring to the bone to which a tooth is attached.
- Alveoloplasty
- Surgical procedure for recontouring alveolar structures, usually in preparation for a prosthesis.
- Amalgam
- An alloy used in direct dental restorations.
- Analgesia
- Loss of pain sensations without loss of consciousness.
- Anatomical Crown
- That portion of tooth normally covered by, and including, enamel.
- Anterior
- Refers to the teeth and tissues located toward the front of the mouth; maxillary and mandibular incisors and canines.
- Anxiolysis
- Reduction of anxiety utilizing a pharmacologic agent such as a Benzodiazepine or nitrous oxide.
- Apex
- The tip or end of the root end of the tooth.
- Apicoectomy
- Amputation of the apex of a tooth.
- Arch, Dental
- The curved composite structure of the natural dentition and the residual ridge, or the remains thereof, after the loss of some or all of the natural teeth.
- Artificial Crown
- Restoration covering or replacing the major part, or the whole of the clinical crown of a tooth.
- Autogenous Graft
- Taken from one part of a patient's body and transferred to another.
- Avulsion
- Separation of tooth from its socket due to trauma (evulsion).