Glossary
The words clinicians use, translated honestly.
Some of these will appear in your treatment plan, your quote, your consent forms, and your aftercare letter. Others will appear in a brochure that wants to sound complicated. The definitions below are written so you can tell the difference.
Abutment
The component that connects an implant to the bridge above. On full-arch cases it is usually a multi-unit abutment shaped to compensate for implant angulation.
Arch
One row of teeth — upper (maxillary) or lower (mandibular). An "All-on-5 per arch" treatment plan places five implants in one arch.
Bruxism
Tooth grinding or clenching, usually during sleep. Concentrates load on the bridge and shortens its tooth-layer life. Managed with a night appliance.
Cantilever
The unsupported portion of the bridge that extends past the most posterior implant. Long cantilevers concentrate force; shortening them is the main reason a four-post plan becomes five-post.
CBCT
Cone-beam computed tomography. A 3D scan of the jaw used to plan implant positions, measure bone, and avoid the nerve and sinus. Standard for full-arch planning.
Cantilever extension
A specific measurement, in millimetres, from the most distal implant to the most distal tooth on the bridge. Reported in the prosthetic design.
Definitive bridge
The final tooth-bearing prosthesis, fitted after osseointegration is confirmed. The "permanent teeth." Replaces the provisional.
Edentulous
Without teeth in the arch. A fully edentulous patient is a candidate for All-on-X reconstruction; a partially edentulous patient may have other options.
Fixed bridge
A prosthesis screwed or cemented in place. Not removable by the patient. Cleaned in the mouth, removed only by a clinician for service.
Graft / Grafting
Adding bone (often particulate, sometimes block) to a site that does not have enough volume for an implant. A separate line item with its own healing window.
Hybrid prosthesis
An older term for a full-arch screw-retained bridge with acrylic teeth on a metal substructure. Still used by some clinicians.
Immediate loading
Fitting the provisional bridge on the day of, or within days of, implant placement. Done only when surgical stability is sufficient — never as a default.
Insertion torque
The rotational force measured as each implant is placed, expressed in newton-centimetres. A threshold figure is required for safe immediate loading.
Multi-unit abutment
The angled abutment used on full-arch cases. Allows the bridge to sit flat across implants placed at varying angles. A serviceable interface.
Osseointegration
The biological process by which bone bonds directly to the surface of a titanium implant. Typically requires 8–16 weeks. Confirmed before the definitive bridge is fabricated.
Peri-implantitis
Inflammation and bone loss around an implant, almost always caused by long-term plaque accumulation. The reason daily hygiene tools and recall schedules are non-negotiable.
PMMA
Polymethyl methacrylate — a reinforced acrylic used for both provisional and definitive bridges. Light, serviceable, and forgiving on the opposing dentition.
Provisional bridge
The temporary bridge worn during healing. Usually PMMA. Designed to allow normal speech and a soft diet without disturbing osseointegration.
Screw-retained
A prosthesis fixed with screws (rather than cement). The standard for full-arch bridges because it allows clean removal for service. Preferable to cemented retention in almost all full-arch cases.
Sinus elevation
A procedure that lifts the floor of the maxillary sinus to create bone volume for upper-posterior implants. Sometimes required for the fifth implant in an upper arch.
Titanium bar
The milled substructure inside a full-arch bridge that ties the implants together and provides the strong skeleton the tooth layer sits on. Usually lifetime-warranted.
Try-in
A fitting of the definitive bridge before final fabrication. Bite, fit, shape and colour are confirmed with the patient. A real try-in is a separate visit, not a glance.
Wax-up
A diagnostic mock-up — physical or digital — that shows what the final bridge will look like before surgery is scheduled. The patient should see and approve it.
Zirconia
A rigid ceramic used for definitive bridges. Strong, biocompatible, but brittle at screw-access channels. Connection design must be disclosed.