A periapical abscess is an acute collection of pus at the apex of a tooth root, the endpoint of an endodontic infection that has escaped the confines of the root canal and entered the surrounding bone. The pressure of the accumulating pus produces intense pain, and when the infection spreads thro...

The maxillary canine is the second most frequently impacted tooth after the third molar, and its proper eruption is essential for a functional occlusion, a stable arch, and an esthetic smile. When the canine fails to erupt, it may remain buried in the palate or the alveolus, and the management of...

A diastema is a gap between teeth, and the term is most commonly applied to the space between the upper central incisors, the midline diastema. It is a frequent esthetic complaint, because the anterior teeth dominate the smile, and it may be a normal feature of the developing dentition in childre...

Bruxism, the involuntary clenching and grinding of the teeth, affects a substantial proportion of adults and children and is a major cause of tooth wear, muscle pain, headache, and temporomandibular disorders. Conventional management relies on occlusal splints, behavioral modification, and muscle...

Torus mandibularis and torus palatinus are benign bony overgrowths that arise on the lingual surface of the mandible and on the midline of the hard...

Oral pigmented lesions are a diverse group of conditions that appear as areas of abnormal color in the oral mucosa, ranging from brown and black...

Gingivoplasty is a periodontal surgical procedure designed to reshape the gingiva and restore a natural, harmonious contour to the gum line. Unlike...

Fusion and gemination are developmental dental anomalies in which two teeth appear to be joined together, producing a single crown that is wider than...

An anterior open bite is a malocclusion in which the anterior teeth fail to meet in the vertical dimension when the posterior teeth are in occlusion,...

Zirconia implant abutments have become the standard of care in the esthetic zone because of their ability to mimic the natural translucency of tooth structure and to preserve the appearance of peri-implant soft tissue. As patients increasingly demand restorations that are indistinguishable from n...

A frenectomy is a minor surgical procedure that removes or releases a frenum, the small fold of tissue that connects the lips, cheeks, or tongue to the underlying structures. When a frenum is abnormally positioned, large, or tight, it can interfere with speech, feeding, oral hygiene, the eruption...

The separation of an instrument within a root canal is one of the most stressful events in endodontic practice, and it occurs in every clinician's career at some point. When a nickel-titanium or stainless steel file fractures, its fragment remains in the canal and can obstruct cleaning, shape, fi...

Corticotomy-assisted orthodontics is an advanced technique that combines surgical stimulation of the alveolar bone with conventional tooth movement to shorten treatment time. The approach, popularized as periodontally accelerated osteogenic orthodontics, or PAOO, has transformed the management of...

Bruxism, the involuntary clenching and grinding of the teeth, affects a large proportion of the population and can cause severe damage to the dentition, the supporting structures, and the temporomandibular joint. The occlusal splint, or night guard, is the most widely used appliance for the manag...

Temporomandibular joint ankylosis is a disabling condition in which the joint becomes fused, either partially or completely, so that the mandible loses its ability to move. Patients experience a progressive limitation of mouth opening that can interfere with eating, speaking, oral hygiene, and ev...

The submandibular space is a fascial compartment of the neck that can become the site of a serious and potentially life-threatening infection. Most cases arise from dental disease, typically an infected lower molar whose pus spreads through the tissues below the mandible. Because the infection ca...

The socket shield technique is an innovative approach to immediate implant placement that aims to preserve the buccal bone and gingival architecture after tooth extraction. When a tooth is removed, the bundle bone on the facial aspect of the socket tends to resorb rapidly, often producing an esth...

Glass ionomer cements occupy a unique place in restorative dentistry because of their ability to bond directly to tooth structure and release fluoride over the long term. Since their introduction more than half a century ago, they have evolved into a versatile family of materials used for liners,...

The appearance of the smile depends as much on the gingiva as on the teeth themselves. When the gums cover too much of the clinical crown, or when an excessive band of gum tissue shows on smiling, the teeth look short and the smile appears unbalanced. Gingivectomy and surgical crown lengthening a...

Odontoma is the most frequently diagnosed odontogenic lesion of the jaws, and in most cases it is not a true tumor at all but a hamartoma, a benign overgrowth of normal dental tissues. Because odontomas contain enamel, dentin, cementum, and pulp tissue in a disorganized arrangement, they behave l...

Occlusal equilibration is the process of selectively reshaping the occlusal surfaces of the teeth to improve the relationship between the upper and lower arches. By removing small amounts of enamel at precisely chosen points, the clinician aims to eliminate occlusal interferences, establish a sta...