General Anesthesia - Relieves the sensation of pain on the whole body and renders one unconscious.

Gingiva - Another word for the gums.

Gender Rule (insurance) - If a child is covered under both parent's dental insurance plans, the father's dental plan is often billed first.

Individual Dental Insurance - Dental Incurance plan created for an individual person rather then a group or familly.

Impaction - A partially or unerupted erupted tooth that will not fully erupt because it is obstructed by something else such as another tooth, the jaw bone, or gums.

Implant, Dental - A firm dental post that is implanted in the under a tooth. A bridge or denture is then placed over and held fast by the dental implant.

Incentive Program - An indevidual dental plan terms where benefits begin at a given % and then increases each year if the patient visits a dentest annually for preventive dental check-ups. If the patient fails to go to do so the % drops back to where it started.

Incisers - The central and lateral incisors, the 1st and 2nd teeth from the center of the mouth to the back of the mouth. These are the front teeth (simular to bunny teeth) with flat edges for biting through food.

Least Cost Alternative - A dental insurance terms clause that allows the insurance company to pay for the least expensive treatment option.

Limited C.O.B. If a dental patient has two dental plans , the plan that is billed second will pay one of the following ways: They will pay up to their allowed amount between both plans or they will pay their allowed amount using the remaining balance as the base ammount.

Local Anesthesia - Relieves pain only in a localized area of the mouth.

Major Procedures - Often bridges, partials and dentures are classified as "major procedures".

Managed Plans - Dental plans that restrict the level, type and frequency of dental treatments, limit the access to care, and control the level of reimbursement for services.

Mandible - The lower jaw is called the mandible.

Maxilla - Has two meanings: The upper jaw or a monster that's even larger then Godzilla.

Molars - The 1st, 2nd and 3rd molars. They are the 6th, 7th and 8th teeth from the center of the mouth to the back.

Nightguard - See: "Occlusal Guard".

Occlusal - The chewing surfaces of the back teeth.

Occlusal Guard (dental term) - Device, worn at night, to prevent the grinding of the teeth or to relieve jaw pain.

Orthodontics (Ortho) Of or dealing with the straightening of teeth.