Glossary of Terms

Abutments - A tooth, root, or implant used for support and retention of a fixed or removable prosthesis.
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abutment

Alveolar bone - the thickened ridge of bone that contains the tooth sockets on bones that bear teeth.
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alveolar_process_of_maxilla

Biocompatible - compatible with living cells, tissues, organs, or systems, and posing no risk of injury, toxicity, or rejection by the immune system.
Ref: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/biocompatible

Biodegradable - is material breakdown chemical of by a physiological environment.
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradation

Blood clot - A semisolid gelatinous mass of coagulated blood that consists of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets entrapped in a fibrin network.
Ref: http://www.answers.com/topic/thrombus-1

Bone grafting - is a surgical procedure that replaces missing bone with material from the patient's own body, an artificial, synthetic, or natural substitute.
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_grafting

Cranioplasty - it is a surgical repair of a defect or deformity of a skull.
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranioplasty

Dental prosthesis - An artificial replacement for one or more natural teeth or part of a tooth, or associated structures, ranging from a portion of a tooth to a complete denture. The dental prosthesis is used for cosmetic or functional reasons, or both. Dentures and specific types of dentures are also available.
Ref: http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Dental_prosthesis

Extraction - is the removal of a tooth from the mouth.
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tooth_extraction

Iliac - uppermost and largest bone of the pelvis.
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliac_crest

In-vitro - (Latin: within the glass) refers to the technique of performing a given procedure in a controlled environment outside of a living organism, such as in a "test tube" or Petri dish.
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_vitro

In-vivo - (Latin for "within the living") refers to experimentation using a whole, living organism.
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_vivo

Osteoconduction - occurs when the bone graft material serves as a scaffold for new bone growth that is perpetuated by the native bone. Osteoblasts from the margin of the defect that is being grafted utilize the bone graft material as a framework upon which to spread and generate new bone
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_grafting

Poly Lactic Co-Glycolic Acid (PLGA) - is a synthetic copolymer of lactic acid (-hydroxy propanoic acid) and glycolic acid (hydroxy acetic acid). Lactic acid contains an asymmetric carbon atom, and therefore has two optical isomers: l(+) lactic acid and d(-) lactic acid. Lactic acid is present in nature as either an intermediate or an end product in carbohydrate metabolism. It is widely distributed in all living creatures (man, animals, plants, and microorganisms). Glycolic acid occurs in nature to a limited extent. Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) degrades in vivo to innocuous products. Its final degradation products are lactate (salt form of lactic acid) and glycolate (salt form of glycolic acid).
Ref: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/57469959-40691408/content~db=all~content=a738101969

Resorbs - to dissolve and assimilate such things as bone tissue.
Ref: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/resorbs

Speech impediment - Speech disorders or speech impediments, as they are also called, are a type of communication disorders where 'normal' speech is disrupted. This can mean stuttering, lisps, etc. Someone who is totally unable to speak due to a speech disorder is considered mute.
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speech_disorder

Sutures - The process of joining two surfaces or edges together along a line by or as if by sewing
Ref: http://www.answers.com/topic/suture