Glossary

A tack, or a bone tack, is a small piece of metal that is used to stabilize bone graft material during guided bone regeneration. Stabilizing the membrane can help promote healing. There are many different types of bone tacks and membrane fixation systems. Some are manual while others are automatic and which one is used for bone grafts depends largely on the preferences of the periodontist working with the patient. While bone tacks can be purchased alone, they are most often found in a “tack kit,” which can also include a tack block, a tack mallet, a tack placement instrument, and a drill for dense cortical bone. All of these items in a tack kit are autoclavable, meaning they can be sterilized in between use on patients like most other dental instruments. Most bone tacks are made from titanium alloy, but they can be made from other materials.

There are two types of taps in the dental field. The first is the bone tap. This is a device used to create a threaded channel in bone for a fixation screw or, prior to the insertion of a dental implant, into an osteotomy. A bone tap may be used to prepare the bone for the implant required for a prosthesis. The second type is the metal tap. This is an instrument made of a hard metal used for rethreading damaged internal threads of a dental implant. The type of tap device required will depend on the specific procedure. Since there are a variety of tap dental devices that can be used to help place or fix dental implants, research may be needed prior to purchase. Tap dental appliance reviews may help in the selection of the correct device by using the tap appliance dental code. Appliance parts may also be researched to see which are best suited for the necessary procedures.

A tapered dental implant simply refers to dental implant hardware that is tapered, or narrowed, at the implant end. Tapered implants are most similar to the shape of the natural tooth roots, which helps to create more stability and improved overall aesthetics in the finished dental implant. Tapered dental implants offer maximum bone maintenance, exceptional primary stability, and excellent soft tissue attachment. Many tapered implants boast a wide variety of features that make it a good choice for most implant procedures, including treated surfaces, optimized thread form, color-coded platforms, multiple configurations, and a vast range of sizes. Treated surfaces also mimic the natural tooth, allowing oblique connective tissue to attach and for the periodontist to better control cellular migration. Color coding allows periodontists to quickly and easily identify sizes and components, making the implant procedure faster and more accurate. Tapered implants are more likely to be used in types of bone that are harder to achieve stability with.

Tapping, or EFT (emotional freedom techniques) tapping, is a stress-relief technique that is often used to relieve dental anxiety. As many as 30% of patients report feeling anxious when going to the dentist, but for many people, sedation dentistry is simply not an option. Tapping takes just minutes and can be done at home or in the office with zero side effects. The concept behind EFT tapping is that certain acupressure points on the body, usually the head and upper torso, are “tapped” with the fingers at the same time the individual repeats a self-acceptance phrase. The phrase typically acknowledges the anxiety, such as the sound of a dental drill causing stress, and affirms acceptance regardless of the issue creating the anxious feelings. Beyond relieving dental anxiety, tapping can be used to relieve chronic or general anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), situational anxiety surrounding public speaking or test-taking, and more.