PERIODONTICS

[peri.odon.tics] n pl but sing or pl in constr [NL periodontium periodontal tissue, fr. peri- + Gk odont-, odous, odon tooth--more at tooth] (ca. 1944): a branch of dentistry that deals with diseases of the supporting and investing structures of the teeth including the gums, cementum, periodontal membranes, and alveolar bone -- peri.odon.tist n