Main Entry: peri·odon·tics

Pronunciation: \-ˈdän-tiks\

Function: noun plural but singular in construction

Etymology: New Latin periodontium periodontal tissue, from peri- + Greek odont-, odous, odōn tooth — more at tooth

Date: circa 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 \-ˈdän-tist\ noun