resin
Meaning of resin: Resin is a viscous substance, either plant derived or synthetic, applied in dentistry, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing for its adhesive and binding properties.
Definition of resin
Resin is a thick, sticky substance that either occurs naturally, secreted by certain plants such as pine and other conifers, or is manufactured synthetically from various chemical starting materials. Natural resins do not dissolve in water and have historically been used in products such as varnishes and incense.
In medicine and dentistry, resin based materials are widely used, including dental composite resins used to fill cavities and bond restorations to teeth, and resins are also used as coatings for oral medications and in certain manufacturing steps for medical devices.
A different but related use involves ion exchange resins, a type of synthetic resin used in some medications that work by binding to substances within the digestive tract, such as excess bile acids or certain minerals, and carrying them out of the body rather than allowing them to be absorbed.
Used in a sentence
A dental resin was used to restore the affected tooth after the cavity was removed.
Good to know
Resin used in dental restorations and resin used as an ion exchange medication serve entirely different purposes despite sharing the same general chemical category and name.
Word origin
Where “resin” comes from
Formed from Latin resina, a word used in classical Latin for the sap like substance produced by certain trees, of uncertain earlier origin.