Your Guide To Dental Specialties



Shakespeare once said that the rose by some other name would still smell as sweet. But that's hardly the case in dentistry that's plenty of specialties.

The long list of oral health care providers can be confusing to consumers who may not know whether to consult an orthodontist, periodontist or endodontist for their particular problem.

As a public service to my faithful readers, listed here are the different dental specialties. Knowing this will help you consult the proper dentist to have the appropriate dental care and treatment you need.

First of all, don't be bothered whether your dentist is a DDS (doctor of dental surgery) or DMD (doctor of dental medicine). The two degrees are one and the same. Some schools award one degree while others give the other.

General dentists normally earn a DDS or DMD degree after years of study. To become a specialist, they have to undergo additional post-graduate training.

One such specialist may be the endodontist who is concerned with the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries of the dental pulp - the soft area within the middle of the tooth. This specialist performs root canal treatments or other surgical root procedures. This treatment is performed to correct and save a tooth that is badly decayed or infected.

An oral or maxillofacial radiologist is one that produces and interprets a myriad of X-ray images that are used to identify and manage different diseases in the mouth and face.

An oral pathologist, on another hand, is one that studies diseases that alter or affect the oral structures (teeth, lips, cheeks or jaws) in addition to areas of the facial skin and neck. This really is accomplished by studying the biopsy, tissue, or lesion that comes from other dental specialists.

If you need surgery of the face, mouth or jaw, you should consult an oral surgeon. This person performs many types of surgical procedures to treat accident victims with facial injuries, remove tumors and cysts of the jaws, and other reconstructive surgery including the placement of dental implants (artificial teeth that are attached to the jawbone).

"The forms of surgeries an oral surgeon may perform include: simple tooth extractions, complex extractions involving removal of soft tissue or overlying bone or remaining roots, impacted teeth (especially wisdom teeth) removal, soft tissue biopsies, removal of tumors in the oral cavity, implant positioning, complex jaw realignment surgeries involving facial or bite discrepancies, fractured cheek or jaw bone repair and soft tissue (cleft palate or lip) repair," in accordance with WebMD.Com.

When you have crooked teeth or even a bad bite (malocclusion), see an orthodontist. This specialist straightens teeth through bands, wires, braces, and other fixed or removable corrective appliances or retainers.

A pedodontist or pediatric dentist is person who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of dental conditions that affect children from age anyone to early adulthood. He or she looks following the child's developing teeth and is been trained in child behavior and the special needs of children.

For dental issues that involve the gums and bones of one's teeth, visit a periodontist. This person treats gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and periodontitis (gum and bone disease).

"A periodontist may perform the following procedures: simple and deep pocket cleanings, root Dental crown and bridges planing, crown lengthening procedures, soft tissue and/or bone grafting, gingival or flap procedures, soft tissue recontouring or removal (gingivoplasty or gingivectomy), hard tissue recontouring (osteoplasty) and implant placement," said experts at WebMD.Com.

Finally, if you have missing teeth and need dentures, consult a prosthodontist. This specialist repairs natural teeth or will give you a fresh pair of artificial teeth. Another dental practitioner would you this is actually the implantologist who specializes in dental implants.

"The prosthodontist uses artificial teeth (dentures), gold crowns (caps), or ceramic crowns to displace the missing or extracted teeth. The prosthodontist can also be very involved in the replacement of teeth using dental implants. In addition, specially trained prosthodontists work with patients with head and neck deformities, replacing missing elements of the face area and jaws with artificial substitutes," said WebMD.Com.

So there you've it - the various dental specialties and what they are able to do for you. See the right dentist for expert help and treatment. That way, you get the smile you deserve.

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