Your Guide To Dental Specialties
Shakespeare once said that the rose by any other name would still smell as sweet. But that's hardly the case in dentistry that's a lot of specialties.
The long set of oral healthcare providers could 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, here are the different dental specialties. Knowing this will help you consult the right dentist to have the correct 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 2 degrees are one and the same. Some schools award one degree while others provide the other.
General dentists normally earn a DDS or DMD degree after years of study. To become a specialist, they must undergo additional post-graduate training.
One 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 biggest market of the tooth. This specialist performs root canal treatments or other surgical root procedures. This treatment is done to fix and save a tooth that is badly decayed or infected.
An oral or maxillofacial radiologist is person who 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 one other hand, is one who studies diseases that alter or affect the oral structures (teeth, lips, cheeks or jaws) along with elements of the facial skin and neck. This is accomplished by studying the biopsy, tissue, or lesion that originates from other dental specialists.
If you want surgery of the face area, mouth or jaw, you should consult an oral surgeon. This individual performs many types of surgical procedures to deal with accident victims with facial injuries, remove tumors and cysts of the jaws, and other reconstructive surgery like the placement of dental implants (artificial teeth which are attached to the jawbone).
"The kinds 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 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 one who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of dental issues that affect children from age anyone to early adulthood. He or she looks after the child's developing teeth and is trained in child behavior and the special needs of children.
For dental problems that involve the gums and bones of one's teeth, visit a periodontist. This individual 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 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, when you yourself have missing teeth and need dentures, consult a prosthodontist. This specialist repairs natural teeth or will provide you with a brand new pair of artificial teeth. Another dental practitioner would you this is actually the implantologist who specializes in dental implants.
"The prosthodontist Dental crown and bridges uses artificial teeth (dentures), gold crowns (caps), or ceramic crowns to restore the missing or extracted teeth. The prosthodontist is also very involved in the replacement of teeth using dental implants. Furthermore, specially trained prosthodontists assist patients with head and neck deformities, replacing missing parts of the facial skin and jaws with artificial substitutes," said WebMD.Com.
So there you've it - different dental specialties and what they can do for you. See the best dentist for expert help and treatment. Like that, you get the smile you deserve.
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