Shakespeare once said a rose by every other name would still smell as sweet. But that's hardly the case in dentistry that has lots of specialties.
The long list of oral health care providers may be confusing to consumers who might not know whether to consult an orthodontist, periodontist or endodontist for their particular problem.
As a public service to my faithful readers, here are different dental specialties. Knowing this will allow you to consult the best dentist to get the proper dental care and treatment you need.
First of all, don't be bothered whether your dentist is really a DDS (doctor of dental surgery) or DMD (doctor of dental medicine). Both 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. Becoming a specialist, they need to undergo additional post-graduate training.
One such specialist could be the endodontist who is worried 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 done to fix and save a tooth that's badly decayed or infected.
An oral or maxillofacial radiologist is one who produces and interprets all kinds of X-ray images that are accustomed to identify and manage different diseases in the mouth and face.
An oral pathologist, on the other hand, is person who studies diseases that alter or affect the oral structures (teeth, lips, cheeks or jaws) in addition to parts of the face area and neck. That is accomplished by studying the biopsy, tissue, or lesion that originates from other dental specialists.
If you want surgery of the facial skin, mouth or jaw, you should consult an oral surgeon. This individual performs various kinds of surgical procedures to treat accident victims with facial injuries, remove tumors and cysts of the jaws, and other reconstructive surgery such as the placement of dental implants (artificial teeth which can be mounted on 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.
If you have crooked teeth or even a bad bite (malocclusion), see an orthodontist. This specialist straightens teeth in the form of 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 one to early adulthood. He or she looks following the child's developing teeth and is trained in child behavior and the special needs of children.
For dental conditions that involve the gums and bones of the 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 have missing teeth and need dentures, consult a prosthodontist. This specialist repairs natural teeth or will give you a fresh set of artificial teeth. Another dental practitioner who this is 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 be very involved in the replacement of teeth using dental implants. Additionally, specially trained prosthodontists work with patients with head and neck deformities, replacing missing areas of the face and jaws with artificial substitutes," said WebMD.Com.
So there you have it - the different dental specialties and what they are able to do for you. Dental See the right dentist for expert help and treatment. This way, you get the smile you deserve.
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