Dentistry is a field that almost everyone uses, but not many people truly understand. The profession itself is often stigmatizes as being one where the doctors only want to cause you as much pain as possible. While we know that this is simply not true, we still don’t have a firm understanding on the types of dentistry that are out there. Hopefully, this will shed some light upon that.
General Dentists
These are the dentists that we always think about. They often have their own practices and perform several different procedures like teeth cleanings, fillings, and certain cosmetic procedures to help repair the patient’s bite and smile. These dentists also are able to offer several different forms of oral hygiene and health tips to their patients.
Cosmetic Dentistry
This is a newer field of dentistry that has sprouted from general dentistry. In this type of dentistry, only the appearance of the mouth and teeth are at the forefront of the doctor’s mind. Most of the work done by these doctors can also be done by the general dentist as well, but the focus is on appearance, not medical well-being.
Periodontists
Unlike general dentistry, the field of a periodontist digs a little bit deeper, all the way to the jaw bone, in fact. These doctors are charged with being specialists that care for the supporting tissues of the teeth and gums. They focus also on diagnosing and helping fight things like gum disease and tissue ailments. These doctors can also perform certain surgeries to help align and fix the gums of their patients.
Endodontists
These doctors are ones that specialize and focus on the things that make the tooth alive. They focus on the roots and nerves inside of the tooth and gums, as well as the arteries and veins that provide your mouth with an ample blood supply. When you get a root canal or other surgery that is extremely invasive to your teeth, an endodontist is the one that your general dentistry professional will contact first.
Orthodontist
An orthodontist is a doctor that specializes in alignment and fixtures that are meant to help straighten teeth. We generally have our first encounter with an orthodontist when we get braces or are fitted with a retainer. These doctors work with your general dentistry professional to help diagnose issues and fix them.
Oral Surgeons
Oral surgeons are doctors that specialize in the types of surgeries that these other processionals cannot perform. This includes removing certain tumors from the mouth region, repairing clef pallets and lips, and correct surgeries to the jaw or mouth.
The field of dentistry is not a small one, and there are several different types of specialists that can help you with almost any ailment or issue that you might face. All you need to do is make sure that you get the help that you need from the specialist that is most able to help you. Until then, make sure you brush and floss your teeth every day!
