Different Dental Specialties Explained

Within dentistry, there are a variety of different types and specialties. This post will describe some of the various types of dentists there are and what they do. Here's a brief description of them:

Different Dental Specialties Explained

General Dentist

General dentists are primary care providers. They diagnose, care for, and help you manage much of your oral health needs. Services they provide include anything from preventive care and even many restorative and cosmetic procedures such as teeth cleaning, teeth whitening, filling cavities, dental crowns, porcelain veneers, bridges, dentures, root canals, extractions, emergency dental care, and much much more. See a general dentist in McCordsville, IN. 

Every general dentist will have earned a DDS or DMD degree(there's no difference between these two degrees). As a general rule, most dentists will have a bachelor's degree in addition to four years of dental school to graduate. To become a dental specialist, further postgraduate training/schooling/residency is required.

Endodontist

An endodontist is a dentist who focuses on diseases and injuries of the human dental pulp or nerve of the tooth's teeth. A dentist who specializes in endodontics may use a variety of techniques to treat teeth, ranging from basic to complex. They require 2-3 additional years of post-graduate schooling to become an endodontist. 

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

A dental surgeon specializing in various types of surgical operations on the mouth, face, and jaw region is known as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons often handle patients who have facial injuries, such as fractures and lacerations, and provide reconstructive and dental implant surgery. They practice on individuals who have jaw tumors and cysts, place dental implants, remove wisdom teeth (especially in particularly complex cases) and deal with other complex extractions. Additionally, they work to fix fractured cheeks or jawbones and do soft tissue repair such as in the case of a cleft palate. After dental school, oral and maxillofacial surgeons are trained for an additional four to eight years.

Orthodontist

Orthodontists specialize in diagnosing and treating malocclusions. In simpler terms, they straighten teeth and help improve your bite. Orthodontic treatment is necessary in the case of crowded, crooked, or missing teeth, in addition to bad jaw alignment. They use braces and plastic "aligners" and retainers to improve and maintain the improvement of your teeth. Not only will orthodontic treatment improve the function of your teeth, but it will make them look more esthetically pleasing and make them easier to clean. Dentists need to complete a two year residency to become an orthodontist. You can check with warwick dental.

Pediatric Dentist

A pediatric dentist is a dentist that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of children's dental issues from one year old to early adulthood. They can identify, treat, or refer to another health care provider (as needed) issues with decayed, missing, crowded, or crooked teeth. A pediatric dentist has at least two more years of schooling than a general dentist. The dental student's additional training focuses on child behavior, physical growth and development, and the unique needs of children's dentistry. Dentists Near Me in Chapel Hill NC!

Periodontist

Periodontists specialize in diagnosing, caring for, and helping to prevent disease of the gums, bones, and teeth. They tend to work often with patients who have gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) or the more advanced form known as periodontal disease. Three years of additional training are often required to practice in this specialty. 

Prosthodontist

A prosthodontist is a dentist who focuses on treating and/or replacing missing teeth on a much larger scale than the typical dentist. The prosthodontist replaces missing or extracted teeth with prosthetic (dentures) or crown (caps) teeth. The prosthodontist is also heavily engaged in tooth replacement with dental implants. In addition, prosthodontists that have received special training work with individuals who have facial and jaw abnormalities, replacing missing portions of the face and jaws with artificial replacements. Three years of residency is required for this specialty.