Going to the dentist is essential for your oral health. A routine visit for an oral checkup will help catch the signs of dental problems such as tooth decay or gum disease early. 

Oral care is essential to your overall health, and dental issues may contribute to endocarditis and cardiovascular disease complications. 

But did you know there are several different types of dentistry, and not all dentists are the same?

Here’s a guide to understanding the different kinds of dentists you may need to see. 

What Are the Seven Different Types of Dentistry?

To become a dentist takes four years of postgraduate study. This will give you a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree or a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree. Upon graduation, a dentist will then need to take a dental board exam to become licensed in their state. 

This will allow someone to practice as a general dentist. There are another six types of dentistry. These include: 

• Orthodontist
• Pedodontist
• Periodontist 
• Prosthodontist
• Endodontist
• Oral Surgeon 

To become a specialist, a dentist will need to undertake a residency program in their chosen field. 

General Dentist 

Anyone that graduates from dental school will be able to practice general dentistry. A general dentist will perform any procedure from extractions through to root canals with a general dentistry license. That said, many will generally stick to oral hygiene and restorative dentistry. 

This may include:

• Carrying out emergency and initial exams
• Screening for oral cancer
• Treating gum disease
• Applying fillings to broken or decayed teeth
• Placing crowns, veneers, bridges, and implants. 

In addition to this, a general dentist may also carry out teeth whitening and treat gum disease. All of this will be in addition to regular cleaning and periodic oral hygiene exams. 

A branch of general dentistry is sedation dentistry. This is where the dentist will sedate those with a phobia of dental procedures when they’re carrying out treatments.

If this is something you feel is for you, search online for a sedation dentist near me.

Orthodontist 

One of the most common types of dentists you may have heard of is an orthodontist. Traditionally, an orthodontist would deal with braces on teenagers and adults to straighten crooked teeth. These days, the field encompasses dentofacial orthopedics too. 

All orthodontic treatment aims to correct bad bites or malocclusions. If you have a bad bite, your teeth can wear down or even break. You may also suffer from jaw and neck issues such as TMD and TMJ. 

There are several ways that an orthodontist can treat bad bites and malocclusions. Traditional metal braces are a common option, while clear brackets or tooth-colored brackets are also available. 

Another popular choice is Invisalign. This uses a series of removable trays to cover the teeth and line them up to improve their position. 

Pedodontist 

A pediatric dentist or a pedodontist generally treats children. Kids often have a lot of anxiety associated with a visit to the dentists. Those who are not comfortable seeing a regular dentist should seek a specialist children’s dentist. 

A pedodontist will carry out routine treatments such as cleanings, fillings, extractions, and taking x-rays. This work may be carried out under sedation. 

Where a child has special needs, a specialist pediatric dentist can be beneficial.  

Periodontist

A periodontist specializes in issues with the gums, tissue, and bone that support the teeth. A periodontist can carry out many procedures, including treatment to reduce excess gums, balancing out the shape and size of gums, and carrying out gum grafts. 

In addition to this, they will also carry out bone grafts, extract teeth, and place dental implants. 

Prosthodontist 

A prosthodontist is someone that makes prostheses. These may include replacement teeth that are permanent or removable. 

This includes porcelain crowns, dentures, and bridges. 

Endodontist 

An endodontist is a specialist in dealing with root canals. Their main concern is treating dead, sick, and infected nerves that could cause considerable pain. 

The inside of the tooth is full of living blood vessels along with cells known as the pulp. When a crack or trauma in the tooth affects the pulp, it can cause the nerve to die and become infected. This can cause inflammation and pressure to the tissue and bone beneath the tooth. 

Often, when a patient has this issue, they’ll present with pus around the root and a swollen area. 

When an endodontist carries out the root canal, they’ll drill a hole in the tooth and remove any infected tissue while cleaning and shaping the canals to prevent bacteria from getting in. 

Once the root canal has been completed, the endodontist will place a filling in the access hole, and a general dentist will place a crown on the tooth. 

An endodontist will also perform a surgery called an apicoectomy on teeth that are too far gone for regular root canals. 

Oral Surgeon

An oral surgeon will carry out procedures such as wisdom tooth extraction. While this is an essential treatment, there is more than just extracting wisdom teeth. They also carry out work on aligning jaws, facial trauma surgery, biopsies, bone grafts, implants, and surgeries for TMD. 

An oral surgeon will generally work out of their own office rather than in hospital as they may have done many years ago. 

Which Type Of Dentist Do You Need?

Knowing which types of dentistry are out there and available to you will help you understand which is right for you. A trip to a general dentist is always a good place to start in finding out about your particular oral health needs. 

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