Just like any other field of medicine and surgery, dentistry can be classified into various kinds and specialties. This variation and diversification in dentistry gives you a freedom and flexibility to select a dentist with specific skills, expertise and required qualifications to suit your dental and cosmetic needs.
Accordingly, if you are seeking the most suitable dentist or dental surgeon for your dental care and oral hygiene, you may wish to select a dentist who is practicing a specific ADA specialty.
The following classification will help you choose or select a suitable dentist to precisely deal with your dental problem or disorder.
General dentist office: Very similar to general physician, general dentist is a non-specialized dentist who is qualified and authorized to do a variety of dental and oral care procedures. However, being a “general” dentist, he or she may not be qualified enough to perform specialized dental correction procedures. Most of the time, a general dentist works for the general care, repair, maintenance, corrective and preventative treatments of your teeth and gums
Pediatric Dentist or pedodentist’s office: As the name indicates, a pediatric dentist provides services and dental care to children, babies, infants, adolescents and special children with psychological, physical or emotional disturbances or disabilities. Taking into account the specific needs of the children, their offices have specially designed waiting rooms, and specifically trained staff that has the required skills expertise to provide dental care to infants and children.
Periodontist’s office: By definition, a periodontist is a “specialist” dentist who has obtained an additional 3-year specialized training to diagnose, treat and prevent gum diseases such as gingivitis, recession and periodontitis. Periodontists can also place dental implants and do cosmetic periodontal procedures.
Endodontist’s office: An endodontist is a specialist dentist who has the required skills and qualifications to diagnose, treat or correct disorders of the inner / lower (e.g. root) portion of the teeth. They perform root canals and treat diseases of the pulp and nerves inside the tooth.
Orthodontist’s office: These dental specialists are experts in treatment and management of malocclusion, crooked teeth and overbites. For example, they are in charge of inserting corrective and supportive appliances (braces) and retainers. They design and apply braces to realign crooked teeth.
Prosthodontist’s office: A prosthodontist is a dentist who designs, constructs and fits replacement teeth, such as implants, bridgework and dentures. Hence, a prosthodontist is concerned with restoring and/or correcting dental or facial defects and helps you achieve a healthy and good looking smile.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon’s office: Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are dental specialists who diagnose and treat various disorders and problems of the jaws, mouth and face. The dual degrees in dentistry and medicine mean that surgeons in this field can treat a variety of problems, from an impacted tooth to oral cancer. They commonly treat injuries and defects of the mouth and jaw and also perform complex tooth extractions. Due to the nature of the work, oral and maxillofacial surgeons work alongside a wide variety of such as plastic surgeons, orthodontists, radiologists and neurosurgeons.
