The different specialties in dentistry

The different specialties in dentistry

Did you know that in dentistry, as in medicine, there are specialties? In fact, once a dentist has obtained his or her Doctorate in Dentistry, he or she can decide to specialize in any number of areas. However, unlike a medical doctor, this is not mandatory: a dentist can still practice with his or her dental diploma as a general dentist. A general dentist can be compared to a family doctor: he or she is the primary contact for all mouth-related problems. And just like a family doctor, a general dentist can refer patients to specialists if the case proves to be complex.

The Canadian Dental Association recognizes 9 dental specialties. Here are the main ones to which your dentist may refer you:

Endodontics is the dental specialty that treats problems originating in the pulp, commonly known as the “nerve” of the tooth. The endodontist mainly performs endodontic treatment, i.e. root canal therapy.

Maxillofacial surgery involves the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, injuries and abnormalities of the face, mouth, teeth and jaws. The maxillofacial surgeon handles complex surgeries such as wisdom tooth extraction or oral tumor resection, mandibular reconstruction, implants and more.

Periodontics is the dental specialty that treats the supporting tissues surrounding the tooth (the periodontium), such as the bone and gums. Their expertise includes the treatment of gum disease, including gingivitis and periodontitis.

Orthodontics is a well-known specialty. It aims to improve the alignment of teeth to achieve better dental function or for aesthetic purposes. The orthodontist uses orthodontic appliances such as braces or clear aligners to treat these problems.

Pedodontics, or pediatric dentistry, deals with children from birth to adolescence. Pedodontists are trained to care for baby teeth and to educate young people about good hygiene, chewing and speech habits. Pedodontists also monitor growth, and can perform more complex treatments, if necessary, to preserve the primary dentition.

Prosthodontics is the field that oversees fixed and removable prostheses, handling the most complex restorations on teeth or with implants. The prosthodontist creates treatment plans for the restoration or replacement of complete or partial dentitions for all types of patients.

Oral medicine and pathology is a discipline of dentistry dedicated to the diagnosis, identification and rather non-surgical treatment of oral, maxillofacial and temporomandibular diseases. When a biopsy is taken, it is the oral pathologist who analyzes the tissue and diagnoses the problem.

Finally, there is also public dental health, which is the specialty that promotes oral health in vulnerable communities and is dedicated to the diagnosis and prevention of dental disease in these populations, and then oral and maxillofacial radiology, which is a discipline that prescribes and interprets simple or advanced radiographs with the aim of diagnosing diseases and disorders of the craniofacial complex.

In the hopes that you learned something new today!

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