Do you have an oral health concern but don’t know what type of dentist to see? Most of the time you’ll visit your general dentist, but when there are certain concerns outside of their area of expertise, they may refer you to a specialist. We will go over the types of dentists there are and what their specialties entail.
What type of different dentist specialties are there?
General Dentist
Like your primary care doctor your general dentist is the one you visit on a regular basis. You visit the general dentist for cleanings and dental exams. In these exams they will check your teeth and gums and treat any issues such as cavities root canals and dental crowns. Your general dentist can refer you to the other types of dentists if they do not provide those service
Pedodontist (Pediatric dentist)
Pedodontist or pediatric dentists specialize in dental care for children. They provide services for young children through their teenage years. They specialize in providing calm and fun services in an environment suitable for children. They will monitor your children’s dental health and progress. They will refer out to an orthodontist if they notice your child’s teeth becoming crooked.
Orthodontist
Orthodontists specialize in making sure your teeth are aligned with your jaws using braces, retainers, and other devices. Your dentist will refer you to an orthodontist to correct issues such as an overbite or misaligned teeth.
Periodontist (gum specialist)
If you have an issue with your gums your general dentist will refer you to a periodontist. They can provide treatment including minor surgery for gum disease.
Endodontist (root canal specialist)
Have an issue with the nerve of your tooth and the pain that comes with it? Then your dentist will refer you to an endodontist. Their job is to perform route canals that may have decay around the nerve.
Oral Surgeon
Your dentist may refer you to an oral surgeon if you need a treatment for a certain oral disease or issue. These issues may include impacted wisdom teeth, or reconstruction, misalignment, and cancers related to your mouth. These specialists are trained to perform surgery and can administer anesthesia and other sedative drugs.
Prosthodontist
The job of the Prosthodontist is to repair teeth and jaw bones. They provide services to improve the appearance of teeth such as whitening and veneers. They also help people be fitted for crowns, bridges, and dentures.
2 thoughts on “Types of Dentists and What They Do”
I now understand that orthodontists specialize in employing braces, retainers, and other appliances to ensure that your teeth are positioned in harmony with your jaws. This information will help my friend who wants to get Invisalign treatment for her crooked teeth. I hope she finds a really good dentist who can cater to her needs and questions about the procedure.
Thank you for explaining about some of the different kinds of specialists for dentists. I’ve been curious about all of this since hearing about differentiations between general and family dentists. It’s interesting to learn about who you should see depending on your circumstances.