We usually believe that a dentist simply fixes any teeth problems. But did you know that the field of Dentistry is more than just treating tooth issues? For example, Dapto’s dental clinic near Wollongong has connections to different types of dental professionals. Yes, a general dentist is just one of those professionals who take care of a person’s oral cavity. Let’s get to know them one by one.
General Dentist
Commonly referred to as a family dentist, this dental professional does the basic dental procedures which prioritize on prevention of oral health issues. Such procedures include oral cleaning or prophylaxis, oral x-ray and providing health teachings on how to properly maintain a healthy oral cavity.
A general dentist can also perform restorative procedures such as tooth filling on dental caries, repair of cracked teeth and some also perform teeth whitening. While it’s usually the general dentist whom a patient sees during the first visit, this oral health provider is also the professional who provides referrals to dental specialists.
Periodontist
There’s only word to remember when talking about periodontistry – gums. The role of the periodontist is to prevent any problems related to the patient’s gums. Any gum treatment is most of the time implemented by this dental health professional. Since this field is quite broad, periodontists often advise general dentist to provide prevention and treatment methods that are strongly connected to the patients’ lifestyle.
Endodontist
Deep beneath the enamel and the dentin is a sensitive part of the tooth, known as the pulp. It is a soft tissue and the main part focused by a dentist specialist called the endodontist. Repairing a damaged pulp varies on its severity. If the damage is reversible, the tooth will be kept alive. Otherwise, the endodontist will perform a procedure known as root canal treatment, the most common procedure done by this dentist.
Orthodontist
Among all types of specialist doctors in Dentistry, perhaps it’s the orthodontist considered the most popular since a lot of esthetic-purpose procedures are performed by this professional. The scope of orthodontists goes beyond installing braces. They are also responsible for correcting jaw bone problems, misaligned teeth and other cases related to giving support to facial structures for functional and cosmetic purposes.
Before installing braces, orthodontists must first assess and plan how to improve the patient’s bite. Afterward, they need to design customized oral devices like mouth guards, metallic braces, retainers and Invisalign.
Prosthodontist
This oral health provider’s main responsibility is to treat missing, decayed or damaged teeth. Treatment involves on designing oral prostheses that would appear as false teeth but make sure it would look natural.
Prosthodontists work both on cosmetic and functional purposes. They work closely with dental lab technicians who actually create the prostheses designed by the prosthodontist.
There are other types of specialist doctors also recognized in the field dentistry. There is a specialist in oral radiology, oral pathology and there’s also a dentist who focuses on pediatric dentistry.
The number one cardinal rule is to always seek a family dentist prior to visiting a specialist. It’s usually the general dentist who gives the first diagnosis and provides a referral to a specialist along with documents and findings on the patient’s oral cavity.
