Learn 4 Types of Dentists Available For Your Unique Dental Situation
Dentistry is a broad medical field with different specialties. Each specialty handles specific dental issues. In this article, you'll learn various types of dentists to help you get the right oral services for your dental problem.
1. An Endodontist
Endodontists are also known as root canal experts. If your dentist declares that your tooth's pulp is infected or that the inner part of your tooth is badly damaged, they will refer you to an endodontist. These specialists know exactly how to diagnose and treat the tooth pain you may be experiencing. They do so by fixing the sensitive nerves and blood vessels found in the root canal.
2. An Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
A maxillofacial surgeon focuses on any dental problems affecting your face, jaw and mouth. That includes both hard and soft tissues found in these areas. However, they do not always deal with all oral surgeries presented to them. Their dental work mainly revolves around patients who have more serious dental problems that require deep sedation. They are like anesthesiologists who use all types of sedatives in their works. Their areas of specialisation include tooth extraction, cleft palate surgery and jaw rectification procedures.
3. A Paediatric Dentist
As the name suggests, paediatric dentists deal with children only. These specialists take care of your child's oral health from their infancy to teenage. Teaching your child how to take care of their teeth from a tender age is vital in ensuring that they carry these practices to their adulthood.
Although general dentists can also treat your child, a paediatric dentist is most preferred because they are friendlier to children and know how to effectively interact with them. Apart from oral health, they are trained in diagnosing and monitoring other ailments that may affect your child's dental health, such as diabetes.
4. An Orthodontist
The other name for an orthodontist is an alignment expert. They mainly specialise in patients who need a tooth or jaw alignment. Usually, patients who seek the services of an orthodontist have an underbite, overbite or crossbite, all of which lead to crooked teeth. In this case, an orthodontist mainly uses braces, veneers, Invisalign, headgears or clear aligners to rectify the misalignment. Although most of an orthodontist's patients are children, adults can also benefit from orthodontic services.
If you have a dental issue that requires specialised care, you now understand the specialist to look for. If you are not sure which specialist you should see, talk to your regular dentist for recommendations.
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