Ever wondered why there are so many different dental practices in your city? Well, the obvious answer is because they are that many (and more) different types of Dentists / Dental Specialists and Dental Services that offer an extensive portfolio of Dental Procedures.
Here’s a look at the different types of dental specialists in a nut-shell and here is a list of them too: www.gdc-uk.org/registration/your-registration/specialist-lists
General Dentist or Family Dentist: The most common type of dentist who takes care of preventative and general oral health. The services they offer usually revolve around teeth cleaning, taking dental x-rays, treating dental cavities, fixing missing teeth, root canals, bridges or veneers and also whitening services. These dentists also provide a range of dental knowledge to their patients about good dental hygiene practices and teeth care whilst at home.
Every practicing general dentist will have, after spending 3 to 4 years of an undergraduate education, together with competing an additional four years in dental school, you would have received a DDS (doctor of dental surgery) or DMD (doctor of dental medicine) degree. The difference between the two degrees or awards, is insignificant. Some schools simply award the one degree, while others award the other. Sometimes, a supplementary post-graduate training is required to become a dental specialist. If you think about it, these dentists need to know a lot about a whole lot.
Not only do they treat the obvious issues, but they also indirectly treat the underlying personality weaknesses that most of us face on a day to day basis because of the physical things we see wrong in our selves. Say for example, you have yellow teeth or even crooked teeth, and this makes you self-conscious when you smile because you think you look silly. The dental services at the practice can help fix this for in a simple and effective way either by suggesting braces which could straighten out your teeth in a matter of weeks or months (depending on severity). These dentists can also whiten your teeth for you within minutes.
Orthodontist: majority of the world doesn’t like their teeth. This is why we have dentists. Orthodontists may sound familiar once you know what they do – they fit braces into your mouth to adjust your teeth.
There are a variety of different braces that are available. Advanced technology has grown so much that we even have braces that are invisible and removable, that one can wear without making it too obvious, this type of braces uses a clear plastic.
Another type of brace is the one we all grew up with, the traditional fixed ones. They are made of mix of metal brackets, and elastic bands. These have also advanced in that their brackets are a lot smaller now, and so they wear more comfortably in your mouth.
Braces aren’t the only option here. Orthodontists also offer other services that are specifically related to your facial structure, for example jaw bones, head gear, face masks etc explicitly the devices that work over a specific period of time to assist in fixing an issue and improving bone structure.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeon: as we go down the list, the dental services get more specialist. This dentist’s or surgeon’s specialism is on the tissues around the mouth – hard and soft. Examples of which are gums, lips, hard and soft palate, cheeks, tongue, and facial tissues. They are medically trained so they often work within the confines of a hospital because they perform more aggressive surgeries or procedures such as correcting facial jaw structures or difficult tooth extractions.
Periodontist: it may sound simple, but this dentist’s speciality is Gums. But their concern is with preventing, diagnosing, and treating various gum problems. Some of these issues can be gum inflammation and pain, cosmetic skin-grafting on the gum areas. Anything that involves doing an extensive procedure relating to gums, is their go-to.
Because treating gum disease is such a big part of the periodontist sector, these specialists often advise general dentists on treatment and prevention lifestyles for their patients.
To continue learning about other types of dentists click here.
Fixing your teeth is always one of the best personal investments worth making.
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