Dentists: Six Types Of Dental Specialists And The Services They Provide

Not every dentist can provide all the different dental services you require. Thus, sometimes you may visit a dental office, and the dentists tell you they don't offer the specific type of treatment or service you need.

You might have wondered what kind of a dentist they are and doubted their proficiency. However, the fact of the matter is that different dentists specialize in various areas of dentistry. Hence, the dentist could not serve you because they do not specialize in the area of dentistry you might need.

Hence, to ensure you visit the right dentists, here are six types of dental specializations and what they entail.

Endodontist Dentists

Suppose you have a toothache, and upon examining the tooth, a general dentist realizes your tooth pulp has started to decay, or the interior of your tooth has an infection. In that case, the general dentist will refer you to an endodontist who can perform a root canal.

An endodontist is trained to diagnose issues with your tooth's nerves, blood vessels, and pulp to determining if a root canal procedure is required as treatment. Hence, endodontists are dentists who specialize in providing root canal treatment.

Orthodontist Dentists

An orthodontist is a dentist who specializes in the corrective aligning of teeth and jawbones. Hence, if you have an overbite, underbite, misaligned jaw, or crooked teeth, an orthodontist is the dentist you need to see.

Orthodontists are trained to design and implement braces, dental headgears, palatal expanders, and clear aligners to correct a wide variety of dental misalignments.

Periodontist Dentists

A periodontist is a dentist who specializes in the treatment of gums. Thus they are tasked with diagnosing, preventing, and treating gum infections and diseases. Sometimes, depending on the severity of the gum disease, a periodontist can also perform surgical procedures such as pocket reduction and gum grafting.

Additionally, periodontists play a significant role when installing dental implants because it involves surgically opening the gums to create room for the implant. Thus, it is essential for a periodontist to regularly check for infections during the healing period after a dental implant procedure.  

Prosthodontist Dentists

Prosthodontists primarily operate as cosmetic dentists. Their primary work revolves around the restoration and replacement of damaged or missing teeth, respectively.

Thus, prosthodontists provide services such as designing and installing oral appliances such as veneers, crowns, bridges, dental implants, and dentures. However, their specialty also plays a significant role in dental reconstructive surgery.

Pediatric Dentist

A pediatric dentist specializes in oral health care for toddlers and children up to fourteen years old. The services provided by a pediatric dentist include:

• Detecting potential dental deformities in children
• Milk teeth removal, 
• Regular oral and dental checkups for kids.
• Filling cavities.
• Educating children on the importance of oral health care.

Oral Surgeon

Also referred to as maxillofacial surgeons, these dentists specialize in surgically treating problems that involve the tissues located in the mouth, face, and jaws. Such surgical operations are pretty complex, and as a result, these specialists are also trained in applying sedation during surgery.

Some examples of the procedures these type of dentist focuses on include teeth extractions, cleft palatal and lip surgery, and corrective jaw surgery.