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Dental specialists blog
Dentistry, like medicine, has various specialties. Each of these deals with a specific
area of the oral-facial complex. The benefit to having specialties is the ability to focus on
specific problems in far greater detail and depth. In this way an expertise is developed
that may not be available in a general practice setting. Thus, unique and difficult patient
problems may be addressed in the best way.
Specialists receive additional years of university training beyond that of a general
dentist. The number of years varies by the specialty. However, the average number
ranges from 2 to 4 years of additional education. General dentist will refer patients to a
specialist if their situation is complex and requires greater specialized skill sets to
complete treatment or requires specialized equipment.
The following is brief descriptions of those specialists who are recognized in Ontario.
Other jurisdictions may have variations.
Anesthesiology
Many patients need some degree of sedation to cope with the rigors of dental care. This
may be due to anxiety, fear and phobia or a systemic illness. Care in hospital settings is
not always available or considered an appropriate use of the resources in a strained
health care system.
Dental Anesthesiologists are trained to offer a spectrum of sedation ranging from oral
medication to intravenous sedation. Their offices are equipped to offer general dental
care and support for the sedated patient pre and post treatment. The need for
anesthesia services is profound, so some travel around to other specialty offices and
general practices offering sedation services to those patients.
Endodontics
Endodontists are also known as root canal specialists. Generally, most people have an
idea of what they do. That is, cleaning and filling root canal spaces. However it is not
often known that endodontist actually specialize in all diagnosis and treatment which is
related to the pulp (nerve) of a tooth. So besides removing diseased pulp tissue and
saving teeth that would otherwise have to be removed, they also do microsurgeries all
in service of keeping teeth.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Oral surgeons are most often thought of as only removing wisdom teeth. Yet, they
perform all manner of surgery on the facial complex. The treatment ranges from
orthodontic surgeries to the post trauma rebuilding of faces and jaws.
Generally, they work in private oral surgery office settings and in hospitals.
Oral Radiology
Oral radiologists, as in medicine, are responsible for interpreting various forms of
imaging. All dentists take and interpret x-rays and other images. The difference is the
fact that oral radiology clinics are usually equipped with imaging technologies that the
general dentist or other dental specialist is not. Thus, more involved investigation is
possible.
Oral Medicine and Pathology
Pathology is a very complex and extensive field of study. Most diseases all look the
same clinically. It is only by examining biopsied tissues at the cellular level that the
distinctions may be made. Oral pathology deals with the disease processes of the oralfacial complex by investigating, diagnosing pathology samples and treating the disease
processes.
Orthodontics
It is the rare person that does not know what the orthodontist does today. One would
think that orthodontics, braces, are for aesthetics only. However, orthodontists monitor
growth and development, and intervene when jaws development is not ideal. This
prevents and corrects future functional issues not just the appearance of the smile.
They are treat adults not just children.
Periodontics
This is the specialty that intervenes when the supporting bone and the gum tissues are
diseased. Treatments range from root planning and scaling to various surgical
procedures. The aim is to eliminate the infection, stabilize the gums to retain the teeth.
They also place implants, since it is an artificial tooth ‘root’ that is surgically implanted.
Oral surgeons also place implants. However, the difference can be thought of as rough
carpenters and cabinet makers. The focus is slight different between the two.
Prosthodontics
Complex oral rehabilitation with artificial teeth – crowns, bridges, implant supported
teeth and dentures (both full and partial) are in the province of prosthodontics. The need
for the complex rehabilitation may due to general diseases or years of dental
deterioration.
Public Health Dentistry
This specialty is involved with governments, and public health policy. They generally
supervise the implementation of government programs and fulfill oversight for these
programs.