The Branches of Dentistry: A Guide to Different Types of Dentists

Your oral health is vitally important. It can affect the way you look, your ability to eat and how you speak. For these reasons, you should never take a chance with your dental health. While you should be familiar with the general dentist who performs check-ups on your teeth and gums, you may not be aware of the other branches of dentistry and the specialist dentists that work in these fields. Below is a brief guide to the different types of dentists and how they can help to repair and maintain your teeth and gums.

Periodontists

A periodontist specialises in the care of your gums and the bones which support your gums and teeth. If you are suffering from a severe gum infection, your dentist may refer you to a periodontist. A periodontist is qualified to use special tools to remove any build up of plaque or tartar which has built up beneath your gum line. They may also recommend that you take antibiotics to tackle any infection.

Endodontists

An endodontist is a dentist who specialises in dealing with diseased or infected root canals. If you require root canal surgery, this will normally be carried out by an endodontist. They will drill down into the dental pulp and kill the nerve. This will stop all pain and sensation within the tooth. The endodontist will the place a crown over the tooth to protect the pulp and prevent sensitivity.

Prosthodontists

A prosthodontist is responsible for repairing damaged or broken teeth and replacing teeth which have been lost. They are highly skilled using crowns, bridges and dentures to give their patients great looking smiles which look natural.

Orthodontists

You dentist will refer you to see an orthodontist if they detect problems with the alignment of your jaw or teeth. An orthodontist will be able to use a range of appliances such as braces and retainers to correct misaligned teeth and jaws. If the misalignment is severe, they make recommend that you undergo dental surgery to correct the problem. Orthodontists treat people of all ages.

Pedodontists 

Pedodontists or paediatric dentists specialise in childhood dental health. They are trained to diagnose and treat a wide range of oral health problems which can impact children, such as tooth decay, misaligned teeth and overbite. A pedodontist has an in-depth understanding of how a child's mouth grows and changes and will be very good at putting a child at ease when they are in the dentist chair.