The Major Dental Specializations
Dentistry is the field of medicine that focuses on the health of the mouth and teeth. Additionally, dentists can work with maxilla (jaw bone) problems, and facial problems. Because it is a branch of medicine, there are also many sub-specializations. Finding the right dental specials is very important, therefore. The sub-specializations are categorized per medicine branches. Usually, a specialist dentist has completed dental school, as well as several additional years of studying to graduate.
Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric dentistry focuses on the general oral and dental oral health specific to young children. This is one of the most complicated specializations, mainly because children are very averse to pain and because they have small dental features. This field has significant technical difficulties, therefore. That said, it is also a very rewarding specialization because it enables people with a real passion for improving health to achieve just that, and to make sure that children can smile once again.
Maxillofacial Dentistry
Maxillofacial dentists work with those people who have had a dental infection that has spread to the jawbone. Unfortunately, since so many people don’t take their dental health seriously, it is very common for these types of infections to occur. Maxillofacial dentists also work with people who have a congenital deformity of the jawbone. These deformities often make them socially excluded, and dental work can combat this.
Endodontic Dentistry
An endodontic dentist deals with illnesses and diseases that affect the dental pulp. These are the types of diseases that generally should be treated by the thing that so many people fear: a root canal. Endodontic dentistry is the most common specialization for people to complete, mainly because it is also a high demand skill.
Periodontic Dentistry
A periodontic dentist has specialized their knowledge into the supportive structures of the teeth. This includes the gums. There are not many dentists who specialize in this field, which is strange since demand is actually quite high. This is due to the fact that, when someone does have a problem with these supportive structures, it can be very distressing to them.
Prosthodontic Dentistry
A prosthodontic specialist has trained in replacing the body’s natural parts using biocompatible, artificial parts instead, known as prosthetics. These specialists provide an invaluable service to people who lose their teeth, particularly following accidents in which their mouth was shattered. Prosthodontic dentists can be hard to find, but they are highly sought after since their skills, while not often required, must be fully up to date if they are to be effective.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Last but not least, there is cosmetic dentistry, which effectively combines knowledge from all the other disciplines and specializations. A cosmetic dentist uses their skills to improve the aesthetics of someone’s mouth and teeth. We live in a world where everybody wants to look their best, and where a beautiful smile is not just “worth a million dollars” but actually a perceived reflection of social status. As a consequence, this field of dentistry is becoming one of the most popular, and most sought after of all.