Five Most Popular Dentist Specialties

A dentist can specialize in nine American Dental Association recognized areas or practice. They impact public dental health from toddlers to elderly.

There are nine known dental specialties. General dentistry is the most popular because they tend to the widest range of patients and they are the first dental care professional that any patient will see. They are also the dental care professional we see the most often throughout our lives. They are the ones we go to for first diagnosis, general treatment, and referrals. They stick with you during any subsequent treatments and procedures to monitor your healing and acceptance of the changes that have occurred. But there are several other very popular specialties that men women and children require the most often in life. They include treatment for the gums, inner tooth pulp, surgery, alignment and prosthesis for replacements. The general public isn't giving up on its oral health or simply focusing on the appearance of their teeth, dental patients are taking their oral health seriously from the inside out.

It may be useful to look at the most popular dentist specialties from the inside of the tooth and gums to the outside with the appearance of resulting smile. A dentist in periodontics diagnosis and treats all of the diseases and conditions of the gums. This includes installation of dental implants which are the titanium rods that can be placed within or on top of the jaw bone. They also work with prevention as do all areas of dental care. An endodontics specialist focuses on treatment of infections and injuries to the inner tooth or pulp. Tooth and mouth pain have been commonly diagnosed with inner tooth pain causing nerve damage. Their common treatment referrals are root canals. An oral maxillofacial surgeon treats the entire mouth, teeth, jaw and face for the relief of pain, alignment, and oral disease. They also work with tooth removal and implant placement. Lastly, a prosthodontic dentist specializes in restorative dentistry. They fit and install crowns, veneers, bridges, dentures and dental implants. There is a certain level of artistry inherent to tooth sculpting, prosthesis tinting and shaping in order to create a naturalistic appearance for patient comfort and use.

A dentist can choose to work in any specialty area and find a great way to serve the general public with expert dental care. From pediatric dental care that prepares youth to recognize the importance of oral hygiene to prosthodontics that specializes in restoring aging, damaged, or diseased smiles, patients are receiving the specific care needed to improve their oral health and prevent further loss or pain. A good dentist and specialist referral is a necessity of life.