Maintaining good oral health is paramount, but sometimes, your smile requires something beyond routine exams and cleanings. That is when specialists may come in handy.
Discover more about these experts who help keep your smile healthy!
Endodontist
While many of us may be used to seeing a general dentist for our routine exams, cleanings, and fillings, sometimes our smiles require more specialized care. When this occurs, dental specialists should be sought out.
An endodontist is a dental specialist specializing in issues that pertain to the innermost layer of teeth – known as pulp – which contains nerves, blood vessels, and other tissues. When discomfort, tooth sensitivity or other symptoms appear in response to hot or cold temperature variations or any changes, that could indicate inflammation or infection within this vital region of the tooth pulp.
An endodontist will often suggest root canal treatment to relieve your dental discomfort and aid recovery from an infection, as this is a complex procedure requiring great skill to ensure a positive result. As such, your dentist is likely to refer you to one if they think this expert would be better equipped to deal with your case; their specialized equipment allows them to manage even complex cases effectively.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMFS) are medical doctors who specialize in surgery of the mouth, jaws, and face. OMFSs may perform several different surgical procedures that range from treating oral cancers and head trauma, reconstructive reconstruction surgeries for dental misalignments and misalignments to correcting cleft lips/palettes and regeneration of jaw bone for dental implant placement.
As well as offering more advanced treatments like facial cosmetic surgery and jaw reconstructions to treat sleep disorders, bite issues, skeletal irregularities that cannot be corrected with orthodontics alone, and intravenous sedation for pain relief during procedures, these providers are also equipped to offer intravenous sedation which provides pain relief during procedures.
Dental specialists possess additional training that enables them to detect, diagnose, and treat complex dental issues that would go undetected by general dentists, providing early intervention before more serious issues emerge later. Furthermore, these dental specialists use more advanced technologies and materials than general practitioners – often at lower costs as well.
Periodontist
Periodontists specialize in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases affecting gums and structures that support your teeth. Their experts are adept at recognizing early symptoms of gum disease so it doesn’t worsen into more serious problems such as tooth loss, jaw bone degradation, or the need for extensive surgery procedures.
General dentists are experienced at placing and caring for dental implants. When more complex cases arise, many will refer their patients to a periodontist for further assistance.
Assembling a team of dental specialists can be invaluable in meeting the needs of your patients more efficiently. Each specialty offers unique expertise that can enhance patient experiences and elevate quality care delivery.
Implantologist
Sometimes, our smiles need more than the standard exams, cleanings, and fillings provided by general dentists – that’s when it’s time to visit a dental specialist.
Orthodontics is an excellent solution to address misalignment in teeth and jaws that are misaligning or have other issues such as an overbite, underbite, or crossbite. Orthodontists also assist with the repositioning of wisdom teeth and cysts or tumor removal.
Prosthodontists are qualified specialists who are certified to restore and replace broken or missing teeth using crowns, bridges, dentures, and other removable and permanent prosthetics such as crowns.
Additionally, they specialize in managing space created following the premature loss of a tooth and treating sleep disorders such as snoring. Furthermore, prosthodontists perform post-oral cancer reconstruction surgery as well as treat injuries to mouth tissues that result from trauma as well as correct temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues.
