Dentistry

What exactly is dentistry?

Dentistry is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases of the teeth, gums, and other structures of the mouth. Generally when an individual thinks of a dentist, the first thought that pops up is their general dentist whom facilitates regular check-ups (i.e. fillings, cleanings, and x-rays), but in dentistry their is actually 9 fields one can specialize in after dental school:


1) Endodontics: This field of dentistry concentrates on root canal surgery


2) Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: This field of dentistry focuses on surgeries performed in the mouth, face, and jaw. Reconstructive surgery and dental implants are included.


3) Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology: This field of dentistry concentrates on identifying and managing diseases affecting the oral and maxillofacial regions and investigating the causes, effects, and processes of those diseases.


4) Oral and Maxillofacial Radiation: In this field of dentistry, dentists examine x-rays to
determine diseases in relation to the jaw, face and mouth.


5) Prosthodontics: This field of dentistry focuses on the creation of prosthetic models to treat anatomical dysfunctions in the mouth (i.e. dental crowns, dental implants, and dentures).


6) Orthodontics: In this field of dentistry, professionals focus on straightening their clients teeth using braces and/or retainers.


7) Periodontics: This field of dentistry achieving and keeping the health of a client's tooth structure. The tooth has usually decayed from gum tissue infections.


8) Pedodontics (Pediatric Dentistry): This field of dentistry focuses on the dental health and treatment of children


9) Dental Public Health: In this field of dentistry, professionals focus on the causes and treaments of diseases in the oral cavity