Dentists: What Different Specialists Treat

Anyone who has ever experienced a toothache knows what a dentist is. Conducting an examination, selecting veneers, removing yellow plaque, placing a filling—it might seem as though all these tasks are performed by a single professional. In reality, “dentist” is a general term that encompasses various specializations.

A dentist is a specialist with a college degree who is authorized to provide a wide range of medical services related to oral health.

Both general and specialized dentists can work in the dental field; for example, a general dentist may also serve as a prosthodontist or a dental hygienist. Looking for a dental clinic near your home? If you live in Moscow, you should contact “Artocclusion.”

Types of dentists:

• pediatric;
• general dentist;
• implantologist;
• surgeon;
• maxillofacial surgeon;
• dental hygienist;
• prosthodontist;
• orthodontist;
• gnathologist;
• periodontist.

Let’s break down what each one does specifically.

Reassuring the child is an important task for a pediatric dentist

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You can see a pediatric dentist until the age of 17–18. They understand the unique aspects of physical development in children and adolescents and are able to identify abnormalities in tooth development, bite alignment, and other issues.

A dentist will advise you on whether baby teeth need treatment. It’s worth noting that not all parents pay enough attention to the condition of their children’s baby teeth, assuming they’ll fall out eventually anyway. However, the development of permanent teeth depends on these baby teeth, so they shouldn’t be neglected either.

Another important task of a pediatric dentist is to establish rapport with young patients, 99% of whom are afraid not only of dental treatment but also of sitting in the chair for a preventive checkup.

General Dentist

• This is a dentist who treats both carious and non-carious dental diseases. Their main task is to provide an accurate diagnosis, proper treatment, and competent recommendations, including referrals to other, more specialized doctors.
• Such a doctor can help when:
• a tooth is causing pain (any type of pain: aching, throbbing, sharp, pressure-induced, etc.);
• your teeth have become more sensitive when eating (reacting to cold, spicy, or hot foods);
• the enamel has darkened, and cracks or spots have formed on it;
• your gums are bleeding heavily;
• a piece of a tooth has chipped off;

a filling has fallen out;

bad breath.

In some cases, a general dentist acts as a general practitioner capable of solving many problems.

Removing a diseased tooth, correcting a speech defect, and restoring the jaw—a dental surgeon can do all of this.

Implantologist

• A dentist who specializes in implant placement. The surgical procedure involves implanting artificial “roots”—titanium posts—into the jawbone, to which prosthetic restorations (crowns and bridges) are attached.
• In addition to examinations, consultations, and diagnostics, the specialist’s responsibilities include:
• developing an implant treatment plan;
• X-rays, referrals for lab tests, and other diagnostic procedures;

prosthetic restoration;

monitoring how well the implants have integrated.

An implantologist often works in collaboration with a general dentist, orthodontist, dental technician, and dental hygienist.

Oral Surgeon

• When therapeutic intervention is ineffective, patients are referred to an oral surgeon. Reasons for this include growths in the mouth, misaligned teeth, acquired injuries, and severe pain that does not subside with medication.
• What the specialist does:
• removes cysts;
• treats inflammation of the oral cavity;
• reconstructs the jaw (following injuries or accidents sustained during sports);
• sutures the gums;
• trims the frenulum and tongue (often performed on children due to speech problems resulting from an abnormal oral structure);
• extracts teeth;

cleans periodontal canals;

performs surgery on joints, the lower and upper jaws.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons often work in tandem with general dentists.

• Oral and maxillofacial surgeon
• The scope of practice for a maxillofacial surgeon is broader than that of an oral surgeon. Patients seek their services for the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the jaws, neck, and face. These conditions include:
• fractures of the cheekbones, jaws, nose, upper or lower;
• congenital malformations (e.g., cleft palate and cleft lip);

complications following illnesses, manifesting as acute purulent inflammations (phlegmon, abscess);

surgical intervention for benign and malignant tumors.

Placing new teeth on an artificial structure is the work of an implantologist and a prosthodontist

• Prosthodontist
• Defects related to the integrity of a single tooth or the entire dentition can be corrected by a prosthodontist or a prosthodontic technician. They specialize in placing various types of restorations:
• dentures (fixed and removable);
• crowns;
• veneers;
• lumineers;

caps;

splints, and more.

When it comes to prosthetics, they work in tandem with an implantologist and a dental technician—a specialist (not a doctor) in a dental laboratory who fabricates dental prostheses, and sometimes prostheses for parts of the face and facial skeleton.

• Orthodontist
• An orthodontist treats misaligned teeth in the jaw; their goal is to align the teeth in order to:
• correct the bite;
• ensure comfort while eating, speaking, and performing other activities;

ensure the continued normal development of teeth within the jaw (in the case of children whose teeth are still developing);

• create an aesthetically pleasing smile.
• Most often, parents of young children concerned about “abnormal” tooth growth seek out an orthodontist. However, adult patients may also need assistance. You should consult a specialist if you have:
• large gaps between teeth (up to 6 mm; diastemas and tremas);
• the remaining teeth have shifted toward the missing tooth due to the extraction of a single tooth;

the load on the teeth is uneven;

your mouth has become “crowded” due to improper tooth growth.

An orthodontist can help eliminate a gap between the teeth (diastema).

Dental hygienist

• A hygienist’s work is educational in nature and involves providing detailed consultations regarding dental health, whitening and strengthening enamel, oral care products, etc.
• A dental hygienist can help if you need to:
• strengthen enamel;
• polish fillings;

remove plaque and tartar from your teeth;

repair microcracks.

A dental hygienist will create a personalized oral care plan, recommend which products (toothpaste, dental floss, mouthwash) to use at home, and adjust your diet if doing so will help improve the condition of your teeth.

In most clinics, the role of a dental hygienist is performed by a general dentist.

In advanced cases, periodontal disease can lead to tooth loss

• Periodontist
• This is a specialist who treats periodontal diseases—inflammatory processes occurring in the tissues surrounding the teeth. The list of conditions includes:
• periodontitis—a tissue disease of an atrophic nature that threatens tooth loss.
• periodontitis — inflammation of the tissues leading to loosening of the tooth.

gingivitis — inflammation of the gums that can progress to periodontitis.

isolated periodontal pathologies: tumors in the gums, abscesses, inflammation at the site of tooth eruption.

Reasons for concern and a visit to a periodontist include: bleeding gums, discoloration of the gums, swelling, pus, darkening of the enamel, and an unpleasant, strong odor from the mouth.

Oral Surgeon

Poor oral hygiene and incomplete treatment are often the causes of tooth pain. However, in some cases, problems are caused by hidden pathologies and diseases in other areas adjacent to the oral cavity.