8 Types of Dentists: Which Specialists Take Care of Your Dental Health?


When you have a little oral care issue, you only want to find the right type of dentist to take care of it rapidly, competently, and not for all the money in the world. You google, “What type of dentist do I need?” What a mess! It seems there’s a specialist for each of your teeth, so many kinds of dentists exist. We’ll save you some time, providing a substantial overview of the main types of dentists and what they do. Let’s learn who’s who in this confusing dental legion!
- General Dentist
- Pediatric Dentist
- Orthodontist
- Periodontist
- Endodontist
- Oral Surgeon
- Prosthodontist
- Cosmetic Dentist
Main Types of Dental Specialists
There are different kinds of dentists, and each of them requires years of professional education and training to become an expert in. Every dental doctor has a unique set of skills and competence. The highest position in dentistry is often debated as all types of dentists are committed to helping you achieve optimal oral health.
General Dentist
Specialization: | A primary care oral health provider, a general dentist is a “therapist” among different types of dentists who evaluates your teeth and gum well-being. |
Provides: | Routine dental examination;preventive care;teeth cleaning;gum care;cavity removal;root canals;dental veneers;fillings;dental crowns and bridges. |
Pediatric Dentist
Specialization: | A pediatric dentist takes care of children’s oral health from infancy through the teen years. These types of dentist specialists work with teeth that are still developing and are perfectly aware of the kids’ needs. |
Provides: | Infant oral health evaluation;dental cleaning;fluoride treatments, tooth-colored fillings;gum treatment;habit counseling such as thumb sucking or pacifier use;crowns;repair of tooth cavities;dental injuries treatment;extractions. |
Orthodontist
Specialization: | Orthodontist is your go-to dental doctor if you want a perfect Hollywood smile and epic selfies. They can fix your bite and straighten your teeth. Numerous celebrities, including Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and others had visited an orthodontist before proudly walking the red carpet. Even royals addressed these types of dental specialists to align crooked, twisted, overlapped, or gapped teeth. |
Provides: | Traditional and ceramic braces;clear aligners; removable retainers. |
Periodontist
Specialization: | A periodontist has special knowledge, skills, and experience to prevent, diagnose, and treat oral tissue illnesses and the supporting bones of natural teeth and dental implants. These miraculous types of dentists can handle especially problematic periodontal and implant cases. |
Provides: | Сosmetic periodontal procedures;scaling and root planing;root surface debridement;oral inflammation treatment. |
Endodontist
Specialization: | An endodontist is an infected or decayed tooth savior. They stand out among all types of dentists as their specialization is closely connected to treating complex causes of tooth pain. These competent doctors perform root canals to preserve your natural teeth and relieve the pain and discomfort. |
Provides: | Root canals: removing the infected dental pulp and resealing the damaged tooth to prevent reinfection;endodontic surgery: some kinds of specialized surgery, including apicoectomy (removal of the tooth’s root’s tip);endodontic retreatment: if a former root canal didn’t heal well, an endodontist will replace the materials. |
Oral Surgeon
Specialization: | An oral surgeon is a highly trained professional who is savvy to treat diseases and injuries in the mouth, jaw, face, and neck. Their expertise in various types of dentistry is truly impressive, just like the scope of procedures they perform. If you need a dental implant, wisdom tooth removal, facial cosmetic surgery, or facial reconstruction, an appointment with a professional oral surgeon is the first step to take. |
Provides: | Dental implants;reconstructive surgery;tooth extractions;biopsies;jaw realignment;soft tissue repair;fractured cheek or jaw bone repair. |
Prosthodontist
Specialization: | A prosthodontist can come to the rescue if you need to repair a natural tooth or replace a missing one. Their competence covers the replacement and restoration of damaged or lost teeth with artificial devices. |
Provides: | Caps;dentures;crowns and bridges;jaw disorders treatment;dental implants. |
Cosmetic Dentist
Specialization: | Cosmetic dentistry is among the most in-demand types of dentist specialties. It is aimed at boosting your dental aesthetics and, consequently, self-esteem. A cosmetic dentist focuses on creating a more balanced, symmetrical, and visually pleasing smile. Whether you have chipped, cracked, misshapen, or misaligned teeth, are dissatisfied with tooth discoloration and staining, or suffer from the tiny gaps between your teeth—cosmetic dentistry has a solution to offer. |
Provides: | Veneers;teeth whitening;dental bonding;fillings;tooth and gum contouring;crowns, onlays, and inlays;implants and bridges. |
Dentistry Types in a Nutshell
Now nobody can catch you unaware asking, “What are the different types of dentists?” The time you find out that one of your 32 glossy friends needs help, you’ll know exactly which types of dentist specialties to address. Different fields in dentistry offer diverse dental procedures and treatments, depending on your unique case, oral cavity state, and specific requirements. Make sure that you address a reputable clinic with highly trained specialists to gain top-quality dental services: your smile and self-esteem deserve that.
Additional Resources
Exploring the main kinds of dentistry, you might have some questions left:
- You missed the chance to endure braces as a teenager. Is this the end? Luckily, adult braces allow you to boast the Hollywood smile at any age. Still doubtful? Read about what it feels like to have braces at 28 and acknowledge the story from the first-person perspective.
- The condition of your beloved tooth is on the brink of catastrophe. Read how an endodontist can save your natural tooth from being sacrificed to a tooth fairy.