Good oral hygiene and routine dental checkups are necessary to avoid oral problems and dental diseases. Most people do not feel the need of visiting a dental expert, unless they are suffering from some severe kind of a pain in their teeth, or if there is something wrong with their teeth. A dentist is a doctor of oral health who treats and identifies problems of teeth, ranging from common to very complex. They guide patients to follow certain rules to maintain oral health, and also give instructions on diet, flossing, brushing, fluoride use and various other factors of dental care and Dentist. In case a problem arises in your teeth or gums, they identify and treat it too.
The Key Responsibilities of a Dentist
Dentistry is the field of medicine for oral health, and doctors who specialize in it are known as dentists. Most commonly, their responsibilities include the following:
Identifying and treating oral diseases
Removing teeth decay
Designing a treatment plan to restore dental health of a patient
Analysis of x-rays and diagnostic tests
Ensure careful administration of anesthetics, if needed
Keep an eye on the growth and advancement of teeth and jaws
Application of surgical procedures on the teeth, bone and soft tissues in the oral cavity
Handling oral problems and emergencies
Dental Procedures
Apart from handling these responsibilities, a dentist also performs dental procedures and other activities to work in your mouth, like
Straightening teeth
Extracting a tooth
Positioning a crown on a tooth
Filling cavities
Making straight jaws
Correcting bite
Repairing fractured teeth
Placing shielding of plastic sealants on children's teeth
Performing surgeries on supporting bones and gums to cure gum diseases
Removing teeth and making its replicas and dimensions for dentures to replace the teeth
Dental surgery or treatment after an injury
Recommending antibiotics and other medicines
Administering anesthetics when needed
The dentist uses various types of equipment such as drill, probes, brushes, forceps, mouth mirror, drills, x-ray machines, scalpels, lasers, digital scanners and various types of computer or advance technical tools to check and cure oral issues. Most of them wear gloves, masks and safety glasses to protect others as well as themselves from possible infections.
Most private practitioners handle various administrative tasks of their clinic as well, like buying supplies and equipment, working along with dental laboratory technicians, dental assistants, dental hygienist and receptionist. Most of the dentists are general practitioners, and they can handle various dental needs.
Some Specialist Dentists Practicing in Other Specialty Areas
Orthodontists: They straighten crooked teeth or misaligned jaws by applying pressure to the teeth with braces or other appliances.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons: They operate on the mouth, jaws, teeth, gums, neck, and head. Mostly they treat conditions, defects, injuries and aesthetic aspects of the mouth, teeth, jaws and face.
Pediatric dentists: They focus on dentistry for children and special-needs patients. They specialize in both primary and comprehensive preventive and therapeutic oral health care for infants and children.
Periodontists: They treat bones and gums supporting the teeth.
Prosthodontists: They substitute missing teeth with permanent fixtures, such as crowns and bridges, or with detachable fixtures such as dentures.
Endodontists: They mostly perform root-canal therapy.
Oral pathologists: They identify oral diseases.
Oral and maxillofacial radiologists: They identify diseases in the head and neck through the use of imaging technologies.
Dental public health specialists: They encourage good dental health and avoid dental diseases within the public.
Numerous reports indicate a link between your oral health and a variety of general health conditions – including heart disease and diabetes. To maintain good oral health, dental visits should begin just after the infant get one year old. A dentist can advise children and parents, provide preventive oral health services, and analyze and treat dental diseases in their initial stages. This will help everyone to maintain optimal oral health throughout their lifetime.