Overview
If you find yourself experiencing a nasty toothache, chances are that the thought of going to the dentist for help may have crossed your mind at least once – no matter how you may have felt about them before the pain set in.
But sometimes, the treatment you need may be too complex to be treated in a dentist’s clinic.
In that case, you would be referred to a dental specialist. Practitioners of dental specialties have to complete additional training in their specialized field of dentistry.
In the US, this means that depending on what was diagnosed, you could be referred to one of 12 recognized dental specialties.
What are the Dental Specialties?
Specialty definitions according to the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards (NCRDSCB) are as follows:[1]
1) Dental Anesthesiology: Dental Anesthesiology is the specialty within dentistry that concentrates on general anesthesia, sedation, and pain management to facilitate various dental procedures.
A dental anesthesiologist is a trained dentist who has completed an accredited postdoctoral anesthesiology residency program, typically three or more years, allowing them to administer and monitor anesthesia during dental treatments expertly.
2) Dental Public Health: This specialty is focused on the prevention of dental diseases via education of the public by promoting dental health through community efforts.
The specialty is set apart from the others by gearing efforts towards the community instead of one individual patient.
3) Endodontics: Many people know this part of the dentistry family. Endodontists diagnose tooth pain and treat the dental pulp, the tooth’s innermost layer. These specialists perform treatments (most commonly surgery) on root-related tissues such as a root canal.
4) Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology: This specialty of dentistry investigates the causes and effects of diseases in the maxillofacial region, which includes the face, oral cavity, head, and neck.
5) Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology: This discipline of radiology produces and interprets images using radiant energy, such as x-rays, used for diagnosing and managing dental diseases.
6) Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: This specialty of dentistry includes the treatment of the entire anatomical area of the mouth, jaws, face, skull, head and neck, and associated structures.
7) Oral Medicine: This specialty focuses on the diagnosis and management of oral diseases such as growths, ulcers, infections, allergies, and taste and smell disorders. It also treats conditions like oral cancer, salivary gland disorders, and musculoskeletal or neurologic concerns related to the face.
8) Orofacial Pain: Also known as OFP, this field of dentistry encompasses the management and treatment of pain disorders of the jaw, mouth, and face. The conditions treated by this specialty can include temporomandibular muscle and joint (TMJ) disorders, headaches, and even certain sleep disorders such as advanced bruxism.
9) Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics: This branch treats conditions that stem from tooth misalignment and malocclusion (the imperfect alignment of the teeth when the jaw is closed) that affect the head, spine, vascular systems, and muscles.
These conditions are relatively common as, by some estimates, around 30 percent of the world’s population have what can be considered severe malocclusions.[2]
10) Pediatric Dentistry: This branch of dentistry focuses on the dental and oral health of children from infancy through adolescence, including children with special health care needs.
11) Periodontics: This specialty deals with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases of the supporting and surrounding tissues of the teeth, such as the gums and the bones that connect to the jaw. As such, the vast majority of a Periodontist’s job is treating gum disease and placing dental implants.
12) Prosthodontics: This area of dentistry specializes in dental prosthetics and the cosmetic restoration and replacement of teeth. Bridges, crowns, veneers, complete dentures, and dental implants all fall into this category.
References:
- Recognized dental specialties. Recognized Dental Specialties | National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards. (n.d.). https://ncrdscb.ada.org/recognized-dental-specialties
- Borzabadi-Farahani A. (2011). An insight into four orthodontic treatment need indices. Progress in orthodontics, 12(2), 132–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pio.2011.06.001
