- Prosthodontics & Maxillofacial prosthodontics: This relates
to providing prosthesis (artificial substitutes) for the missing dental and oral
structures. A prosthodontist replaces the missing dental structures, with the various
kinds of appliances custom made for the patient.
- Oral Surgery & Maxillofacial Surgery: Is a purely surgical
branch, deals with dental surgical treatment and oral diseases. Oral surgeon can
be referred from simplest surgical procedure of tooth extraction to complex surgical
procedures that require extensive surgery. A purely surgical branch, the degree
of expertise required is large and along with a great deal of medical knowledge.
The medical knowledge is necessary to evaluate the general health/fitness of the
patient to undergo surgery as well as to handle any medical emergency that arises
during the procedure.
He/she also replaces complex oro-facial structures. These are used to treat patients
with congenital defects (birth defects) or post-surgery treatment particularly in
cancer patients.
- Pedodontics: The term ‘pedo’ or ‘peds’ implies children, thus pedodontics
or pediatric dentistry is the branch of dentistry dealing with children. The oral
health concerns for children vary from adults. The main focus is on prevention.
It takes into consideration the growth and development of the dental and oro- facial
structures of the child. A pedodontist must be able to understand the child psychology
and successfully handle the kid.
- Conservative dentistry & Endodntics: Technological advancement has
resulted in conservation of the natural teeth. And this exactly is dealt in the
branch of conservative dentistry. The procedures involved are filling of carious
tooth, building and restoring of the broken or diseased teeth. The procedure is
done bearing in mind that optimal treatment is provided without causing loss of
tooth structure.
Restoration of the tooth aesthetics also comes under the jurisdiction of this branch,
although aesthetic dentistry is a multi speciality discipline. The initial half
‘endo’ indicates that it involves treatment of dental pulp diseases. The pulp damage
occurs due to advanced dental caries that reaches the pulp.Thus, an endodontist
is a specialist who is skilled in procedures for restoration and protection of the
tooth.
- Periodontics: ‘Peri’ suggests around something and ‘odontos’ means
tooth, so periodontics means the surrounding structures of the tooth. These would
be the gums and the supporting bone, without which the function of the tooth is
lost. A periodontist undertakes all the procedures for the teeth’s health. These
can be as simple as scaling of teeth or as complex as a periodontal surgery.
- Orthodontics: This specialization involves the perfect alignment
of teeth but also the proper growth of the teeth and jaws. Many people have problems
with the alignment of their teeth, which is desirable from aesthetic and also functional
position.