General, specialty and cosmetic dentistry each serve important functions. From keeping teeth healthy to solving major complications and finally, shaping teeth to look more attractive. Each of these fields of dentistry are important, although some are more necessary than others.
General dentistry
This is a part of routine self-care. Most times, when people have a toothache or have noticed cavities in their teeth, they go to a general dentist. It is also a part of regular checkups to find out if the teeth are healthy. A general dentist such as Lasting Smiles of Bethlehem will do your oral exam. They will also clean teeth, do fillings as well as fixing crowns and dental bridges for your teeth. If you are familiar with fillings and crowns, it is likely that you got them at the hands of a general dentist.
A general dentist is normally the one who recommends going to a specialty or cosmetic dentist for a patient. Usually, specialty and cosmetic dentists have gone through a period of study in addition to their initial study that makes them qualified to do additional procedures. However, a great deal of the more common procedures among specialty and cosmetic dentistry can be done by a general dentist with the right equipment.
Speciality dentistry
This is a much more complex form of dentistry. It could be considered more along the lines of oral surgery, such as the removal of wisdom teeth. Specialty dentistry goes beyond fillings and crowns and looks more at restorative treatments for the teeth. This includes dental implants, treatment of diseases that attack the gums and the removal of teeth that cannot be fixed with normal fillings or crowns.
Orthodontics forms a part of specialty dentistry, although it is perceived as mostly cosmetic. It is a part of specialty dentistry due to the long-term planning, execution and maintenance that is required to ensure successful realignment. Invisalign is an increasingly popular alternative to braces, since it is very difficult to tell if you have braces on or not.
Cosmetic dentistry
This branch of dentistry focuses on making teeth look better. Improving smiles through whitening and repairing chipped or strangely shaped teeth is what cosmetic dentistry is about. Some of these procedures provide the added benefit of making your teeth easier to clean or maintain. Orthodontics is not a part of cosmetic dentistry, though it is usually done to improve the alignment and symmetry of the teeth. A cosmetic dentist may work together with an orthodontist in order to help you achieve the best possible version of your smile.
If you have teeth that vary in size or shape, then a cosmetic dentist is the one you need to visit. Sometimes, even after an orthodontic adjustment, there may still be gaps in the teeth, these can be fixed up by a cosmetic dentist. Arguably the most common request to a cosmetic dentist is teeth whitening, although this is becoming more and more common even among general dentists.
