| Pulling Teeth
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| | reconstruction), Orthodontics(braces),
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| 16th November 2006
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| | Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery(tooth
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| Author: Josh Stone
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| | removal and surgery of the oral and
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| Dentistry is the art and science of
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| | related structures), and Dental Public
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| prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of
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| | Health. There is no specialty in esthetic
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| conditions, diseases, and disorders of
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| | dentistry or implantology, and no
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| the oral cavity, the maxillofacial
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| | additional training is required for a
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| region, and its associated structures as
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| | dentist to make the claim of being an
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| it relates to human beings. A dentist is
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| | esthetic or cosmetic dentist. Dentists
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| a doctor qualified to practice dentistry.
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| | are forbidden to claim that they are
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| In most countries, several years of
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| | specialists in areas of practice in which
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| training in a university (usually 4-8)
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| | there is no recognized specialty. They
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| and some practical experience working
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| | may limit their practices to a single
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| with actual patients' dentition are
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| | area of dentistry, and claim that their
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| required to become a qualified dentist.
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| | practice is limited to that area.
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| The patron saint of dentists is Saint
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| | Any general dentist may perform those
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| Apollonia, martyred in Alexandria by
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| | procedures designated within the
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| having all her teeth violently extracted.
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| | enumerated specialties if they deem
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| General Dental Practice includes most
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| | themselves competent. Many general
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| examination, diagnosis, treatment
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| | dentists train in certain aspects of the
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| planning, treatment, and prevention of
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| | above specialties such as the placement
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| disease. The dentist frequently uses
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| | and restoration of dental implants,
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| X-rays and other equipment to ensure
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| | advanced prosthodontics and endodontics,
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| correct diagnosis and treatment planning.
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| | and have limited or heavily focused their
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| Treatment may include filling cavities,
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| | practices to these areas. When a general
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| removing the nerves of teeth, treating
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| | dentist performs any procedure that falls
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| diseases of the gums, removing teeth, and
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| | within the realm of a specialty, they are
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| replacing lost teeth with Bridges and
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| | expected to perform with the same level
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| Dentures (Dental Plates). Anesthesia is
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| | of expertise as a certified specialist
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| often used in any treatment that might
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| | and are legally held to such standards
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| cause pain. Teeth may be filled with
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| | with respect to any issues of
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| Gold, Silver, Amalgam, or Cements, and
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| | malpractice.
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| with fused Porcelain Inlays. Dentists
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| | There are nine dental specialties
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| treat diseases of the mouth and gums such
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| | recognized by the American Dental
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| as trench mouth and Periodontitis. An
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| | Association and require 2-6 years of
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| important part of general dental practice
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| | residency training after dental school.
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| is preventive dentistry. If a dentist
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| | The specialties are Dental Public Health
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| examines a patient's teeth at regular
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| | (study of dental epidemiology and social
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| intervals, a disease may be detected and
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| | health policies), Endodontics (root canal
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| treated before it becomes serious.
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| | therapy), Oral and Maxillofacial
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| Dentists also demonstrate proper methods
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| | Pathology (study, diagnosis, and often
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| of brushing and flossing the teeth. They
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| | the treatment of oral and maxillofacial
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| may advise their patients about what food
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| | related diseases), Oral and Maxillofacial
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| to eat or to avoid for good dental
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| | Radiology (study and radiologic
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| health. Dentists may also treat teeth
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| | interpretation of oral and maxillofacial
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| with Fluorides or other substances to
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| | diseases), Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
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| prevent decay.
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| | (extractions and facial surgery),
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| In the United States, dentists earn
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| | Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics
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| either a D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental
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| | (straightening of teeth), Pedodontics
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| Surgery) or D.M.D.(Doctor of Dental
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| | (pediatric dentistry; i.e. dentistry for
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| Medicine) degree. There is no difference
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| | children), Periodontics (treatment of gum
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| in the training for either degree. The
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| | disease), Prosthodontics (replacement of
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| degrees are equivalent, and recognized
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| | missing facial anatomy by prostheses such
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| equally by all state boards of dentistry.
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| | as dentures, bridges and implants).
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| There are 56 Accredited Dental schools in
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| | Specialists in these fields are
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| the United States requiring 4 years of
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| | designated registrable (U.S. "Board
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| post graduate study (except for one
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| | Eligible") and warrant exclusive titles
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| unique 3 year program at the University
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| | such as orthodontist, oral surgeon,
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| of the Pacific)[14]. Most applicants to
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| | pedodontist, periodontist, or
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| dental school have attained at least a
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| | prosthodontist upon satisfying certain
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| B.S. or B.A. degree, however, a small
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| | local (U.S. "Board Certified") registry
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| percentage are admitted after only
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| | requirements.
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| fulfilling specific prerequisite courses.
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| | Two other post-graduate formal advanced
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| So unlike many other countries, it can
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| | education programs: General Practice
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| take more than 8 years to become a
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| | Residency (advanced clinical and didactic
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| dentist. (List of dental schools in the
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| | training with intense hospital
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| United States) The degrees D.D.S. and
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| | experience) and Advanced Education in
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| D.M.D. require equivalent education and
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| | General Dentistry (advanced training in
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| are identical in every way. The
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| | clinical dentistry) recognized by the ADA
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| difference relates to the history
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| | do not lead to specialization.
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| involved in the division of medicine and
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| | Other dental education exists where no
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| surgery in medical practice. There has
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| | post-graduate formal university training
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| been a recent movement to include a 5th
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| | is required: cosmetic dentistry, dental
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| year of education that focuses on purely
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| | implant, temporo-mandibular joint
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| practical training in the clinical
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| | therapy. These usually require the
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| setting. In at least one state, a state
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| | attendance of one or more continuing
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| dental license can be received without
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| | education courses that typically last for
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| taking the licensing exam (State Board
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| | one to several days. There are
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| Exam) upon completing this additional
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| | restrictions on allowing these dentists
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| year of training. Dentists are licensed
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| | to call themselves specialists in these
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| and regulated by the state in which they
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| | fields. The specialist titles are
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| practice. The license is only valid in
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| | registrable titles and controlled by the
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| the issuing state and is
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| | local dental licensing bodies.
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| non-transferable. There are many
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| | Forensic odontology consists of the
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| cooperative agreements between states
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| | gathering and use of dental evidence in
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| that allow recognition of another state's
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| | law. This may be performed by any dentist
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| license so as to procure a license either
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| | with experience or training in this
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| via "licensure by credentials" or
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| | field. The function of the forensic
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| "licensure by reciprocity."
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| | dentist is primarily documentation and
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| A dentist may go on for further training
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| | verification of identity.
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| in a dental specialty which requires an
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| | Geriatric dentistry or geriodontics is
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| additional 1 to 7 years of post-doctoral
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| | the delivery of dental care to older
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| training. There are 9 recognized dental
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| | adults involving the diagnosis,
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| specialties. They are Endodontics(root
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| | prevention, and treatment of problems
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| canal treatment), Oral and Maxillofacial
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| | associated with normal aging and
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| Pathology, Oral and Maxillofacial
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| | age-related diseases as part of an
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| Radiology, Pediatric Dentistry,
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| | interdisciplinary team with other health
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| Periodontics(gums),
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| | care professionals.
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| Prosthodontics(complicated dental
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| | Freelance writer for over eleven years.
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