Dentistry, also referred to as dental medicine and dental science, is an academic field that includes the study, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and preventative of dental disorders, diseases, and conditions. The scope of this discipline includes the entire body of knowledge concerning the physiology, pathology, biochemistry, structural biology, nutrition, microbiology, pharmacology, clinical neurophysiology, dentistry, oral surgery, pediatric dentistry, and allied health professions. Dentistry provides comprehensive care through its comprehensive educational programs and includes extensive hands-on clinical experience. Students pursuing a career in dentistry benefit by acquiring a wide range of knowledge on general and area of specialization, public health, oral medicine, periodontal disease, dental procedures, nutrition, dental promotion, and dental administration. Dentists are well-trained professionals who can diagnose, treat, prevent, evaluate, manage, and control disorders of the jaw, mouth, and oral cavity. Further, they can cure dental diseases by providing preventive and maintenance treatment.
Dental health is achieved by preventing tooth decay, preserving the tooth structure, treating gum disease, repairing damaged teeth, and preventing trauma to the gums and supporting structures around the teeth. A general dentist provides overall oral health care including routine preventive screenings, examination, diagnostic examinations, treatments, etc. Following are some of the dental specialties available in the United States. In Colorado Springs, there are two dental specialties namely, general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry. General dentists are specialized doctors who can treat all patients with their respective diseases by employing various techniques.
They focus on prevention of diseases by using therapeutic techniques that aim at reducing risks and enhancing patient comfort. They give a thorough knowledge of dental procedures and the benefits of dental practices. Cosmetic dentists use dental equipment like veneers, porcelain inlays, teeth whitening processes, bonding, laser technologies, and composite resin materials. Composite resin is a material that is used in teeth restoration of missing teeth, jaw deformities, broken teeth, or severely stained teeth.
The tooth structure is generally made of tooth enamel, a hard, dense outer layer, the sensitive soft inner core called the dentin. There is also a gum that surrounds the dentin and acts as a protective cover over the tooth. To replace the damaged or decayed tooth, the crown is used. The crown is a protective covering that covers and secures the tooth structure, giving it a more natural look. The crown is made of dental ceramic, stainless steel alloy, or dental composites and it is made to imitate a healthy tooth.
Some people have difficulties in wearing braces because of discomfort. Braces are made from synthetic metals and materials. However, a better option is to use Invisalign braces which are invisible braces that can be adjusted for each patient’s teeth and bite condition. The advantages of Invisalign include: it does not require adjustments, it is comfortable and safe, it reduces the need for additional treatments such as Invisalign aligners and bonding, the treatment process can be started at any time, and it is customized to fit each patient’s mouth.
There are a lot of reasons why one needs to maintain good oral hygiene. Healthy oral hygiene can prevent oral caries from forming. It can also prevent the occurrence of caries. However, there are cases when oral hygiene can’t prevent caries from occurring, and when this happens, dental caries treatments should be considered.