Mouth Doctors Defined

There are many different types of dentists and specialists that work with your mouth. We’ve come up with a chart to help you identify all of the doctors involved in maintaining your oral health.

A general dentist is your primary dentist and oral health care practitioner. They are responsible for your overall oral health (including gums, root canals, fillings, crowns, veneers, bridges) and will help educate you in the ways that you can prevent future problems, tooth decay etc.

Anyone who’s had braces, a retainer, or Invisalign is intimately familiar with this particular dentist. An orthodontist specializes in the alignment of the teeth and surrounding structures of the mouth and focuses on straightening the teeth and treating any sort of bad bite (underbite, overbite, etc).

These mouth doctors specialize in the treatment of children (from the age of 1 all the way into early adulthood). Pediatric dentists take additional training in medical school to help them understand the special needs that often go along with children’s dentistry.

An Endodontist focuses specifically on the dental pulp (or nerve) of the tooth. They help to diagnose patients and come up with treatment plans directly concerning the root of the tooth. The next time you need a root canal, you can expect to be treated by one of these mouth doctors.

This mouth doctor studies the various causes of diseases that affect oral structures (like your jaw, your teeth, your lips, and your cheeks) and sometimes permanently alter them. They also analyze and example biopsy samples that they have taken themselves or that were sent to them by other doctors in order to diagnose patients.

This mouth doctor takes your X-rays and then interprets the images and the data in order to help diagnose and manage any potential conditions, disorders, or diseases present.

This doctor performs any surgeries within the maxillofacial area (which covers the mouth, jaw, and even the face in its entirety.) In addition to tooth removal, tumour and cyst removal, reconstructive surgery and dental implant surgery, these doctors also perform surgery on accident victims who have suffered facial injuries.

This mouth doctor focuses on ailments, conditions, and diseases affecting the soft tissues in the mouth (gums and tongue) as well as the bones and teeth. A periodontist is often the one to diagnose and treat gingivitis and periodontitis and will perform procedures like gum pocket cleaning, soft tissue and bone grafts, root planing, crown lengthening, flap procedures, hard and soft tissue recontouring and implant placement.

This mouth doctor uses artificial teeth, crowns, and caps to repair natural teeth and replace any missing or extracted teeth. They also specialize in replacing teeth using dental implants and are trained to help patients with head and neck deformities via artificial substitutes.

A dental hygienist performs all of the standard procedures your mouth undergoes during an cleaning. From removing plaque to polishing the teeth, your hygienist helps you maintain your smile and keep an eye out for any potential problems.