What is a dentist?
A dentist is a skilled medical professional who diagnoses and treats dental and oral health issues. They can also diagnose and treat mouth, teeth, and gum problems and deal with oral traumas and other emergencies. One of the dentist's most crucial responsibilities is promoting good oral hygiene and reducing the likelihood of any oral health issues.
Dentists are skilled at extracting teeth, repairing cracked teeth, whitening, filling, and bonding teeth. They also supervise the growth of children's teeth and monitor the growth and development of their jaws and teeth. In addition, they can fill cavities, treat gum diseases such as gingivitis, and place crowns and veneers.
Dentists can also operate on the oral cavity's soft tissues, bones, and teeth with anesthesia. They utilize modern instruments and technology, including X-ray machines, scalpels, drills, lasers, brushes, and other medical tools, while performing dental procedures or surgeries.
Of the various subspecialties, pediatric dentistry cares for children's dental and oral health. A pediatric dentist can diagnose and treat children's dental cavities and teach them the best practices for keeping their teeth healthy and hygienic.
Education and training of dentists
Dentists start their training by completing an undergraduate program in biology, chemistry, health, or a related subject. Next, they must attend dental school, for which they must first take the Dental Admission Test (DAT). Dentistry graduate programs comprise two years of coursework in biomedical science and two years of clinical practice.
After earning a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DDM) degree, you must clear written and practical exams to get a dental license. If you want to specialize in a branch of dentistry, you must complete a residency program in a particular area of dentistry. Based on the specialty, it takes 1-3 years to complete the residency. Finally, you must pass the National Board Dental Examination to get certified.
What are the different specialties in dentistry?
After earning a dental degree, many dentists pursue additional training to obtain certification in a specialized field. Some key dental specialties include:
- Dental hygiene: This focuses on routine patient care, often supporting specialists like prosthodontists, orthodontists, and periodontists.
- Pediatric dentistry: This involves oral health care for children from infancy through adolescence.
- Oral and maxillofacial radiology: This field involves imaging techniques, such as X-rays, to diagnose and manage oral diseases and disorders.
- Endodontics: This field deals with dental pulp and root canal treatments.
- Maxillofacial prosthetics and dental oncology: This field specializes in reconstructing the upper and lower jaw, treating congenital facial conditions, and managing cancer-related oral concerns. Experts in this field create and fit prosthetic replacements for head and neck structures.
- Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics: This field focuses on correcting dental and facial irregularities using braces and other alignment techniques.
- Oral and maxillofacial pathology: This addresses diseases affecting the teeth, mouth, and surrounding structures.
- Periodontics: This field specializes in treating conditions affecting the gums, bone, and soft tissues, including bone regeneration, dental implants, and aesthetic gum management.
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery: This involves surgical procedures to treat oral diseases, injuries, and defects.
- Prosthodontics: This focuses on restoring missing or damaged teeth and maxillofacial structures.
- Dental anesthesiology: This is a recently recognized distinct specialty which involves managing pain and discomfort during dental procedures using advanced sedation techniques. To become a dental anesthesiologist, one must complete four years of dental school and a 36-month hospital-based training program covering pharmacology, internal medicine, emergency medicine, and pediatric and adult anesthesiology.
What conditions do dentists treat?
Dentists can treat various diseases of the mouth and teeth. Some of these include:
- Bad breath: It is also known as halitosis. Cavities, dry mouth, bacterial growth on the tongue, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), etc., can cause this condition. While mouthwash can temporarily mask the smell, you should see a dentist if you have chronic bad breath.
- Gum disease: Gum disease (also called periodontal disease) is one of the leading oral diseases that causes tooth loss in adults. It results from gum infections. Foul breath, swollen or bleeding gums, and difficulty chewing are common symptoms of gum disease.
- Tooth abscess: A tooth abscess means a pus pocket in your tooth. It results from bacterial infections and resembles a red, swollen bump. If left untreated, the disease may spread to the nearby teeth and bones.
- Mouth sores: Mouth sores are pain-causing ulcers affecting soft oral tissues. They can form on your lips, tongue, gums, and floor and roof of the mouth. Its symptoms include a tingling sensation, bleeding, blistering, and difficulty eating and swallowing.
Types of oral surgery
Oral surgery involves procedures performed on the gums, jaw, teeth, or other facial or oral structures. Some of these include:
If you have considerable tooth decay, gum disease, dental trauma, or difficulties with your wisdom teeth, you may need an extraction. Tooth extractions may be required to prepare you for dentures or other prosthetic devices. Most dentists prefer preserving your natural teeth wherever possible; however, extractions may be necessary to maintain oral health. Furthermore, many dentists suggest wisdom tooth extraction as a preventive strategy to lower your risk of cavities, bone loss, and other issues.
- Dental bone transplantation
You must undertake a dental bone graft if your jaw has lost bone. There are several reasons why this could happen. When your natural teeth are present, their roots stimulate the nerves in your jaw. This tells your brain to send nutrients to your jaw, which keeps it strong and healthy. A tooth missing for a long period can cause bone degeneration since no roots can stimulate the nerves. A dental bone graft helps restore the volume and density of the jawbone, allowing the dentist to insert dental implants later.
Corrective jaw surgery, or orthognathic surgery, repairs skeletal defects in the jaw bones. It can help improve chewing, repair misalignment, treat face abnormalities, and alleviate pain produced by TMJ disorder.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the tissues in the back of the throat collapse and restrict the airway during sleep. Conservative treatment methods, such as the use of a CPAP machine or oral appliance therapy, can sometimes be effective for OSA. However, severe cases may require surgical treatment.
Cavities in children
Cavities, called caries or tooth decay, are children's most common dental ailments. If left untreated or ignored, cavities can lead to severe complications such as infection and toothache, which can lead to issues with eating, speaking, and learning. Children with poor health often miss school more often and achieve lower grades in exams compared to students with no dental issues.
Good dental hygiene can help the child prevent dental cavities. It is vital to help the child establish healthy dental practices before the first tooth appears. If the child is made aware at an early age about the causes of cavities, their harmful effects on the teeth, and how to treat cavities if they develop, it can help you and your child prevent cavities from developing in the teeth in the future.
Foods, bacteria, saliva, and acids can cause dental cavities in children. Foods with higher amounts of starch and sugar, such as candy, cake, juices, soda cereals, and milk, become acidic due to the bacteria in the child's mouth. The acid erodes the tooth enamel, causing cavities. Dental cavities can harm the child's health if ignored or left untreated.
Specific factors that could increase the risk of dental cavities among children include:
- Higher quantities of sugars, starches, and carbohydrates in the child's diet
- Higher than average bacteria levels in the child's mouth
- No or very little oral hygiene
- Drinking water with no or little fluoride
- Low saliva production
Symptoms of cavities in children
Symptoms and signs of cavities could be different for different children. However, the most common signs of cavities include the following:
- Light brown color formation on the tooth
- White spots on the teeth
- Hole in the tooth
- Darkening of the tooth
- Reaction to cold foods or sweets
If you detect these signs in your child's teeth, you must immediately see a pediatric dentist near you. Dentists can treat the cavity with fillings or restorations (direct and indirect).
If the child experiences any of the following symptoms, you must seek immediate medical or dental attention:
- Increased swelling or pain
- Fever and other signs of an infection
- Pus coming out from the tooth
- Trouble chewing or eating
Untreated tooth decay and cavities can have long-term effects on the child and even cause life-threatening dental infections.
What can caregivers and parents do to avoid cavities in children?
For babies:
- Wipe their gums two times a day with a clean, soft cloth after the first feeding in the morning and before going to sleep to remove sugars and bacteria that may cause cavities.
- When the teeth come out, brush them twice daily with tiny bristles, soft toothbrushes, and plain water.
- See the pediatric dentist when your baby completes one year to check for any signs of cavities.
- When your child's first set of teeth appears, check with the dentist about applying fluoride varnish.
Note: First, consult the pediatric dentist on fluoride toothpaste for brushing for children below two years old.
For children:
- Brush the teeth two times a day with the fluoride toothpaste.
- Parents must help their child brush their teeth until they learn proper brushing skills. If the child is under six years old, parents must watch them brush their teeth and teach them the best brushing practices.
- Ask the dentist to apply dental sealants onto your child's teeth when required.
- Please encourage the child to drink tap water, as it contains fluoride.
Finding the best dentist near you in Suwanee, Georgia
With Zocdoc, finding the best and most experienced dentists in Suwanee, Georgia, is simple and easy. The website contains an endless list of qualified dentists with detailed profiles.
First, create a free Zocdoc account. Next, choose the specialty or condition, location, date, and insurance plan. A comprehensive list based on your search criteria will appear. You can even use the Zocdoc insurance detector if you need clarification on insurance. Each dentist profile on Zocdoc includes a brief introduction, education qualification, practice location, visit reasons, and, more importantly, patient reviews.
Therefore, you learn everything you need about a particular dentist on a single platform.
Moreover, entering your insurance information into your Zocdoc account makes it easier to search for in-network doctors. However, many locations still need you to bring your insurance card to the appointment. For any other insurance-related queries, contact Zocdoc's patient help center.
On Zocdoc, you can link your medical, dental, and vision insurance plans to your account; however, you can use only one plan per appointment.
You can add your secondary insurance details in the appointment notes if you have multiple insurance plans. Alternatively, if your healthcare provider utilizes Zocdoc's Intake forms, you can enter your secondary insurance information directly through the form.
With Zocdoc, you can schedule appointments before, during, or after office hours based on the dentist's availability. You may also book appointments on weekends and holidays if their schedule allows.
After the appointment, Zocdoc asks patients to leave a review. You'll find updated patient reviews on Zocdoc. Therefore, reading patient reviews on Zocdoc is an easy way to find the best dentist near you in Suwanee, Georgia.
You can also book a video appointment on Zocdoc before an in-person visit to better understand your dentist. Look for a purple video icon for dentists' profiles, or filter the video appointment selection.
Using Zocdoc, you can book appointments with dentists who accept your insurance plan in real-time. Booking appointments on Zocdoc is simple, secure, and free!
Preventive child dental care statistics Suwanee, Georgia
According to the 2021 report published on America's Health Rankings website, poor oral and dental health during early childhood can affect the child's health into adolescence and adulthood, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Moreover, simple dental treatments such as dental sealants can help prevent about 80% of back teeth cavities in children.
The report further indicates that approximately 74.4% of children in the 1-17 age group in Georgia had one or more preventive dental care visits to the dentist in the past year, slightly lower than the national average of 75.1%. Georgia has about 44.7 dentists per 100,000 population, way lower than the national average of 62.3.
The 2021 data published by the Georgia Department of Public Health indicates that household income, lack of dental sealants, dental insurance status, maternal tooth extraction, and past tooth decay are all risk factors for dental caries in children and adults. The report further states about 96% of Georgia's public water system users received fluoridated water. Fluoridation of drinking water can prevent dental decay by about 20-40%, resulting in around $38 savings in future dental expenditures for every $1 invested in fluoridation.
Source
WebMD[1]
WebMD[2]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Georgia Department Of Public Health
America’s Health Rankings[1]
America’s Health Rankings[2]
Verywell Health
Cleveland Clinic[1]
Cleveland Clinic[2]
Cleveland Clinic[3]
American Dental Association
Mayo Clinic
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