Understanding Dental Specialties: What Type of Dentist Do You Need?

In this guide, we’re exploring some of the more common dental specialities and how they might be able to help you. If you’re thinking about specialist treatment, it can be useful to know what different dentists can help you with as it may streamline your search.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the main different types of dentist and what they can help you with.

What does a general dentist do?

All dentists are trained in general dentistry to start with, and then they may choose to focus on a different area of speciality. A general dentist can help with most routine restorative and preventative treatments, including:

• Dental checkups

• Scale and polish hygienist treatments

• Fillings

• Extractions

• Bridges and crowns

• Root canal treatment

• Dentures

• Teeth whitening

• Consultations for more complex treatments

If you’re not sure where to start, you can head straight to a general dentist for advice. They will often carry out the most simple treatments themselves, but if a treatment seems to be more complex, they might send you to a specialist.

A great example of this would be root canal therapy. With a simple root canal, more general dentists would be confident carrying out this treatment. For more complex cases, they might refer you to an endodontist.

What does an endodontist do?

An endodontist is a general dentist who has taken on additional training to better understand treatment of the tooth roots and pulp. Their primary treatment area is complex root canal treatments, but they might also treat complications related to root canal treatment.

If you have pain in your teeth and the cause isn’t obvious, you might be referred to an endodontist to investigate further. If you are referred to an endodontist, don’t panic. They are highly skilled specialists and will be able to help address your pain and get to the heart of the problem to help put things right.

What does an orthodontist do?

If you’re thinking about braces, you might be referred to an orthodontist. Orthodontists are highly skilled in treating the alignment of your teeth using braces or aligner systems. Most orthodontists will offer a few different treatment options, such as fixed or removable aligners, whereas others will focus on a specific type of aligner technology.

If you’re thinking about braces, it’s usually a good idea to visit your general family dentist, as they may also be trained in orthodontics. If not, there may be a dentist in the practice you can see. And finally, they might refer you to another practice. This is often easier than finding your own orthodontist without the help of expert recommendations.

What does a dental hygienist do?

Dental hygienists work alongside general dentists to provide care and support to patients. They are most commonly associated with scale and polish treatments, which are used to help remove dental staining and to address the presence of gum disease.

It is possible to find direct access dental hygienists, which will allow you to book a treatment without the need for a referral. This will always be a private treatment, as direct access dental hygiene treatments are not available on the NHS. A scale and polish will only be available on the NHS if it is considered to be clinically necessary for your oral health.

What does a periodontist do?

Periodontist specialists are trained in treating the gums and connective tissues that hold the teeth in place. The most common reason you might be referred to a periodontist would be if you have extensive gum disease.

The early signs of gum disease will often be caught by your dentist during a general checkup, so you do not need to seek out a specialist periodontist. If you haven’t been to a dentist for a while and suspect that you have gum disease, you should still start with a routine checkup rather than looking for a specialist periodontist.

What does an implantologist do?

If you’re thinking about dental implant treatment, you will need to visit a dentist who is trained in this specialist branch of dentistry. An implantologist has undertaken additional training to learn how to place dental implants and how to create treatment plans. They might also offer additional treatments that are required alongside dental implants such as bone grafting.

What does a prosthodontist do?

The role of the prosthodontist is to create prosthetic restorations to help restore your smile. They will often create dentures, bridges, crowns, veneers and dental implants. Working with a specialist prosthodontist will help to ensure that you get a perfect fit from your restoration.

A specialist prosthodontist will be an expert in creating a prosthetic that fits perfectly alongside your other teeth, helping to restore your smile and restore your bite. If you have faced issues with your prosthetics, you might be referred to a specialist to get to the heart of the problem and put things right.

What does an oral surgeon do?

Oral surgeons are trained to diagnose and treat issues related to the mouth and jaw. They might carry out more complicated extractions and address issues related to the temporomandibular joint, which can cause widespread problems. An oral surgeon can also carry out bone grafting in preparation for dental implants.

Oral surgeons might work in a dental practice, or they might work in a hospital setting. If they work in a hospital setting, you might have your treatment as an outpatient, which could involve a general anaesthetic. This is usually reserved for more complex cases that might take longer than usual.

How do I know which dentist I need?

You can rely on your general dentist to guide you in the process of finding the right specialist. You don’t need to be able to identify the right specialist, as this is what your general dentist is for. If in doubt, book a routine checkup with your family dentist to access the guidance you need.