The different types of dental treatment are:
Preventive care
- Dental checkups and cleanings: Dental checkups and cleanings, also known as prophylaxis, are the most common type of dental treatment. They are recommended for everyone, regardless of age or oral health status.
Dental checkup and cleaning
- Fluoride treatments: Fluoride treatments can help to strengthen teeth and prevent cavities. They are especially important for children and young adults.
Fluoride treatment
- Sealants: Sealants are thin, plastic coatings that are applied to the chewing surfaces of teeth. They can help to prevent cavities in children and adolescents.
Dental sealant
Basic care
- Fillings: Fillings are used to repair cavities and other small holes in teeth. They are made of a variety of materials, including silver amalgam, composite resin, and gold.
Dental filling
- Root canals: Root canals are performed when the pulp of a tooth becomes infected or inflamed. The pulp is the soft tissue inside the tooth that contains the nerves and blood vessels.
Root canal
- Tooth extractions: Tooth extractions are performed when a tooth is too damaged to be repaired or when it needs to be removed to make room for other teeth.
Major restorative care
- Crowns: Crowns are caps that are placed over teeth to protect and strengthen them. Crowns can be made of a variety of materials, including metal, porcelain, and composite resin.
- Dental crown
- Bridges: Bridges are used to replace missing teeth. They are made of two or more crowns that are connected to each other. Bridges are anchored to the teeth on either side of the missing tooth.
- Dental bridge
- Implants: Implants are metal screws that are placed in the jawbone to replace missing teeth. Implants are topped with crowns, bridges, or dentures.
- Dental implant
- Dentures: Dentures are removable prosthetic devices that are used to replace missing teeth. Dentures can be full or partial.
Orthodontics
- Braces: Braces are used to correct the alignment of teeth and jaws. They can be made of metal or ceramic.
- Dental braces
- Invisalign: Invisalign is a clear aligner system that is used to correct the alignment of teeth. Invisalign aligners are removable and can be worn over the teeth for 20-22 hours per day.
Specialized dental treatments
- Endodontics: Endodontics is a specialty of dentistry that deals with the treatment of the root and pulp of the tooth. Endodontists perform root canal therapy, which is a procedure to remove the infected or inflamed pulp from a tooth.
- Periodontics: Periodontics is a specialty of dentistry that deals with the treatment of gum disease. Periodontists perform a variety of procedures to treat gum disease, including scaling and root planing, flap surgery, and bone grafting.
- Pediatric dentistry: Pediatric dentistry is a specialty of dentistry that deals with the dental care of children and adolescents. Pediatric dentists are trained to meet the unique needs of children and adolescents, including their oral development and behavior.
- Oral surgery: Oral surgery is a specialty of dentistry that deals with the surgical procedures of the mouth, jaws, and face. Oral surgeons perform a variety of procedures, including wisdom tooth removal, dental implant placement, and corrective jaw surgery.
Which type of dental treatment you need will depend on your individual needs. If you are not sure which type of treatment is right for you, be sure to talk to your dentist. They can assess your needs and recommend the best course of treatment for you.
