[ Browse by Service Category : Specialty Medicine : Sub-Topics of Dental Care (13) ]
Dental Hygiene
Programs that offer preventive dental care including professional teeth cleaning and information about the proper daily self-care of the teeth to remove plaque, food and other residue that is associated with periodontal disease and tooth decay.
Dental Prosthodontics
Programs that specialize in the esthetic restoration or replacement of teeth. Prosthodontic procedures include crowns, bridges, veneers, inlays, onlays and complete and partial dentures. Dental implants are the preferred method for replacing missing teeth, so many prosthodontic procedures are done with implants as the support instead of the natural teeth or gums. Prosthodontic care is provided by both general dentists and prosthodontic specialists called prosthodontists.
Emergency Dental Care
Programs that provide immediate, short-term assistance for people who have lost a filling, broken or lost a tooth or dental prosthesis or who have other dental emergencies and are unable to wait for treatment on an appointment basis.
Endodontics
Programs that specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases of the dental pulp and surrounding tissue.
General Dentistry
Programs that provide primary oral health care for patients of all ages. General dentists are responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management and overall coordination of specialized services related to the patient's oral health needs. Services generally include an oral health history, preventive dental cleanings, dental radiographs, oral cancer screening, an examination of the teeth to detect tooth decay or other problems, a periodontal examination to detect gum disease, dental restorations (e.g., fillings, crowns and implants), cosmetic dentistry, and other procedures such as fluoride treatment.
Mobile Dental Care
Programs that provide dental services to patients in rural communities, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, group homes, housing projects, private residences or other similar settings using portable equipment or large, specially equipped motorized vans or mobile trailers (non-motorized). Mobile dental services bring dental hygiene, preventive care and limited treatment services to people in remote areas who do not have immediate access to a dentist or dental clinic or are unable to leave their homes to seek care at a fixed clinic facility.
Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery
Programs that are staffed by specialists who perform restorative dental operations on the mouth and associated structures, especially the teeth and jaws and, in some cases, the face.
Orthodontics
Programs that are staffed by specialists who are concerned with straightening teeth that are abnormally positioned or aligned.
The above terms and definitions are part of the Taxonomy of Human Services, used here by permission of INFO LINE of Los Angeles.