dentistry and its scope

DENTAL TREATMENT AND ITS SCOPE

Very often people tend to ignore dental problems. The general thinking is that dental treatment and dental disease is very minor and bears no implications to general well being. But we should recognise the importance of oral health. It irks me when i hear the patients asking for the guarantee of the treatment as the dental treatments are of minor nature. I want to convey to such people that dental treatment is as serious as any other surgery and is very much of medical nature and the uncertainity associated with the treatment is same as of any other medical stream.

Oral cavity is the window to general health and a healthy smile speaks a lot about the health of the person. Recently the dentistry has expanded its wings and the treatments offered are of a wide nature.

PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY

This is the latest trend as prevention is always better than cure. We can prevent a lot of oral diseases just by visiting our dental surgeon at regular intervals.

1) Use of regular fluoridated creams can prevent caries and sensitivity in adults.

2) Fluoride application in kids can save their teeth from painful caries

3) Dental sealants are very effective in preventing caries in kids as well as adults.

4) Simple food habits can prevent caries- avoid eating sugary foods

5) Very soon a vaccine will be available to avoid caries. The trials are on for such a vaccine

RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY

This includes restoration of missing teeth and filling of carious teeth.

This is very important as timely restoration of teeth can avoid many other complications.few components of restorative dentistry are as follows:

1) Dental implants

2) Crowns and bridges

3) Dentures

4) Root canal treatments

5) Cosmetic fillings(silver fillings are out dated)

COSMETIC DENTISTRY

This field deals with beautifaiction of ones smile. These days people are getting beauty conscious and every one wants to dazzle and flash a million dollar smile. There are dental whitening procedures, dental jewellary, smile designing, braces to correct malalign teeth, correction of gummy smiles, crown lenghthening, correction of smile lines etc.

Some of these are lunch time procedure as they can be done in an hours time to give you a dazzling smile.

PERIODONTICS

This is the field which completely removes gum diseases like pyorrhoea. The procedures included are gum surgery, bone graft,GTR etc.

DENTAL MEDECINE

A careful clinician can detect many of the systemic diseases much before they appear in body. We can safely say that good health starts at oral cavity.this makes a regular visit to the detist all the more important.

All sorts of gastric troubles like ulceration can be seen in oral mucosa.

Even hyperacidity can be seen in oral cavity.

Anaemia – the first sign appear in oral mucosa and only a dental surgeon can detect it.

Diseases like psoriasis and eczema show their first appearance in mouth.

Signs and symptoms of oral cancer are also present in the mouth many years before actual cancer appears in the mouth.

These are just the few aspects of dentistry. It is very vast and serious science which can save many lives .

Thus it is my advice to all to not fear the dentist but to be benefitted by the dentistry.