Dentistry : Introduction
Dentistry, a lucrative profession, is concerned with all health problems
afflicting the mouth, teeth, gums and other hard and soft tissues of the
oral cavity. It is accepted as a professional field which includes dental
care and correction. Dentists help people maintain their health and appearance.
Dentistry is changing rapidly, creating many opportunities and challenges.
To an extent, it includes cosmetology where corrective treatment is
involved. Dentists improve patients' appearance by using a wide variety
of cosmetic dental procedures.
These days, dentists are assuming very important roles in the whole
healthcare system. With an increasing awareness of the importance of
oral health and the introduction of new fields like periodontics (care
of gums and the diseases that might afflict them), oral pathology (diagnosis
for diseases that affect the mouth ) and orthodontics (straightening
and aligning teeth and jaws) have all enhanced the scope of this field.
Dentists or dental surgeons provide surgical, medical and other forms
of treatment for oral and dental disorders and diseases by examining teeth
and mouth of the patients. They treat a diverse group of patients in a
variety of settings using a variety of techniques and procedures such
as computers and magnetic resonance imaging. This may include filling,
crowning and scaling of teeth, extracting teeth, treating gum diseases
and fitting artificial replacements where necessary and surgically handling
injuries or other irregularities of the teeth and jaw.
Problems dealing with the jaw or any invasive oral procedure are usually
undertaken by an oral surgeon. Dentists perform trauma surgery, implants,
tissue grafts and laser surgery to correct them. The core function of
a dentist is prevention and treatment of diseases related to the oral
cavity, including the floor of the oral cavity, the 'roof' of the mouth,
teeth, gums, tongue etc. Their job include educating patients about oral
hygiene and ways to preserve a healthy mouth and prevent dental problems.
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