Different Types of Dental Specialties and What Each One Treats

Dentistry covers a wide range of oral health needs, from routine care to the management of complex conditions involving the teeth, gums, jaws, and surrounding structures. While some dental concerns can be addressed through general care, others may require assessment by dentists who focus on specific areas of dentistry.
 

Understanding the different dental specialties—and what each one treats—can help patients better navigate their dental care options and know which type of practitioner is involved in managing particular conditions.

Orthodontics

Orthodontics focuses on the alignment of teeth and jaws. This specialty commonly addresses concerns such as crowding, spacing, overbites, underbites, and crossbites.
 

Treatment may involve braces or clear aligners, depending on individual clinical findings. Orthodontic care is provided to both children and adults, with treatment plans tailored to tooth movement and bite alignment over time.

Periodontics

Periodontics is concerned with the health of the gums and supporting structures of the teeth. Periodontists manage conditions affecting the gums, including inflammation, gum recession, and bone loss around teeth.
 

Assessment by a periodontist may be considered when gum-related concerns require focused evaluation or when ongoing gum health management is needed.

Endodontics

Endodontics focuses on conditions affecting the dental pulp and root canal system. This specialty is commonly associated with root canal treatment, which may be considered when the inner tissue of a tooth becomes infected or inflamed.
 

Endodontic care may also involve the assessment of teeth with complex root structures, persistent symptoms, or previous treatment that requires further evaluation.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Oral and maxillofacial surgery involves the diagnosis and surgical management of conditions affecting the mouth, jaws, and surrounding facial structures. This may include wisdom teeth removal, jaw-related concerns, facial trauma, and certain oral pathologies.
 

Care in this area focuses on conditions where surgical assessment or intervention is required as part of dental treatment planning.

Prosthodontics

Prosthodontics focuses on the restoration and replacement of missing or damaged teeth. This specialty commonly involves dental crowns, bridges, dentures, and implant-supported restorations.
 

Prosthodontic care may be considered when tooth loss or structural damage affects chewing, comfort, or overall oral function.

Understanding Multispecialty Dental Care

In a multispecialty dental clinic, different dental disciplines are provided within the same clinical setting to address a wide range of oral health needs. This approach allows treatment planning to consider multiple aspects of dental care—such as alignment, gum health, tooth structure, and jaw-related concerns—based on individual clinical findings.
 

Multispecialty dental care may be suitable for patients whose dental needs involve more than one area of dentistry, as assessments and treatments can be coordinated within a single care environment.