Tooth ache? Do your gums bleed when you brush? Or perhaps you're looking for an effective solution against teeth grinding while sleeping. In any case, a visit to the dentist is required. How do you know what type of dentist to go to, though? Dentists are medical professionals, specialising in diagnosing, treating and preventive care against diseases affecting the mouth. Because dentistry is a wide field of varying specialisations, here are some of the different types of dentists, as well as a brief description of what each of them does:

Oral Pathologists

An oral pathologist's job is to evaluate and diagnose diseases and disorders of the mouth, including, but not limited to teeth, lips, cheeks and jawbones. In order to correctly diagnose an issue, oral pathologists rely on a variety of clinical, microscopic and radiographic tests. Oral radiologists are able to diagnose diseases of the head and neck by using CT scans, MRIs or even X-rays.

General Dentists

General dentists provide dental care and maintenance services, such as fluoride treatments, regular teeth cleanings, root canals, cavity fillings and tooth extractions. A general dentist is nothing more than someone who offers general dental services such as those mentioned above. For more serious issues, you will need to visit either a periodontist or an orthodontist.

Periodontists

Periodontists specialise in caring for the supportive tissues of the mouth and teeth, including gums and their specific supporting bone. They are able to diagnose, treat, and prevent gum diseases or any other type of periodontal disease affecting either the gums or the jawbones. Patients who suffer from conditions that can potentially increase the risk factor for gum diseases can also be offered preemptive care by a periodontist. Dentists specialised in this field are also capable of performing cosmetic procedures such as the correction of gum recession in order to achieve a natural smile line.

Orthodontists

Orthodontists are dentists who specialize in teeth positioning and jaw alignment. Some common procedures for orthodontists include straightening crooked teeth, correcting misaligned teeth, fixing bite problems, replace a missing tooth, and correcting any other tooth-related deformities. In order to correct these imperfections, they use retainers, braces, and other such structures. Their primary field of work is with children, as a child's jaw and teeth are still in development. Because of this, they are much easier to move, making braces and retainers much more effective than on adults, who have fully developed jaws and teeth.

For more information, contact a business such as AaRon Pivotal Point Dental.