When you think about going to the dentist, you may not immediately make the distinction between general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry. However, the two are actually very distinct disciplines within the same general occupation. Many cosmetic dentists also serve as general dentists because it is necessary that they learn general dentistry in order to learn how to be an effective cosmetic dentist. However, the same cannot be said that all general dentists can work as cosmetic dentists. There is a special set of skills that comes with getting the right kind of training that enables people that are involved in general dentistry to work as cosmetic dentists.
The biggest thing to remember when it comes to making a dentist’s appointment is that the type of dentist that you will need to see will be dependent upon the particular problem that you are having. General dentistry is typically used for regular dental checkups as well as teeth cleaning and filling cavities. They are also used for a wide variety of other things, such as when you have an abscessed tooth or when you have broken a tooth on a piece of hard candy or during a fall. General dentists can do almost everything that you would need at a dentist’s appointment unless you have teeth that are very crooked or you have several missing teeth. In a case such as that, you would typically want to visit a cosmetic dentist.
You would also usually visit a cosmetic dentist if you have an excessive overbite or if you have problems with your teeth that make it difficult to speak properly or that are causing other problems related to snoring or excessive pain in and around your jaw. Cosmetic dentists are routinely called in to work on cases such as these because they are able to work with you to help get your teeth straight and then use implants where you may have missing teeth or other issues that are causing problems. In addition, cosmetic dentists are used extensively after a person has suffered from trauma to the face, such as after a car wreck or some other type of accident.
In short, you can typically use someone that is involved in general dentistry for a myriad of things concerning keeping your oral health in good condition. However, you may want to visit a cosmetic dentist when you are having problems that are making you feel self conscious about your appearance or when it is causing some other type of physical problem such as when it becomes difficult for you to speak and enunciate properly. In order to find out what type of dentist is right for you, visit www.artisticsmiles.org to learn more.
