Dental Guides

Who is A Dentist?

A dentist specializes in dentistry and is also referred to as a dental surgeon. Dentistry deals with the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of conditions and diseases concerning the oral cavity. A dentist is often the doctor that people see more than any other doctors as the field is uniquely oriented towards preventing diseases. Going by a general estimation, of all the dental procedures at least 65 percent is either preventive or diagnostic. Harmony Dentists typically focus on oral health and hygiene which prevents progression of oral diseases so that you can live a healthy life. If ignored or left untreated it eventually leads to pain, loss of time and billions of dollars to the industry.

There are people who enjoy great oral health and also keep their natural teeth all their lives. Some of us are not that lucky and there is no way to know which category you belong to. Hence, it is best to stick to “Prevention is better than cure”. In fact, the most prevalent chronic disease among children is cavities. There is a popular understanding that you see a doctor only when something is wrong and it could not be more inappropriate at least for your dental health. If you are one of them who mistakenly believe that a good time to see your dentist is when you are in pain, you may be missing the point here.

The routine visit to a dentist will probably start with a thorough examination of your mouth which includes gums, teeth and other structures. The examination will form the basis of a discussion about your dental health and will ideally come with a professional cleaning. If the examination results indicate tooth decay then you can also expect an advice to get a filling in the affected area. These are the common procedures but not the only services provided by a dentist. A dentist offers a host of services that covers all the basic necessities which are required to maintain your oral health.

A dental visit entails an examination of your oral health which is capable of diagnosing, preventing and treating conditions ranging from routine to complex. Dentistry promotes a team approach which ensures continuity of a comprehensive and cost-effective system of care. There are many members of a dental team including dental assistants, dental hygienists and lab technicians etc. A dentist usually leads this team committed to providing all the services related to dental health care. Specializing in oral health, a dentist will either earn a degree in Dental Medicine or Dental Surgery, although they are both essentially the same. Apart from diagnosing diseases, the responsibilities of a dentist include oral health promotion, disease prevention, restoration of oral health, interpreting tests and x-rays, administering anesthetics and performing surgeries on soft tissues, teeth and bones of the oral cavity.


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