Photo courtesy of Army Medicine

While you see your primary care physician for your routine physicals, bloodwork and when you have an acute illness like the flu or a rash, sometimes it’s necessary to see a specialist, such as a cardiologist or a dermatologist. When it comes to your dental health, the same principle applies. For your regular cleanings, check-ups and routine dental work such as fillings and the treatment of mild gum disease, your general dentist is the professional you should see. In some cases, however, your dentist might refer you out to one or more dental specialists. Check out this list of specialists, along with explanations for why you might need to see them.

Pedodontist

A pedodontist is a dentist who specializes in treating children. In some cases, these specialists also see teenagers and adults with developmental delays or other conditions that make it difficult for a general dentist to treat them. Much of the time, your general dentist will be able to treat your child, but if he or she needs extensive work done at a very young age or needs to be sedated for treatment, you might be referred to a pedodontist.

Periodontist

A periodontist is a gum specialist. If you have gum disease that has progressed past the mild form called gingivitis, you might be referred out for your care. The periodontist can perform special deep cleanings; sometimes this is done just once or twice, and other times the procedure needs to be repeated every three to six months. Also, if you need to have gum surgery, the periodontist might be the one to do it.

Endodontist

If you need a root canal, you might be referred to an endodontist, or root canal specialist. This is particularly true if the tooth involved is a molar, if it has already had endodontic treatment and it needs to be redone, or if your general dentist has reason to believe that your canals will be difficult to access. Some dentists refer all patients who need root canals to this type of specialist.

Oral Surgeon

While some dentists prefer to perform extractions for their patients, others will refer some or all cases to an oral surgeon. Most patients who have all four wisdom teeth removed at once will see an oral surgeon. These specialists are experienced at using different types of sedation for dental procedures, so if you have a treatment plan that will require sedation,  you may be referred out.

Orthodontist

This is a specialist who works with patients who wish to have their teeth straightened. In some cases, this is due to a medical need, and in others, it’s strictly cosmetic. An orthodontist will take care of just this aspect of your dental care; you’ll still need to see your regular dentist every six months for cleanings and checkups while under an orthodontist’s care.

If you have any questions about a specialist that you have been referred to, feel free to ask your general dentist more about it. Just like your PCP helps you manage your medical care, your general dentist manages your dental health care.