Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions of the mouth, most commonly focused on dentition as well as the oral mucosa. Dentistry may also encompass other aspects of the craniofacial complex including the temporomandibular joint. The practitioner is called a dentist.
Cosmetic dentistry is generally used to refer to any dental work that improves the appearance of teeth, gums and/or bite. It primarily focuses on improvement in dental aesthetics in color, position, shape, size, alignment and overall smile appearance. Many dentists refer to themselves as "cosmetic dentists" regardless of their specific education, specialty, training, and experience in this field. This has been considered unethical with a predominant objective of marketing to patients. The American Dental Association does not recognize cosmetic dentistry as a formal specialty area of dentistry. However, there are still dentists that promote themselves as cosmetic dentists.
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a surgical specialty focusing on reconstructive surgery of the face, facial trauma surgery, the oral cavity (mouth), head and neck, and jaws, as well as facial cosmetic surgery/facial plastic surgery including cleft lip and cleft palate surgery.
Tooth whitening or tooth bleaching is the process of lightening the color of human teeth. Whitening is often desirable when teeth become yellowed over time for a number of reasons, and can be achieved by changing the intrinsic or extrinsic color of the tooth enamel. The chemical degradation of the chromogens within or on the tooth is termed as bleaching.
Prosthodontics, also known as dental prosthetics or prosthetic dentistry, is the area of dentistry that focuses on dental prostheses. It is one of 12 dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA), Royal College of Surgeons of England, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, and Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons. The ADA defines it as "the dental specialty pertaining to the diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation and maintenance of the oral function, comfort, appearance and health of patients with clinical conditions associated with missing or deficient teeth or oral and maxillofacial tissues using biocompatible substitutes."
In dentistry, a veneer is a layer of material placed over a tooth. Veneers can improve the aesthetics and function of a smile and protect the tooth's surface from damage.
Skin whitening, also known as skin lightening and skin bleaching, is the practice of using chemical substances in an attempt to lighten the skin or provide an even skin color by reducing the melanin concentration in the skin. Several chemicals have been shown to be effective in skin whitening, while some have proven to be toxic or have questionable safety profiles. This includes mercury compounds which may cause neurological problems and kidney problems.
A dental spa is a dental facility supervised by a licensed Oral Health Care Provider in which dental services are provided alongside spa treatments.
Gum depigmentation, also known as gum bleaching, is a procedure used in cosmetic dentistry to lighten or remove black spots or patches on the gums consisting of melanin. Melanin in skin is very common in inhabitants in many parts of the world due to genetic factors. Melanin pigmentation in skin, oral mucosa, inner ear and other organs is a detoxification mechanism. Some toxic agents bind to melanin and will move out of the tissue with the ageing cells and are expelled to the tissue surfaces. Also in the gums and oral mucosa a visible pigmentation is most often caused by genetic factors, but also by tobacco smoking or in a few cases by long-term use of certain medications. If stopping smoking or change of medication do not solve the problem with a disfigurating melanin pigmentation, a surgical operation may be performed. The procedure itself can involve laser ablation techniques.
Dr. Manga Shiv Lingam Gowd, also known by the names M. S. Gowd or M. S. Goud, is a dental surgeon prosthodontist from Andhra Pradesh, India, with fellowship in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and many International Fellowships.
John Miller Hyson, Jr. was the former curator, director of curatorial services, and director of archives and history at the National Museum of Dentistry, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. He was also the author of many articles and books on the history of dentistry and was a practicing dentist for nearly 50 years.
Chiann Fan Gibson is an American dentist and beauty queen who has held the titles of Mrs. United States 2005, Miss Hawaiian Tropic World Finalist 1997, American Dream Calendar Girl 1995, Miss Washington USA 1989 and Washington's Jr. Miss 1986. Chiann Fan was born in Tokyo, Japan but is 100% Taiwanese in descent. She was naturalized in 1986 as a US citizen in TX. Dr. Chiann Fan Gibson was chosen to compete to compete on ABC-TV modeling show, “Are You Hot?” 2003. Prize monies and scholarships Gibson won through pageantry helped pay for her childhood psychology degree from the University of Washington (1991) and Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston Massachusetts, where she obtained her doctorate of Dental Medicine in 1995. She serves as President of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
Irwin Elliot Smigel was an American aesthetic dentist, innovator and philanthropist.
George A. Freedman is a Canadian dentist, inventor, and dental educator in the field of cosmetic and aesthetic dentistry. He is married to Fay B. Goldstep, DDS,, with whom he has shared a private dental practice in Markham, Ontario, Canada, since 1988.
Kool Smiles is a dental services provider, based in the United States. Its headquarters are in the Kool Smiles Patient Support Center in Marietta, Georgia, U.S., in Greater Atlanta and has over 100 offices located across sixteen states.
There is a long history of women in dentistry in the United States.
There is a long history of women in dentistry. Women are depicted as assistant dentists in the middle ages. Prior to the 19th century, dentistry was largely not yet a clearly defined and regulated profession with formal educational requirements. Individual female dentists are known from the 18th century. When the profession was regulated in the 19th century, it took a while before women achieved the formal education and permission to engage in dentistry.
Ducoin v. Viamonte was a 2009 legal decision in Florida that addressed the issue of whether or not a dentist has a right to announce credentials that are not recognized or approved by the American Dental Association.
Daniel Y. Sullivan was an American dentist, prosthodontist, author, and teacher credited with helping to bring the practice of osseointegrated dental implants, or the fusion of bone and titanium inside the mouth, to the United States. He worked alongside Swedish pioneer Per-Ingvar Brånemark to insert the U.S.’s first osseointegrated dental implants in 1982. In later years, he taught the technique to thousands of dentists, served as president of two prestigious dental membership organizations, and co-wrote one of the first textbooks in the United States on the subject of esthetic dental implants.
Robert G. Ritter is an American dentist and a co-founder of Ritter & Ramsey General and Cosmetic Dentistry based in Jupiter, Florida.
