The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine wants to help you better understand all of the services offered, so we’re providing you with this brief list of terms and definitions to better serve you.
Dental Anesthesiology
Dental Anesthesiology is the specialty that provides medically necessary anesthesia solutions—such as oral sedatives, nitrous oxide, intravenous sedation, and general anesthesia—to manage patient pain. The type of anesthesia selected is based on patient need and surgical requirements.
Dental Hygiene
Dental Hygiene provides dental care that helps to prevent diseases of the gums and supporting structures of the teeth. Treatments used can include oral prophylaxis (cleanings), home care instruction, and nutrition counseling.
Endodontics
Endodontic specialists provide root canal treatment for problems with nerves, blood vessels and soft tissues within the tooth. Other procedures are available for infected teeth or for those teeth that may become infected due to large decayed areas or accidental injury.
Implantology
Implantology specialists surgically insert dental implants into the jawbone to support crowns and prostheses. These include individual crowns, bridges (fixed appliances) and removable complete
or partial dentures.
Maxillofacial Prosthodontics
Maxillofacial Prosthodontic specialists provide rehabilitation for head and neck cancer patients, trauma patients, and for patients with congenital anomalies. They also construct devices used outside of the mouth for the eyes, ears and nose in the rehabilitation of head and neck cancer and trauma patients.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery includes the diagnosis and surgical treatment of defects of the mouth, jaw and face, including those conditions that are the result of injury or disease. Oral surgeons also remove teeth, such as wisdom teeth, reconstruct the jaws and place dental implants.
Orthodontics
Orthodontics are treatments such as braces, retainers and clear aligners to correct poorly aligned teeth (malocclusion).
Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric Dentistry provides comprehensive dental care, including sedation, outpatient anesthesia and preventive services, for infants, children, and adolescents.
Periodontics
Periodontics provides comprehensive care to diagnose, treat and help prevent diseases of the gums.
Prosthodontics
Prosthodontics includes dentures, crowns, bridges, obturators, speech aids, temporomandibular joint disorder or trauma splints, and dental implants. Please see also Maxillofacial Prosthodontics for related care that prosthodontists provide.
Restorative Dentistry
Restorative Dentistry provides crowns and fillings made of “silver” (amalgam), gold, and tooth-colored composite or porcelain. Cosmetic bonding and whitening also can be used to improve the appearance of your teeth.
Special Needs Dentistry
Special Needs Dentistry is dental care for adults and children who may have physical, intellectual, neurological, behavioral and/or developmental disorders or disabilities, as well as medically compromised patients.
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) specialists provide surgical and non-surgical management of TMJ, headaches and facial pain.