1.

Orthodontics takes as its aims the prevention and correction of malocclusion of the teeth and
associated dentofacial incongruities. The United States gave impetus to the development of orthodontics,
which was recognized as a specialty with the formation of the American Society of Orthodontists in 1900.
2. Pediatric dentistry, analogous to pediatrics in medicine, is concerned with the dental care of children
and adolescents. The need to influence tooth positions presents the next most frequently encountered
problem. The correction of incipient abnormalities in tooth alignment may obviate the necessity for
lengthy treatment.
3. Periodontics is concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases of the periodontal
tissues—the tissues that surround and support the teeth. These tissues consist mainly of the gums and the
jaws and their related contiguous structures. The advances of periodontics have been mostly in techniques
of treatment. It is believed that bacterial plaque, a soft layer of substances rich in bacteria that adheres to
the teeth, is the factor responsible for most destruction of the gums and the tissues surrounding the teeth.
4. Prosthodontics is concerned with the restoration and maintenance of oral function, comfort,
appearance, and health by the replacement of missing teeth and contiguous tissues with artificial
substitutes, or prostheses. Prosthodontists have special training in the construction and placement of fixed
(stationary) and removable appliances for the replacement of missing teeth
5. Oral and maxillofacial surgery deals with the diagnosis of, and the surgery required by, diseases,
injuries, and defects of the human jaws and associated structures. Both dentists and physicians refer a
wide variety of special dental problems to the oral surgeon. These may include the removal of impacted
and infected teeth and the treatment of cysts, tumours, lesions, and infections of the mouth and jaws.
6. Oral and maxillofacial pathology is the study of the causes, processes, and effects of oral disease,
together with the resultant alterations of oral structure and functions. The oral pathologist provides
diagnoses on which treatment by other specialists will depend.
7. Endodontics deals with the treatment of diseases of the inside of the tooth, including the pulp
chamber, the pulp canal, and contiguous structures. Root canal therapy and bleaching of nonvital teeth are
standard treatments rendered by endodontists
8. Public health dentistry is recognized as a specialty in Canada and the United States. The American
Dental Association recognizes dental public health as a specialty if the holder of the master’s degree
proceeds to a further year of study in training and passes the examination of the American Board of
Dental Public Health. Training in dental public health is also available in the United Kingdom. The
specialty is not emphasized to the same degree in the rest of the world