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If you’ve been to the dentist, you might think you know everything there is to know about the dental industry, but there is a lot you probably don’t know! Here are three things you can learn more about below.
1. They Use High-Quality Tools
Dental tools are not the same as your multicolored toothbrush or plastic flossers and picks in your drawer at home. Dentists need to use high-quality tools made with intricate technology to fit the exact job it needs to accomplish. Some dental tools have tough metal, dental ball bearings and even lasers to do the job right. Dentists have to be able to cut, mold and shape lots of different materials to fit the unique mouth of their patients.
Dental tools can be dangerous and should only be used by professionals. Even something as simple as a scrapper could cause damage to teeth if not used by someone who has been trained to use it correctly.
2. There are Lots of Dental Specialities
Did you know there are 12 dental specialties a dentist could be? You might think there is just a general dentist like you have been seeing since you started growing teeth, but there are lots of different kinds of dentists out there!
For any gum-related issues you want to see a periodontist, alignment fixes go to an orthodontist and a prosthodontist fixes and restore broken teeth. That can seem overwhelming to choose which dentist to go to for oral issues, but don’t worry, during your routine dental cleanings you can talk to your general dentist about any issues and he or she can point you in the right direction to the correct specialty dentist to get the issues fixed how they should.
3. Dentists Don’t Do It Alone
When you go to the dentist for your bi-annual cleaning you usually see a couple of different people before the dentist ever comes in and checks your teeth.
The first person you might see is a dental assistant. A dental assistant can do a small number of tasks like fluoride treatment, scheduling and laying out the tools for the appointment. A dental assistant also helps the dentist during their checkup by handing tools or holding things.
Dental hygienists have more advanced duties and can clean teeth and remove plaque. They can do an exam of the teeth and usually let the dentist know if they see anything concerning. Dentists rely on others to give a patient a good quality check-up.
The dental industry has many interesting parts you may never know about if you just come and go from your routine visits without paying attention.