Also known as oral medicine, it is the branch of medicine consisting of the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions of the oral cavity, typically of the dentition (development and arrangement of the teeth) as well as the oral mucosa and adjacent and associated structures and tissues, particularly in the maxillofacial region.[3] The field of dentistry includes in addition to other aspects of the craniofacial complex including the temporomandibular joint and other supporting, muscular, lymphatic, nervous, vascular and anatomical structures. The practitioner is called a dentist.
dentist
Dental surgery aboard USS Eisenhower, January 1990.JPEG
general information
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Medicine, an academic specialty[1][2] Modifying the value of property (P279) in Wikidata
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Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia, Brockhaus & Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary Modify the value of the (P1343) property of Wikidata
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A dentist treats a patient
Dental Clinic
Dentistry is often understood to include the largely defunct medical specialty of oral medicine (the study of the mouth and its disorders and diseases) and for this reason the two terms are used interchangeably in certain areas. For example, in Australia, oral medicine is a specialty of dentistry. However, some specialties such as oral and maxillofacial surgery (facial reconstruction) may require medical and dental degrees to achieve. Dentistry and some branches of medicine in European history are considered to have stemmed from the trade of barber-surgeons.[4] However, both fields have since evolved with a greater focus on life sciences, evidence-based research and evidence-based practice.
Dental treatments are performed by a dental team, which often consists of a dentist and dental assistants (dental assistants, dental hygienists, dental technicians, plus dental therapists). Most dentists work either in private practices (primary care), dental hospitals, or institutions (secondary care) (prisons, military bases, etc.).
The history of dentistry is as old as the history of mankind and civilization, and the oldest evidence dates back to between 7000 BC and 5500 BC.[5] Skeletal remains from Mehrgarh (now in Pakistan) dated to that time show evidence of the drilling of teeth with flint tools to remove caries, a method found to be “surprisingly effective”.[5] It is believed that dentistry was the first specialty of medicine that developed its own accredited degree with its own specialties.[6] The modern movement for evidence-based dentistry advocates the use of high-quality scientific research and evidence to guide decision-making such as manual dental maintenance, use of fluoride water treatments and fluoride toothpaste, management of oral diseases such as dental caries and periodontitis, as well as systemic diseases such as osteoporosis diabetes, celiac disease, cancer, and HIV/AIDS, which can also affect the oral cavity.
Other practices related to evidence-based dentistry include oral x-rays to check for tooth deformity or oral infections, hematology (study of blood) to avoid bleeding complications during dental surgery, heart disease (due to various serious complications resulting from dental surgery for heart patients), etc.
