Advances in 20th Century medicine have encouraged the development of distinct disciplines within the dental profession. Of the fifteen Cody dentists, ten are general practitioners, while five are specialists – representing the areas of orthodontics, periodontics, pediatric dentistry and oral surgery. The following is a brief description of several dental disciplines:

• General Dentistry - Also known as a “Restorative” dentist, the General Dentist serves as an all-purpose dental guide for patients through most phases of life. Among other responsibilities, General Dentists restore broken or worn teeth, perform procedures to enhance the dental appearance, take care of tooth decay, study the bite and the jaw joints, make prostheses and dentures, and help patients prevent the onset of dental disease. It is normally the General Dentist who determines when the services of a specialist are necessary.

• Pediatric Dentistry - The Pediatric Dentist focuses on the special dental needs of children, from birth to the mid-teens.

• Periodontics Dentistry - specialty of dentistry which encompasses the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the supporting and surrounding tissues of the teeth.

• Orthodontics - Rooted in the Greek word ‘ortho,’ meaning ‘straight,’ Orthodontists specialize in tooth-moving procedures to treat poorly aligned teeth, for reasons of aesthetics and function.

• Oral Surgery - Also known as an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, the Oral Surgeon performs tooth extractions, removal of oral tumors and growths, surgical movement of jaws, and certain forms of facial plastic surgery.