The field of dentistry has grown in leaps and bounds over the years. This is because of development in technology which has made it possible for dentists to provide fantastic care to their patients with all sorts of issues. It is worth pointing out that dentistry is no longer a small part of medicine. It is huge with many different branches. Some of the most popular branches of dentistry include preventative and cosmetic dentistry. They are the most practiced types of dentistry.
The interesting thing about these two branches is that they are different yet so similar. Preventative dentistry focuses its efforts on ensuring that patients do not suffer from problems related to dental loss, trauma, and damage. Cosmetic dentistry, on the other hand, is all about the restoration of lost dental function. It could be for the purposes of aesthetics mainly but it also helps when it comes to restoring the function of the teeth, jaws, mouth, and face in general. Either way, the tools and solutions that are used in both branches are likely to be the same.
Preventative dentistry
Preventative dentistry covers within its care and maintenance of the teeth with the aim of evading dental health issues. At its most basic level, it is a practice that involves care for the teeth so as to keep them healthy. It is with preventative dentistry that patients are able to avoid conditions like gum disease, enamel wear, cavities and others issues that compromise the strength and performance of the teeth.
It is worth mentioning that in preventive dentistry is also concerned with dental diseases like periodontal disease, gingivitis, scurvy and even tooth sensitivity. These are not hard to prevent but they can be tricky and distressing conditions if they set in. Preventative dentistry can help to prevent these conditions.
Cosmetic dentistry
Cosmetic dentists generally work with the aim of improving the appearance of the teeth and gums as well as the bite of their patients. The function is not always at the forefront of the list of objectives. However, it is also part of the options. If you are having issues with position, shape, colors, size, alignment of teeth and their overall appearance, then you might want to go for cosmetic dental solutions.
These are sometimes the minor enhancements that people would not notice in an instance but they go a long way in boosting the confidence and self-esteem of the individual. You can have missing teeth replaced easily nowadays. Are your teeth discolored? That can be fixed as well! There is practically nothing that you cannot do with cosmetic dentistry as far as correction is concerned.
Conclusion
Preventative and cosmetic dentistry are very different yet so alike. They serve the same objective: to keep the teeth healthy and give the patient a beautiful smile. The only difference lies in their methods and the time they are implemented. Preventive dentistry is more of a precaution against dental issues while cosmetic dentistry provides solutions to dental problems.