Endodontist is concerned with diseases affecting the pulp or nerve of the tooth, or the tissues on tooth. An endodontist performs root canal therapy which consists of removing the infected tissue inside the tooth and filling the cavity with a filling material.
Oral Pathologists study the nature of the diseases that affect teeth, lips, cheeks, jaw bones, face, and neck. Your dentist would coordinate with an oral pathologist by sending them a biopsy or tissue or lesion.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons diagnose and surgically treat diseases or defects of the mouth, head, and neck. They treat accident cases that result in broken bones of the face and jaw. They realign bones for a better position of the jaws for improved esthetics or function and also place dental implants, substituting the root part of missing teeth.
Orthodontist moves teeth within the jaw bone to correct bite irregularities. They correct bite problems before they undergo crown or bridge work mostly with the use of dental braces.
Endodontist take care of the growth patterns of a child's mouth and treat children from birth through adolescence. The endodontist gets additional training for the care of patients with special needs who demonstrate mental, physical, and emotional problems.
Periodontist are specialists who diagnose diseases of the gum and supporting bone surrounding the teeth. They treat the diseases associated with the gum and bone diseases. They treat the infections of the gums which causes teeth to become loose. It is the general dentist who sends patients to the periodontist to check and evaluate the foundation of the teeth before reconstruction is started.
Prosthodontist deals with the replacing of missing teeth and/or repairing of natural teeth. They use dentures, crowns, or ceramic crowns to replace the missing or extracted teeth. They also coordinate and work with the general dentist on dental reconstruction cases.