Dental Specialties in Durham, NC

Comprehensive dental care can often be a collaboration between the patient and many different dental specialists. Each branch of dentistry focuses on treating a different aspect of your smile. Smile Design – Family & Cosmetic Dentistry is pleased to offer a wide variety of treatments, and we invite you to learn more about our many dental specialties in Durham, North Carolina, by contacting our office at (919) 220-5505 and scheduling a visit with our dentist, Dr. Erfan Imeni. Within dentistry, there are several specialties. A specialty is an area of dentistry that has been formally recognized by the American Dental Association and requires additional education and training. While our dentist and team will do all we can to care for your smile, if your case is especially complex we may need to refer you to a dental specialist to ensure that you achieve optimal results. Based on your needs, we may refer you to:

• An endodontist, or a dentist who specializes in the study and treatment of the dental pulp. The dental pulp is the innermost layer of the tooth that includes the tooth’s living tissues.
• A periodontist, who focuses on the study and treatment of the periodontal (gum) tissues that surround and support the teeth.
• An orthodontist, who diagnoses, prevents and corrects abnormalities in how the teeth fit together.
• An oral and maxillofacial surgeon, who specializes in surgical treatments to address diseases, injuries and defects.
• A prosthodontist, or a dentist who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation and maintenance of the oral function, health, appearance and comfort of patients with conditions associated with missing or deficient teeth and/or oral tissues.
• A pediatric dentist, who focuses on comprehensive oral healthcare for infants and children through adolescence.

For more information about dental specialties, we welcome you to call or visit our office today.

Dr. Erfan Imeni is licensed in North Carolina as a general dentist, and general practice covers the great majority of what patients need: cleanings and exams, fillings, crowns and bridges, extractions, dentures, cosmetic treatment and dental implants. Where a case calls for training beyond general practice, we refer you to a specialist rather than stretch beyond our scope — and we stay involved throughout, so your overall treatment plan stays coordinated instead of splitting into separate pieces.

Usually you will not need to work this out for yourself. During your examination we assess how complex your treatment is likely to be — how much bone is available, whether the nerve of a tooth is involved, how a bite problem is developing — and we tell you plainly if a referral would give you a better result. Complex surgical extractions, difficult root canal treatment, advanced gum surgery and comprehensive orthodontics are the most common reasons. You are always told why a referral is being suggested before anything is arranged.

In most cases, yes. A referral usually covers one part of your treatment rather than a transfer of your care. A common pattern is that a specialist carries out a particular procedure and you come back to us for the restoration afterwards and for your ongoing checkups and hygiene visits. We coordinate directly with the specialist so that records, images and treatment plans move with you. Call (919) 220-5505 if you would like to talk through your options.