Dentistry begins with the health of teeth and gums, but it is a rapidly changing field extending well beyond "fill or pull." For the general practitioner, basic dentistry includes diagnosis and treatments of diseases of the teeth, mouth and jaw, and often the recognition of symptoms of other diseases (cancer, hypertension, etc.) and public education and prevention. Dental specialties include areas of aesthetic improvements, such as orthodontics, and various areas of surgical restoration, such as maxillofacial surgery.
