stomatologic

Stomatology is the branch of medicine and dentistry that focuses on the mouth and its diseases, structures, and functions. The term covers the lips, teeth, gums, tongue, palate, salivary glands, and the jaws and temporomandibular joints. In English, stomatology is sometimes used as a broader term for oral health care, while dentistry is the more common everyday practice.

Practitioners in this field may be called stomatologists or dentists, depending on regional usage. Clinical work includes preventive care, diagnosis, and treatment of oral diseases; imaging and pathology; restorations and extractions; periodontal therapy; management of temporomandibular disorders; and, when needed, minor oral surgery. Research in stomatology covers oral biology, disease mechanisms, and dental materials.

Education and licensure vary by country. In many regions, dentistry is a distinct profession requiring a dental degree (DDS or DMD) and licensure. In other systems, stomatology is pursued as a medical specialty after a medical degree, with residency and board certification in oral health and maxillofacial topics.

Terminology and usage: The adjectives stomatologic or stomatological appear in some texts, but the noun stomatology is less common in everyday English, where dentistry or oral medicine is often preferred. The field overlaps with oral and maxillofacial medicine, pathology, and surgery, and its terminology reflects its historical and regional diversity.