What is an orthodontist?

So, you’ve made the decision that it’s time to straighten your teeth and get that smile you’ve always dreamed of.  Or, you’ve been told by your child’s pediatric dentist that it’s time for them to get braces.  Who do you take them to?  What is an orthodontist and what is the difference between an orthodontist and dentist?

Your confusion is understandable.  Both dentists and orthodontist work on teeth after all.  Generally dentist work to maintain and restore your teeth and oral health to a disease free environment.  Oftentimes this means removing cavities and placing fillings, crowns, and/or extracting unhealthy teeth.

Orthodontics is a dental specialty.  Much like other fields of medicine, orthodontists go through 2-3 years of additional specialty training after completion of dental school to become experts in tooth movement and dentofacial orthopedics.  Orthodontists focus on the bite and ensuring that teeth meet and function correctly, are aligned in the jaws, and that the jaws are correctly positioned in relation to each other.  Orthodontists are generally associated with braces however they are trained to use a plethora of appliances and techniques including Invisalign to achieve a common goal of creating beautiful, functional, and healthy smiles.

Still confused?  No worries.  You can visit the American Association of Orthodontists website for more information at https://www.aaoinfo.org/blog/ or give us a call at Sala Family Dentistry and schedule your free consultation with our orthodontist.