A Dentist vs. Orthodontist
Having a proper dental care is vital in ensuring that you live comfortably. Not only would you look good, but it also ensures you would feel good. However, most people are not sure when looking for the right dental care expert. The dentist vs. orthodontist question plagues quite many people up to this day. In most cases, it comes down to what your needs for dental care are. To assist you to decide, we will highlight what each of these experts does.
What is a Dentist?
At one-time point in your life, you must have visited a dentist. Most of the time you go there for routine cleanings and x-ray scans. It is done to ensure that you have a good dental health. If you have kids, you will have to go to a dentist’s office many times. Kids and young teens have problems that require a dentist when growing up such as cavities.
In short, dentists deal with a wide range of issues. It is a broad field whose focus is on the teeth. Thus, for the question what is a dentist, the best response is that he or she ensures that your oral health is great at all times. You and your kids would need to make visits to the dentist’s office at least twice each year.
What is an Orthodontist?
When you think of the question, what is an orthodontist, think of a specialist. A dentist can deal with all general oral issues. An orthodontist is a person you see when your teeth are not in alignment. They deal with ensuring you have the perfect smile. Some common dental issues they handle include overbite, underbite, crooked teeth, overcrowding, and other such issues that ruin the perfect smile.
A dentist has to go back to school to be an orthodontist. In most areas around the world, you have to go through two or three years of extra school. They make an intensive analysis of your dental situation and determine what solution is perfect for you. In most cases, when you visit a dentist, he or she will send you to an orthodontist for specialized care. It only happens to you if your problem is too complex.
Orthodontic issues such as misaligned teeth are more than just aesthetic concerns. They usually lead to other issues such as difficulty in speech, eating, headaches, facial bones destruction, and other complex problems. Thus, never take the need to visit an orthodontist lightly. For a parent with young kids, it is recommended that you should take your children to an orthodontist before the age of seven years.
Thus, it allows them to determine if your child needs specialized orthodontic care.
How to Differentiate Between an Orthodontist and a Dentist
Think of an orthodontist as a specialist in dentistry. While any orthodontist can practice as a dentist, not all dentists can practice as orthodontists.
If you have the following issues, a dentist will work fine just for you.
You have an issue with your oral health or that of your children.
If you or the kids have a cavity, gum disease, or tooth decay.
If you need to learn about what measures you can take to keep your mouth free of gum disease or tooth decay.
A dentist evaluates your general oral health and takes corrective measures. He or she will also offer you advice on how to stay in good shape.
In cases when you have these issues, an orthodontist will work best for you.
You have crooked or overcrowded teeth.
You have an under or over bite.
You have issues with chewing food or pronouncing words well.
If your teeth have aches despite the lack of cavities.
The orthodontist has a number of tools and devices at his or her disposal that allows him or her to correct any of these issues.
Dentist Vs Orthodontist
How to Differentiate Orthodontists from Cosmetic Dentists?
Cosmetic dentists are often mistaken for orthodontists. Cosmetic dentists are mainly focused on the external appearance of your teeth. They offer a number of services like teeth whitening and the use of porcelain crowns. They lead to an awesome smile without the long process of a normal orthodontic procedure. In short, adults who do not have the patience to wear braces mostly use them.
Common Service Offered By an Orthodontist
Invisalign One of the most popular options is the use of Invisalign. These are invisible braces. They are a great option for teens who may feel self-conscious about wearing braces. The Invisalign braces have been in use for years. Their effectiveness has been tried and tested many times over. All dentists around the world have vouched for them. There are also many stories of people that have used them with the desired effect being achieved. You can search for these reviews online and read them. One benefit of using these types of braces is that you can take them out. Thus, when you want to go for a party somewhere or do something that requires no braces, you are not limited.
Custom Braces Kids may at times have a hard time accepting that they need braces for their teeth. However, you are never totally without options. The use of custom braces makes it easier for the kids to accept wearing them. Ordinary braces come as square brackets that are fitted over the teeth.
However, with custom braces, the kids can choose which shape they would like fitted on their teeth. Thus, they will feel proud in wearing braces. The shapes go a long way in boosting your kid’s interest in braces. While you can choose the braces for the kids, it is important to let them decide on their own. Although kids prefer to wear these custom-designed braces, teens and adults can wear them too. The most important point is that these braces are as safe as normal braces. You should expect to get the same results as with other types of braces.
Hidden Braces A while back, wearing braces meant that you had to have a mouth filled with wires. In fact, it was the scene in most classes just a decade ago. The use of hidden braces allows people to maintain their confidence. In this type of system, you still have to wear normal braces.
The braces worn behind the teeth are not for all people. However, people who are thirteen years or older usually qualify for them. In most cases, if you use the normal braces, you can also use these types of braces.
If you are planning a significant event like a wedding or a graduation, these types of braces are awesome. They ensure that your photos will not have metal wires on your teeth when you reflect back in the future. These types of braces are more than aesthetic. They are also quite safe.
Contact Us Now!
We at Beecroft Orthodontics hope that we have done enough to clarify the difference between the two. For any further consultations or if you would like to utilize our services, do not hesitate to call us. We eagerly await the chance to guide you on the journey back to dental wellness.
Beecroft Orthodontics
239 Garrisonville Rd. Suite #101 Stafford,Virginia
Phone: 540-659-6300
Difference between A Dentist and Orthodontist