Maintaining good oral health often times requires the expertise of various dental professionals - the most prominent being your dentist and sometimes also an orthodontist. While both a dentist and orthodontist work to ensure your oral health, their roles and areas of expertise differ significantly.
What does an Orthodontist Specialize In?
Dentists are general practitioners who focus on maintaining and improving overall oral health. They handle a wide range of dental issues, from gum care to fillings and root canals. After completing a bachelor's degree, dentists attend dental school for four years to earn either a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree.
Orthodontists, on the other hand, specialize in correcting misaligned teeth and jaws, a field known as orthodontics. After completing dental school, orthodontists undergo an additional two to three years of specialized training in orthodontics, where they learn to diagnose and treat dental and facial irregularities.
What Services Does An Orthodontist Provide?
While dentists cover a broad spectrum of care including routine check-ups, cleanings, cavity fillings, root canals, gum disease treatment, denture services, dental implants, and more - orthodontists are primarily concerned with the alignment of teeth and jaws. Orthodontists in Yukon provide treatments such as braces, clear aligners, and retainers to correct overbites, underbites, crooked teeth, and other alignment issues.
How Do Dentists And Orthodontist Collaborate?
Dentists and orthodontists often work collaboratively to offer comprehensive oral health care. Our dentists at Redeemed Smiles might refer a patient to a Yukon orthodontist if we identify a need for specialized care beyond our capabilities related to major teeth alignment issues or jaw positioning issues.
How Do I know whether to first visit with a dentist or orthodontist?
Typically an orthodontist visit is a result of a referral from your dentist. Your dentist will be able to tell you if your teeth or jaw alignment puts you at risk for health issues due to overcrowding or improper bite alignment etc. and properly refer you to an orthodontist near you who can help with the issue.
Conclusion
Dentists and orthodontists each bring unique skills and expertise to the table, working together to provide holistic oral health care. Dentists offer a wide range of general dental services essential for maintaining good oral hygiene, while orthodontists specialize in aligning teeth and jaws to enhance both function and appearance.
Still not sure whether you are in need of dental or orthodontic treatment?
Give us a call today and we'd be happy to talk through the services we offer. If you are in need of an orthodontic referral, we'll be happy to refer you to an orthodontist we trust to ensure your optimal oral health.