What’s The Difference Between An Orthodontist And A Dentist?

Orthodontists and dentists both play vital roles in enhancing patients’ oral health, albeit through distinct avenues. Dentistry stands as a comprehensive medical specialty encompassing the examination and treatment of teeth, gums, nerves, and the jaw. Conversely, orthodontics, a specialized branch within the broader field of dentistry, places its primary focus on rectifying issues related to bites, occlusion, and the alignment of teeth. A significant differentiator in this realm is that all orthodontists, such as Dr. Andrew Lasley, hold dental qualifications, but not every dentist in the sphere of orthodontics in Centralia carries the specialized orthodontist certification.

The Similarities

At first glance, dentists and orthodontists appear quite similar, primarily because they both focus on oral care. Both are highly trained healthcare professionals who hold degrees in dentistry. They are considered doctors and deal with various aspects of teeth and gums. You can find both of them working in a dental office, providing essential services to maintain and improve your oral health.

Dentists: The Comprehensive Care Providers

Dentists are often your first point of contact for oral health concerns. They play a critical role in encouraging good oral hygiene and providing a wide range of services to address various dental issues. Some of the common dental services offered by dentists include:

1. Tooth Decay: Dentists diagnose and treat cavities, preventing them from progressing and causing further damage to your teeth.
2. Root Canals: They perform root canal therapy to save a severely infected or damaged tooth.
3. Gum Disease: Dentists help prevent and treat gum diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis.
4. Crowns, Bridges, and Veneers: They design and place dental crowns, bridges, and veneers to restore damaged teeth or improve their appearance.
5. Teeth Whitening: Dentists offer professional teeth whitening procedures to brighten your smile.

Orthodontists: The Alignment Specialists

Orthodontists, on the other hand, have a more specialized focus within the field of dentistry. They undergo additional schooling and training to become experts in correcting misaligned teeth, improving bites, and fitting patients with corrective braces and other orthodontic devices. Orthodontists primarily deal with issues such as:

1. Misaligned Teeth: Orthodontists specialize in straightening crooked teeth to enhance your smile and overall oral health.
2. Crowded Teeth: They address problems related to overcrowded teeth, which can lead to various dental issues if left untreated.
3. Overbite: Orthodontists help correct overbites, where the upper front teeth excessively overlap the lower ones.
4. Underbite: They also treat underbites, where the lower teeth protrude beyond the upper teeth.
5. Other Orthodontic Concerns: Orthodontists can assist with issues like crossbites, spaces between teeth, overcrowding, and temporomandibular disorders (TMD). They are also trained to address problems with the jaw.

The Key Differences

While the similarities between dentists and orthodontists lie in their shared dedication to oral health, the differences between these two professions are significant and crucial to understanding which one to consult for specific concerns.

1. Specialization: The primary difference lies in specialization. Orthodontists are dental specialists who focus exclusively on issues related to tooth alignment and bite correction. Dentists, on the other hand, provide a broader range of dental services, including preventive care, restorative procedures, and oral surgery.
2. Education and Training: Becoming an orthodontist requires additional years of schooling and training beyond dental school. This specialization equips orthodontists with the expertise to diagnose and treat complex alignment issues comprehensively.
3. Referrals: When a patient presents with alignment or bite problems, a dentist will typically refer them to an orthodontist. This referral ensures that patients receive specialized care for their specific concerns.
4. Scope of Practice: While some dentists may have training in orthodontics and can provide certain orthodontic services, trusting your smile to an orthodontist can often result in a more balanced approach to the different procedures you may require.

What an orthodontist can help with

Orthodontists help with crooked teeth, but they assist patients with other issues as well. These include overbites and underbites, crossbites, spaces between teeth, overcrowding of teeth, and the treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Additional problems with the jaw also need to be treated by an orthodontist.

While a dentist may be trained to provide orthodontic care in addition to extractions, TMJ treatments, and fillings, trusting your smile to an orthodontist can better balance the different procedures you require.

To learn more about the difference between dentists and orthodontists, or to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Andrew Lasley, please give our team at Centralia Orthodontics a call at our convenient Centralia, WA office.