Orthodontist vs Dentist: What’s the Difference?People often wonder what the difference is between dentists and orthodontists. This is a completely valid question, especially when looking into specific procedures.
Dentists specialize in the health of the mouth. They do routine check-ups to ensure that the gums are healthy and the teeth do not have any cavities. Some dentists specialize in procedures such as the removal of wisdom teeth as well. They do root canals routinely, which involves filling in the hollowed-out root of a tooth. These doctors can “also tell just by looking at the mouth if the rest of the body is free from other diseases, such as diabetes.” according to the orthodontists at Sky Orthodontics Oklahoma City.
Orthodontics, on the other hand, is a branch of dentistry. Orthodontists go to school to specialize in helping the teeth in a more cosmetic fashion. An orthodontist will look at the mouth and determine how the teeth need to be realigned to create a better bite and a more symmetrical smile. That is why these doctors are trusted to apply braces and the office also fashions retainers for after braces follow-up care.
There is sort of a gray area as to Orthodontist vs Dentist as to which set of doctors perform services like teeth whitening. Often, both an orthodontics office or a dentist will offer such procedures. These doctors have a lot of liberty in what they do, and do not, specialize in. And with new technologies, some dentists like to offer orthodontic procedures such as Invisalign to their clients. This involves much of the same teeth movements as braces do.
Orthodontist vs Dentist, though different yet still has a common goal to improve oral health. The world of dentistry and orthodontics is changing as doctors start to diversify their services. Though, people tend to trust orthodontic offices more than dentists for a service like a tooth realignment. Dentists went to school to specialize in this medical procedure, and therefore have more experience than orthodontists in this regard.
Visit your local orthodontist in Edmonton for more information about local orthodontic services.
