Orthodontist vs dentist

Name: Harpenden Orthodontic Practice
Telephone: 01582 465 200

Orthodontists and dentists are both important dental professionals, but do you know the difference between the two? What can an orthodontist do for your smile that a dentist can’t? Read on to find out.

What is the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist?

Every orthodontist starts out their career as a dentist, but will go on for at least 3 years of further study to become a Orthodontist. This gives them the training needed to create bespoke treatment plans for shaping your smile.

Both dentists and orthodontists play two very different, yet very important roles in the care of your teeth. Dentists focus on the health and hygiene of your teeth, while orthodontists have trained to give you a perfectly straight smile.

Some dentists will take an interest in orthodontics and offer some treatments, but in order to get the highest level of care, going to a Orthodontist is the best way to ensure your orthodontic issues are resolved.

What is the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist

What can orthodontics help fix?

To make it easier to understand whether an orthodontist can help your case, see these images of problems we can resolve. If you suffer from any of the following, you could benefit from orthodontic treatment.

Crowding

This problem occurs when teeth are fighting for space in your mouth.

Spacing

The opposite to crowding, this problem occurs when there are big gaps between your teeth.

Overbite

If your top teeth sit out past your bottom teeth too far, this is the result of incorrect alignment of your jaw, known as an overbite.

Underbite

The opposite of an overbite, this problem occurs when your lower teeth jut out from your top teeth.

Open bite

If you are unable to get your teeth to meet when you bite down on your back molars, this is known as an open bite and is another result of a misaligned jaw.