Orthodontist vs dentist

An orthodontist is a dentist who has undergone an additional 2 to 3 years of intensive training to specialize in the area of orthodontics. Getting a master’s degree in orthodontics uniquely qualifies an orthodontist to align your teeth and jaws with the help of braces and aligners.

A general dentist looks after the health of your smile. You should visit them every six months for a cleaning (even during orthodontic treatment), and a dentist can help you with root canals, crowns, and filling cavities.

An orthodontist protects the health of your teeth in a completely different way - by aligning them! Straight teeth not only look better aesthetically, they are also easier to keep clean and less prone to injury and uneven wear.

Orthodontists can use their expertise to fix overbites, underbites, crooked teeth, crowding, spacing, and more! They can even assist with TMJ symptoms and other jaw problems.

You should see a dentist if:

• It’s time for a six-monthly cleaning
• You feel pain when biting down
• Your teeth are sensitive to heat or cold
• You have bleeding or pain from your gum line
• Your tooth chips or cracks

You should see an orthodontist if:

• You want to improve the appearance of your smile
• You have difficulty chewing, breathing, or speaking
• You have jaw pain and frequent headaches
• You often bite your cheek or lip because of your too angles
• Your teeth are crowded together
• You have a large gap between your teeth