Is Orthodontist Training Different Than a Dentist?

Orthodontist Training

Dentists take care of many general oral health issues, including x-raying and examining teeth to assess their soundness and health, cleaning teeth, filling cavities or restoring the damage caused by tooth decay. In this way, they’re similar to your primary care doctor, except their focus is on your overall oral health. But even though a dentist can diagnose many different oral issues, that doesn’t mean she’s qualified to treat all of them.

Just as your primary care physician will refer you to a specialist when a more complex health issue is detected, most dentists will also refer their patients to specialists when an oral health issue is beyond the scope of their expertise and training. Dr. Black of Appalachian Orthodontics of Lynchburg is such a specialist.

Extended Training

To become a dentist, an individual must complete four years of dental school to earn a degree as a DDS (doctor of dental surgery) or DDM (doctor of dental medicine) and must be licensed in the state where they practice their craft.

 An orthodontist also completes a four-year general dentistry program but then continues their training for an additional minimum of two years of specialized study in orthodontics. (To be clear, dental school is a postgraduate course of study, so the total time spent in college is eight years for dentists and ten years for orthodontists.)

 The extra training enables an orthodontist to extend her abilities beyond that of general dentistry into the highly specialized area of jaw and teeth alignment, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of facial and dental irregularities, and the ability to recognize and prescribe the best course of treatment for problems like overcrowding, gaps, overbites, underbites, crossbites and more. 

Treatment Options

Most people are familiar with the traditional metal braces that you typically see on middle-school-aged children. They’re still in use and still effective for orthodontic problems, but today there are many more options available. Traditional braces are now available in clear styles, as are tooth aligners such as Invisalign. Different treatments apply in different cases, so be sure to discuss with your orthodontist if clear aligners or traditional braces are best for your particular case.

What If Your Dentist Offers To Tackle Your Orthodontic Problems?

Some dentists will attend seminars to be certified to offer orthodontic services in their general practices. However, these seminars are not offering the same education as the years of extra training received by an orthodontist, so the seminar-trained dentist’s knowledge about diagnosing orthodontic issues and straightening teeth as well as dealing with other orthodontic problems will be less extensive. 

Think of it this way: A medic in a battle setting may be able to provide basic medical care, but there are times when this care simply won’t be enough to “fix” a soldier’s wounds. The best solution is to send the soldier to a facility with trained surgeons and the proper equipment to treat his issues properly. The same is true when it comes to orthodontic care. Unless the problem is extremely minor, it’s best to request a referral to a certified orthodontist for treatment!

Consider this interesting fact pointed out by the American Association of Orthodontists: All orthodontists are dentists, but only about 6 percent of dentists also possess an advanced degree in orthodontics! 

When you visit Appalachian Orthodontics of Lynchburg, you ensure that you receive the best care available and the best possible outcome. At Appalachian Orthodontics of Lynchburg, Dr. Elena Black specializes in healthy smiles! If you would like to learn how we can help you achieve the smile of your dreams, schedule your complimentary consultation today! We are available in person or virtually to help! Text us at 800-459-4985. We can’t wait to see you!