Can a Dentist Do Orthodontics?
Dentists and orthodontists are professionals specializing in oral healthcare. However, if your kid needs braces to correct misalignments with their teeth, your general dentist may recommend you see an orthodontist have the dental imperfections corrected. You may wonder why you must visit an orthodontist or why your dentist cannot provide the braces your kid needs. You probably assume dentists and orthodontists are similar because you don’t realize the fundamental differences between these two professionals.
This article provides information to help you understand what the differences are between these two professionals and why you must choose an experienced orthodontist to correct alignment and bite problems.
How Are Orthodontists Different?
Orthodontists and dentists work in a similar profession. However, there are differences that set them apart in their domains. For example, the dentist in Houston, an orthodontist, has attended four years of dental school similar to general dentists. However, after graduation, the professional has chosen a unique field requiring additional work and further education to specialize in straightening teeth.
Dentists and orthodontists are similar to medical doctors working as general practitioners and specialists providing services as cardiologists and orthopedists. Therefore orthodontists, while working as dentists, have received additional specialized training in the field of orthodontics.
The challenges of dental school are overwhelming. However, plenty of competition exists when gaining acceptance to an orthodontic residency program. Merely five percent of the best graduates from dental school are accepted or considered for admission to a residency. Some programs take fewer students out of hundreds of applicants.
After receiving admission into a residency program, orthodontists undergo another 2 to 3 years of specialized training concentrating on orthodontic issues and treatments. They are the specialists in treating bite problems, straightening teeth, and providing orthodontic braces. Orthodontists advertise their specialty only after they have successfully completed the intense residency program dedicating themselves to the profession and working hard.
Can Dentists Provide Orthodontic Treatments?
Undoubtedly yes. General dentists can also provide orthodontic treatments to patients. However, there are some requirements which the dentist must cover before they offer these services. Dentists can provide orthodontic care only if they are committed to acquiring experience on a particular subject by attending workshops and seminars to gain the education necessary.
Unfortunately, workshops and seminars, while providing general information, dentists lack the testing and examinations that allow orthodontists to acquire in-depth knowledge of orthodontics. Therefore, while providing orthodontic care, dentists do so merely with a superficial understanding of the subject and may not offer the best treatment as patients need.
Unlike dentists, the orthodontist in Houston, TX, focus on orthodontic care as their only specialty. If your kid needs treatment for straightening their teeth and their dentist recommends you see the Houston orthodontist accept the recommendation with glee because your child will receive specialized treatment from a professional to leave them with beautiful teeth and smiles.
When seeking treatments for straightening teeth, always consider orthodontic treatment near you because the treatment will likely last for two years or more and require multiple visits to the orthodontist for adjustments. Orthodontists perform teeth straightening treatments almost every day remain up-to-date about the latest industry practices. In addition, an orthodontist will likely have state-of-the-art equipment for treating patients because they also continue to participate in education classes focusing primarily on orthodontics.
Making the Right Choice Is Essential
Would it make sense for you to visit a cardiologist if you merely suffer from the annual flu? You may think a heart specialist will charge higher prices and consider visiting a general physician to receive your flu shot. Therefore you must adopt a similar approach when seeking treatments for your teeth or that of your child.
Eventually, making the right choice is entirely at your discretion. However, it makes sense for you to realize that if your child needs orthodontic care over a prolonged period, they receive better help from an orthodontist who is better equipped to see through their treatment from start to finish.
Dentists looking to provide treatment plants are usually familiar with developing short-term results for patients, while orthodontists undertake long-term care for their patients. As a result, orthodontists are better positioned to determine orthodontic treatments using metal braces, ceramic braces, Invisalign, or lingual braces required by their patients. The professional can also advise patients on how to avoid complications with any treatments they provide.
If you want to arrive at a proper decision for your child will suggest you contact Greenway Pediatric Dentistry — Houston, TX, who can help you decide which professional is better for your child.