To become an orthodontist, a dentist must complete additional schooling. The primary difference between an orthodontist and a dentist is that an orthodontist focuses on straightening your teeth and fixing problems with occlusion and bite, as well as aligning your teeth.
A dentist is a doctor trained to specialize in teeth, gums, nerves, and your jaw. Orthodontists are dentists as well, but their specialty within dentistry focuses on correcting bites, occlusion, which is how your teeth come in contact with one another, and the straightness of your teeth.
What does a dentist do?
Dentists are doctors of oral health. Typically, dentists go to college for a pre-dentistry or pre-medical degree before going on to a graduate school of dentistry
What does an orthodontist do?
Orthodontists are also doctors of oral health. Technically, they’re a kind of dentist with a specialty in tooth and jaw alignment
Orthodontist vs. dentist qualifications and training
Dentists and orthodontists get a lot of the same education
Should you see an orthodontist or dentist?
Think of your dentist as a general practitioner and your orthodontist as a specialist. Most standard dental issues can be resolved by a trip to the dentist
Takeaway
Dentists and orthodontists are two types of doctors who receive extensive practice diagnosing and treating oral health conditions
What does an orthodontist do?
Orthodontists are also doctors of oral health
Technically, they’re a kind of dentist with a specialty in tooth and jaw alignment
Certified orthodontists are trained to diagnose and treat oral health conditions of your teeth, gums, and mouth
But mostly, orthodontists focus on making sure your teeth and jaw are set correctly
What is the difference between dentistry and orthodontics?
Dentistry is a broad medical speciality that deals with oral health – specifically your teeth, gums, nerves in the mouth, and jaw – whereas orthodontics is a speciality within dentistry that is concerned with correcting your bite, how your teeth meet together, and the alignment of your teeth
Orthodontists and dentists both help patients improve their oral health, but in different ways. Dentistry is a broad medical specialty that deals with the teeth, gum, nerves, and jaw, while orthodontics is a specialty within dentistry that focuses on correcting bites, occlusion, and the straightness of teeth.Dentistry is a broad medical speciality that deals with oral health – specifically your teeth, gums, nerves in the mouth, and jaw – whereas orthodontics is a speciality within dentistry that is concerned with correcting your bite, how your teeth meet together, and the alignment of your teeth.The primary difference between orthodontics and dentistry is their scope of practice. We focus exclusively on preventing and correcting dental and jaw alignment issues using orthodontic appliances like braces and aligners. Dentists offer more general services like teeth cleaning and whitening, focusing on conditions like tooth decay.Both provide professional care that helps patients have good oral health, and both are dental school graduates. Your dentist may even offer orthodontic services, leading you to assume that they are an orthodontist. Despite these similarities, a dentist is not an orthodontist.Orthodontists are also doctors of oral health. Technically, they’re a kind of dentist with a specialty in tooth and jaw alignment. Certified orthodontists are trained to diagnose and treat oral health conditions of your teeth, gums, and mouth. But mostly, orthodontists focus on making sure your teeth and jaw are set correctly.
Difference between dentistry and orthodontics
Correctional branch of dentistry
Orthodontics is a dentistry specialty that addresses the diagnosis, prevention, management, and correction of mal-positioned teeth and jaws, as well as misaligned bite patterns. It may also address the modification of facial growth, known as dentofacial orthopedics.
