Training in general oral health allows dentists to take care of many common oral issues. They examine your teeth and mouth for any oral health concerns, clean your teeth, fill cavities, take X-rays, and more. In this way, they’re similar to your primary care doctor, except their focus is on your overall oral health. However, even though a dentist can diagnose many different oral issues, they may not have the specialized training required to treat all of them.
For more complex conditions or specific dental needs, additional education and training are necessary, and that’s where dental specialists come in. These specialists have completed extra years of education to focus on specific areas of dentistry, ensuring they can provide expert care for more advanced oral health concerns.
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, such as an orthodontist, when an oral health issue is beyond the scope of their expertise and training.
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 his/her 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 his or 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. They are trained in the ability to recognize and prescribe the best course of treatment for problems like overcrowding, gaps, overbites, underbites, crossbites and more.
After ten years of secondary education, an orthodontist is qualified to practice but may choose to obtain board certification through the American Board of Orthodontics. If board certification is pursued, the orthodontist is required to complete and pass both a written and a clinical examination to prove their competency.
Treatment Options
Most people are familiar with the traditional metal braces. 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 clear aligners. Different treatments apply in different cases, so even though you may prefer the idea of removable aligners, they may not be suited to your particular orthodontic issues.
What if Your Dentist Offers to Treat Your Orthodontic Problems?
Some dentists attend seminars to offer rudimentary orthodontic services in their general practices. However, these seminars are a far cry from the years of extra training received by an orthodontist. The seminar-trained dentist’s knowledge about straightening teeth and dealing with other orthodontic problems will be far 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 minor, it’s best to request a referral to a board certified orthodontist for treatment.
Good news! You don’t need a referral to go see an orthodontist. You can simply make an appointment for a consultation with the orthodontist of your choice.
Dr. Jones is a board certified orthodontist at Jones Family Orthodontics. His extensive training and experience make him a great choice for your orthodontic needs. Schedule a complimentary consultation online or call (360) 863-0303.
