How do you know who to listen to when it comes to you, or your child’s first orthodontic treatment? Family dentists are reliable in that they know your routine and dental history, but not all dentists will be able to recognize early signs of orthodontic issues, which is why it’s best to get checked by an orthodontist, to prevent big problems later.
Here Are a Few Key Differences
Orthodontists receive the same education as dentists, plus two years.
These extra two years are spent exploring a whole range of other medical studies. Because of this, orthodontists can fully understand what the affect of their treatment does to the human body, or what outside factors or habits lead to a misaligned bite. For example, your neck or upper back pain could be a result of strain on the jaw. And reversely, stress that results in thrusting the tongue forward could be causing your front teeth to shift forward.
Orthodontist fix the invisible.
While dentists have to undergo many years of training in order to accurately diagnose any dental problems you have, it takes a specialist to fix what you can’t see. Orthodontists are trained to understand the long term effects of shifting teeth. While a dentist may offer an aesthetic, short term solution, only a trained orthodontist will know what your teeth will look like in a year or five.
Orthodontist understand long term effects.
Long term effects are always calculated in orthodontics. A misaligned tooth can be worn down by an improper bite. This can eventually lead to a sensitivity, enamel loss, or even tooth loss. A misaligned set of teeth can also lead to jaw problems like TMJD, which can cause neck or upper back pain. It’s much easier to correct this sort of complication early on. Leave misaligned teeth too long, and you may end up dealing with the variety of dental and physical complications associated with your poor bite.
Contact us if you have any questions, or book a consultation with one of our orthodontists.
