What Are The Differences Between A Dentist, Pedodontist, And Orthodontist In Gainesville GA ?

Many consumers are confused why they should choose an orthodontist in the Oakwood and Gainesville GA areas at Sosebee and Britt Orthodontics versus a general dentist or pedodontist to straighten their teeth with braces or Invisalign. Plain and Simple… the answer is experience and training.

Gainesville GA difference between orthodontist and dentist

 

What are the Differences Between Dentists, Pedodontists, and Orthodontists?

  • All are dentists who specialize in oral care, and all are technically dentists.
  • Orthodontists complete an additional two – three years of training in orthodontics, above and beyond general dentistry
  • Pedodontists complete and additional two – three years training to specialize in all areas of general dentistry for children
  • All orthodontists are dentists, but only 10 percent of dentists are orthodontists. Orthodontists limit their practice to moving teeth and correcting jaw irregularities
  • Dentists and Pedodontists refer their patients to an orthodontist if they have problems with the alignment of their teeth or a bite abnormality of some kind. The same as a physician would refer you to a cardiologist or orthopedists if you had heart or skeletal issues.
  • If you do not suffer from a bite irregularity or misaligned teeth, you will likely never have to see an orthodontist. If you do, an orthodontist is the best qualified professional to treat your needs for a healthy long term dental result.

With the sudden rise in general dentists and pedodontists offering orthodontic services, it is important to understand the differences in treatment delivery and care! At Sosebee and Britt Orthodontics all we do is orthodontics, all day long, day in a day out, with thousands of beautiful smiles created over the years. Before you make your final selection to straighten your teeth, contact our office for a free smile exam and learn about the difference.

13 thoughts on “What Are The Differences Between A Dentist, Pedodontist, And Orthodontist In Gainesville GA ?

  1. Thanks for the information on the difference between dentists and orthodontists. I don’t really need any teeth moved or my jaw corrected, so it seems like I really just need a dentist. Do you have any tips for finding the right general dentistry practice for me?

    1. Hi Rhys! Ask your friends and co-workers which dentist they see — word of mouth is always great! Do an Internet search, check out some websites, read some reviews, and look at some pictures online. Some practices will strike your fancy while others can be crossed off your list. This also might be a good question to pose to your Facebook friends or a local chat community in your area. Good luck finding a dentist!

  2. Thanks for explaining this! I was wondering why some dentists can do Invisalign and some can’t. I had my teeth straightened a year ago, and since moving, I’ve been trying to find the best dentist in my new area. Would you recommend finding an orthodontist or a general dentist in my situation? (I feel pretty good about how straight my teeth are now.)

  3. You make a great point that Periodontists and Orthodontists must first be accepted and complete a general dentistry graduate program. Periodontist and Orthodontist must then go on and receive additional schooling and training to licensed specialists. General oral care can be handled by a general dentist. However, if you want your teeth straightened or have serious gum issues, it can be a good idea to see a specialist.

  4. I had no idea that orthodontists had such specified training. I’ve been able to go to just a general dentist for most all of my dental issues, so I’d never really looked at the differences between types of dentists. It definitely seems like an orthodontist would be nice if you needed the specialized work, but that a general dentist can take care of most issues too. Thanks for sharing.

  5. This article has been very helpful helping me find a general dentist. I wasn’t sure what I would need for my family but knowing that not all dentist are orthodontists and and when I would need their help. Thanks for helping me know the difference in care!

  6. I didn’t’ know that all orthodontists are dentists. that really changes everything and makes sense why my dentists can do braces and everything. I wonder why that is like that. Do most people work towards being an orthodontist rather than just a dentist?

  7. It is interesting for me to learn a little bit about orthodontists vs. periodontal work. They seem so similar but they are actually quite different. I appreciate you pointing out some of the ways that they are different.

  8. Orthodontists (doctors of a specialty known as “orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics).They place appliances in the mouth to modify facial growth, straighten teeth, change bites, etc. Periodists (doctors specializing in periodontics) treat diseases of the periodontal tissues (gums and bone). They perform tissue grafts, bone grafts, and place implants.A general dentist is licensed to do *all* specialty aspects of dentistry. (with the exception of sedation and general anesthesia) We can legally do braces, root canals, gum surgeries, wisdom tooth extractions, implants, or any other task that specialists do.

  9. That’s really interesting to know that there can be a lot of different specialty doctors for teeth. I know that I’ve been looking for a general dentist since I need to get my teeth cleaned. I’ll have to talk to a general dentist and make sure they do what I need them to do. Thanks for the awesome info!

  10. I didn’t know that there were differences in orthodontics and pedodontists. It sounds like they are equally important and they help us in different ways. Without orthodontists, we wouldn’t have any straight teeth because they deal with braces.

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