Many people wouldn’t give it a second thought about who they should see when it comes to straightening their teeth or their child’s teeth. Why, an orthodontist of course! However, there is nothing saying that a general dentist can’t provide orthodontic treatment to his patients. In fact, a general dentist can extract wisdom teeth if he wants to. He can even surgically place an implant in a patient’s jaw if he so desires. A general dentist technically is licensed to do any of these procedures. So why go to a dental specialist at all? When it comes to braces or Invisalign, why would you choose an orthodontist instead of your dentist to straighten your teeth? The answer is really quite simple and it has to do with experience, training and value.
Orthodontists are highly trained specialists that have received 2 to 3 years of additional education after dental school in an accredited orthodontic residency program (as opposed to a few weekend courses for many general dentists).
The additional education an orthodontist receives concentrates on growth and development and in the diagnosis and treatment of all types of malocclusions. This extra specialized training would be similar to the extra years of training a cardiologist would have in their medical residency after their general medical education. Obviously, they would be much better prepared than your family physician to safely perform surgery on your heart and to properly react to any unexpected complications.
Another thing that differentiates an orthodontist from a general dentist is experience. Because an orthodontist specializes in straightening teeth and creating beautiful smiles, they treat hundreds of new cases each year. A general dentist on the other hand may see only a handful of cases per year in between all of the other things they are doing. Due to an orthodontist’s combination of specialized training and greater amount of experience, the orthodontist is more able to recognize the difference between a simple case and a complex one. Just as important, when a case becomes more challenging, orthodontists are more prepared to properly handle unexpected problems as they arise.
Lastly, there is the issue of value. Based on the advanced training that orthodontists have and their experience treating patients with braces and Invisalign aligners, their fees usually are higher than those of general dentists. However, as the old adage states, “you get what you pay for”. As stated above, most general practitioners don’t have the expertise or the experience to treat cases efficiently. Although it may be more affordable to have a general dentist straighten your teeth, the result likely will not be what you truly expected and the treatment time likely will be longer than if you had been treated by an orthodontist.
In closing, there are many well trained and highly capable general practitioners that can treat less complicated cases with great results. However, there are many advantages to seeing an orthodontist when it comes to creating the beautiful smile that you’ve always wanted!
By Gary Reichhold, DDS
DEC
About the Author:
Dr. Gary Reichhold and his partner Dr. Stephen Tanner have been proudly serving families in Concord, Walnut Creek, Clayton, Pleasant Hill and the surrounding communities for over 20 years. Their office is conveniently located in central Contra Costa County and their experienced team is committed to providing you and your family with exceptional orthodontic care.