The difference between a Dentist and an Orthodontist
Why is it so important to see an orthodontic specialist for
braces as opposed to your general dentist?
1.
A
qualified orthodontic specialist must first receive his/her doctorate in
general dentistry – the same as the general dentist. Then, they must complete
an additional
three years
of graduate training in orthodontics at an American Dental Association
approved, university affiliated program. As a specialist, the orthodontist
limits his/her practice exclusively to orthodontic treatments. If a dental
practitioner is practicing general dentistry and providing orthodontic
services, he/she is not an approved specialist in orthodontics.
2.
An orthodontist received extensive training in
growth and development of the bones and teeth, and is better equipped to
properly diagnose and treat problems with the jaws and teeth!
3.
While many people consider orthodontics as just “straightening
crooked teeth,” there is really so much more.
As an orthodontist, I look at the developing bones of the upper and
lower jaws, the bones and gums surrounding the teeth, the specialized x-rays we
take (the panoramic x-ray and the cephalometric x-ray) to further evaluate the
harmony of all these things together.
Lastly, we are treating FACES, not teeth-so therefore I must look at how
the lips relate to the teeth and how to best treat each person based upon their
FACIAL NEEDS!! For example, this patient
wanted straighter teeth and to fix her smile:
Please look
at how much of her gums she shows when smiling-this is something that needs to
be addressed and diagnosed properly from day 1 or the results will not be
optimal. A general dentist may not catch
this or evaluate this because they do not have the specialty training to
realize the complexity of this case.
This patient came to me after being treated by her general dentist
because she was unhappy with the outcome because all he did was align her
teeth.
4.
I have been asked several times about early
treatment at a young age (age 7-9 years old) and how this works and who gets
it. Thanks to our wonderful organization
AAO (American Association of Orthodontists, I was able to get this particular
brochure that really explains it well.
Please take a moment to read this!
Your family dentist is excellent at achieving
your needs for esthetic concerns such as
fillings in the front teeth, crowns, veneers, replacement of missing teeth
)such as implants), but a specialist in ORTHODONTICS is best equipped to handle
the growth and development of the jaws and facial harmony required for a
successful orthodontic case.
*****WHAT ABOUT 6 MONTH BRACES?
This is a big issue I deal with a lot. 6 months is too short of a time to complete
braces in children or adults. Part of
having braces is not only aligning your teeth, but achieving a good functional
bite. Placement of braces for 6 months
cannot accomplish all these things; in fact, the bite gets altered
significantly in the first few months of treatment, thus leaving you with
fairly straight teeth, but an uncomfortable bite that you may not accept. As an orthodontist, I see this a lot and
patients have to come to me to have things fixed. So, you end up paying twice and going through
braces twice. Beware of these “quick
fixes,” as many times they turn out to be longer than a regular 18 months worth
of braces!
If you have any questions on any of these
topics, we would love to discuss this with you!
Please call our office at (630) 665-5495 to set up your complimentary
consultation!!
Check out our website at www.bauerbraces.com
Danielle Bauer DDS, MS
630-665-5495
630-665-5495
