About Orthodontists and Orthodontic Treatments

Difference Between Orthodontists and Dentists

Orthodontic treatment and the services we offer at Shelly Orthodontics, PC involve the use of braces and other dental technologies to apply precise forces that result in the desired repositioning of the teeth. These changes improve not only the look of your smile but the health and longevity of your teeth.

The difference between an orthodontist and a general dentist is additional education and specialized training in orthodontic care. All dentists receive similar dental training and must earn an undergraduate degree and attend dental school where they receive either a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD). Orthodontists must then serve a residency in orthodontics for two years or longer. Orthodontists receive over 3,700 hours of specialty training. 

Some general dentists take continuing-education seminars in order to offer orthodontic services as a sideline to their primary services. Only your dentist knows what he or she is qualified to do well, however, with so much riding on the quality of treatment, choosing an orthodontic specialist ensures that you will get the best possible result.

You trust your heart to a cardiologist, your skin to a dermatologist, and your knees to an orthopedist. Like these specialists who study their specialty areas after their general medical education, orthodontists devote additional years of study to orthodontics after they graduate from dental school. Like other medical counterparts, orthodontists limit their practices to their specialty areas.

Orthodontists have in-depth experience in orthodontic care, and they use this knowledge and skills to help you get the best result possible. Call Shelly Orthodontics, PC today to learn more or for a free initial consultation!