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Orthodontists are also involved in dental care, but with a special focus on movement. This movement can involve the teeth, jaws, facial bones, and even the soft tissues in the mouth. Typically, orthodontists provide braces to patients who need their teeth straightened. However, braces are not the only way orthodontists provide care—orthodontists can recommend braces, clear aligners, devices that move the jaw and palate, retainers, whitening treatments, and more.
Orthodontists focus on the overall alignment of the mouth, ensuring not only a pleasing usa number list appearance but also overall comfort. They can focus on the bite, the alignment of the teeth, and more. Because it takes time to move teeth, bone, and soft tissue, orthodontic work is usually done over a longer period of time rather than all at once.
Can a dentist do orthodontics?
Dentists may provide orthodontic services, specifically using braces to correct tooth alignment or even fitting spacers to prepare your mouth for braces, but even they are not orthodontists. Orthodontists are the only ones who have extensive training and education in tooth straightening that goes beyond dental education. Therefore, an orthodontist is the best choice to resolve even the most basic alignment issues.
In many cases, a dentist may treat a patient together with an orthodontist. Since dentists focus primarily on oral health and orthodontists focus primarily on tooth straightening, both may provide basic services to one patient at the same time. Often, a general dentist will refer a patient to an orthodontist when alignment issues become apparent, but this is not always the case.
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