Both a dentist and orthodontist in Newcastle work to help you maintain and care for your healthy smile, as well as repairing problems and addressing issues.
A dentist works with your general oral health, including your teeth, gums, jaw and nerves.
An orthodontist like the specialist at Live Life Smiling deals specifically with the straightness of your teeth, correcting your bite and aligning your teeth.
Here’s what you should know so you can choose the right person for your dental needs.
Similarities
As mentioned above, dentists and orthodontists are alike because their job is to focus on your oral health. Both deal with teeth and gums and want you to have a healthy and beautiful smile.
Differences
To become an orthodontist, a dentist must complete additional schooling.
The primary difference between an orthodontist and a dentist is that an orthodontist focuses on straightening your teeth and fixing problems with occlusion and bite, as well as aligning your teeth.
An orthodontist will fit you with devices to correct these issues, such as braces or a retainer that aim to move the teeth where they need to be.
An orthodontist cannot provide general dentistry services but a general dentist can provide orthodontics, with a limited level of expertise.
Services
A dentist focuses on general oral health and offers services that include cleaning and monitoring.
They work on issues like tooth decay, gum disease, teeth whitening and root canals and can provide you with bridges, crowns and veneers.
An orthodontist deals with crowded and misaligned teeth as well as an overbite and underbite.
You may need to see both or you could be seen by one or the other, depending on your oral health needs.
When to See an Orthodontist
Generally, if you need to see an orthodontist, your regular dentist will make a referral.
Some signs you might want to make an appointment with an orthodontist include having crooked teeth that are interfering with your oral health or that you just don’t like the look of, as well as if you have a pronounced overbite or underbite.
Crowding of your teeth, a crossbite or large spaces between your teeth are other times when an orthodontist can help.
If you have jaw problems, such as TMD, an orthodontist can help with that as well. If your dentist recommends orthodontic treatment, be sure you follow through for the sake of your smile.
Here at Live Life Smiling we offer the full range of dental services.
If you need a general dentist or an orthodontist in Newcastle, we make it easy to book a consultation.
