General Dentist vs. Orthodontist: What's the Difference?

Much like physicians, dentists are subdivided into groups. For instance, general dentists care for patients' overall oral health, and specialists with additional training, such as orthodontists, address specific areas of oral health.

General Dentists

General dentists evaluate each patient's mouth and neck area for signs of various diseases, assess the condition of each patient's teeth and gums, and perform corrective procedures as needed.

Referrals

General dentists refer patients to specialists when necessary. For instance, a dentist might refer a patient to an oral surgeon for wisdom tooth extraction or to an orthodontist for braces.

Orthodontists

Orthodontists are dentists who undergo two or three additional years of training in orthodontics. Using braces and other appliances, orthodontists improve how patients' teeth look and fit together.

Orthodontic Treatment

Orthodontic treatment can improve a variety of positioning problems, such as overbite, underbite, crooked teeth and teeth with too much space between them.

Orthodontic Treatment Providers

Either general dentists or orthodontists may provide orthodontic treatment. Although some people are happy with receiving orthodontic care from a general dentist, other people prefer to have their orthodontic work performed by a specialist whose entire practice is devoted to orthodontics.