If this question is bothering you, then this article is surely for you. You might be having teeth issues or maybe it’s your child’s problem that is bothering you. You have discussed this with your friends and some may have advised you to visit the dentist while some have asked you to book an appointment with an orthodontist. Now you are utterly confused. No need to worry. Read on to clear your doubts on whom to consult- a dentist or an orthodontist.
Both a dentist and an orthodontist are doctors who are specialized to take care of our oral health. Dentists receive training on how to treat conditions of our gum, mouth, tongue, and teeth. Orthodontists also have to go through the same training process but they get an additional education that makes them specialized people who can deal with diagnosing and thereafter treating misalignments of our jaw and teeth.
Work of a dentist
As mentioned earlier dentists are doctors who take care of our oral health. Most of them practice (what is termed in medical science) general dentistry. They can detect and resolve problems of our mouth, teeth, gum, and tongue. Cleaning teeth is also sometimes handled by them. They concern themselves with extracting teeth, filling cavities, installing crowns, treating gum diseases, looking after oral hygiene, repairing cracked teeth, prescribing the required medicine, and if required can also perform oral surgeries.
Work of an orthodontist
They too are doctors who take care of our oral health. But there’s a slight difference. Their job is to look at whether the teeth and jaw are properly aligned or not. If the tooth and the jaw are not aligned properly it can create oral problems later. Their job is to diagnose misaligned teeth and jaw, plan a treatment procedure, and accordingly treat the oral problem. They also can perform teeth straightening surgery, install braces, and many other dental appliances as per the requirement of the problem of the patient.
Whom to visit – dentist or orthodontist?
Well if you are thinking of visiting the doctor for cosmetic purposes or are sure that you need to consult an orthodontist for your oral problem, then head to Schoettger Orthodontics. It will be a one-stop solution for your teeth alignment problems. They are specialized to deal with these kinds of issues.
But if you are complaining of a toothache, oral inflammation, gum bleeding, tooth decay, the problem of bad breath, tooth repair, etc. then you should pay a visit to the dentist and not an orthodontist.
Children are advised to go to an orthodontist before they reach the age of seven to have a thorough check-up done and to see if they will need braces or not. If the problem of misalignment is treated at this tender age, then good results are expected.
Insurance coverage
Many of you might be having dental insurance coverage. But the bad news is not all orthodontic care is covered by insurance. It’s a special treatment so many insurance companies don’t include them under their coverage schemes.
Conclusion
If you are still not convinced as to whom to visit or it might be so that you are facing an unusual oral problem, then without hesitation consult the nearest dentist and ask for a suggestion.
