When there is something wrong with our teeth or in our mouth, we are likely to think of getting help or medical attention from the dentist. However, when we go to a healthcare facility to get health services, we may come across orthodontics apart from dentists. Are there any differences between orthodontics and dentists? Here we will learn more about both of these health professionals in ensuring our oral care is best catered.
Both dentists and orthodontics are important in ensuring patients achieve the best oral health possible. In general terms, you can consider a dentist as a general physician whereas an orthodontist is a specialist. This means that orthodontists are those who do specialisation education for another few years to complete their studies. Both dentist and orthodontist do undertake the same training initially but orthodontists are those who further their studies after they graduated from dental school. Hence, it is easy to consider dentists as general doctors to treat dental issues and oral health in general whereas orthodontists specialise in matters where dentists in general do not have the means or knowledge for treating certain cases.
An orthodontist takes Orthodontics as a specialty that focuses on the correct bites, occlusion, straightening teeth and growth of dental with facial structures. Orthodontists are able to evaluate a person’s bite to provide the best solutions such as braces. It is common for dentists to refer patients to an orthodontist when there is the need for advanced oral care further than what can be provided in general dentistry. In Malaysia, orthodontists have to ensure the three years of additional studies of Orthodontics which comprises formal, structured, clinical orthodontic education and ways on straightening teeth by offering the best treatment option for patients.
Orthodontists specialise in aligning the jaw and moving the teeth. This enables them to be able to correct crooked or misaligned teeth. They are also able to fix dental issues that are associated with speech problems and periodontal destruction. All teeth and jaw alignment issues can be fixed by an orthodontist. In short, orthodontist specialist in tooth and jaw alignment. Apart from orthodontic services, they are also involved with orthopaedic treatment of facial growth. Orthodontists often focus on what they are best at which is correcting teeth movement, jawbones, facial bones and soft tissue.
You may wonder what a dentist in general can do. Dentists are considered as the first place you can go whenever you have dental issues. Dentists are the first line of treatment when there is the need for orthodontic care by referring patients to specialised care. Dentists can provide a wide range of services from dental cleanings to repairing teeth. Further training enables dentists to do minor oral surgery, simple tooth implants and simple correction for bite problems. Dentists may help to improve teeth function and appearance by applying veneers, crowns or bonding for teeth that are severely decayed, misshapen, chipped or broken. Dentist is someone you can rely on when ensuring your oral health is in good condition and able to check or advise for dental issues before getting worse.
One of the issues that may make you confused which to go for is when getting braces. According to the Malaysian Association of Orthodontics, only orthodontists are the only specialists that can give accurate opinion on the best orthodontic options such as braces. This is not to say that dentists could not give treatment such as braces but because the many courses that general dentists attend to learn for orthodontics are merely a day or two, furthermore not evidence based. This means that when there is something wrong with the treatment provided by the general dentist, patients are likely to be needing corrective treatment which often costs a fortune. On top of that, this may jeopardise your dental and periodontal health. Thus, we can say that despite there being cheaper alternatives available or claimed as a method for everyone, it can never replace the best conventional braces as given by orthodontists. In the end, the Malaysian Association of Orthodontics does not recommend seeing non-orthodontist for orthodontic care.
Also read – Dengue Prevention
It is recommended that a child aged as young as 7 be checked by an orthodontist. This can help screening for problems that may need for early orthodontic treatment. This also helps to evaluate if there is the need for orthodontic treatment in their early teenage years. All in all, orthodontists do play a crucial role in ensuring you can smile the best way possible and be comfortable with your oral health. Even though it seems like orthodontics are far superior than dentists, dentists do have their own role in ensuring patients are provided with the best care possible. Dentists will always be the first person people go to for a lot of dental problems. Think of it this way if you are still unsure where to go, you can always see a dentist first as they will guide you if there is the need for orthodontics. Remember, you will only see an orthodontist for orthodontic treatment but you will always visit a general dentist throughout your life for many dental or mouth problems.
