What Does an Orthodontist Do?

What Does an Orthodontist Do?

September 9, 2022

There is a time that you feel you want to revitalize your smile; however, you are worried about which orthodontist in Bay City you should trust. This is because you are afraid that the dental practitioner can fail to fulfill what you desire in terms of your dental goals.

The worry you are facing can be caused by the lack of knowledge of what an orthodontist does, and we will help you answer this question by telling you all the vital information concerning an orthodontist.

Who Is an Orthodontist?

An orthodontist is a dental practioner who focuses on diagnosing, preventing, and treating dental and facial problems or irregularities. In addition, these specialists offer a broad scope of treatment plans to straighten chipped, crooked, and misaligned teeth.

One of the main objectives of orthodontist care is improving a patient’s bite. A healthy bite is essential in ensuring you can chew, speak, and eat easily. In the past, an orthodontist was thought to only deal with teenagers and children, but now they can fix dental problems in patients of any age.

What Is the Difference Between a Dentist and An Orthodontist?

Although there are differences between what a dentist does and an orthodontist, both of them work to ensure you have improved oral health. Dentists focus on a broad range of oral problems, whereas an orthodontist focuses on aligning the teeth and jaws.

Another significant difference between dentists and orthodontists is that dentists diagnose and treat teeth diseases, whereas an orthodontist diagnoses and treats bad bites, crooked teeth, and poorly aligned jaws.

In addition to that, an orthodontist offers all orthodontic treatment options for all ages, whereas a dentist provides general oral care for all ages.

The oral care services that the dentist in Bay City provides are teeth whitening, repairing cracked teeth, extracting teeth, and performing oral surgery. On the other hand, orthodontist monitors the growth of children’s jaws and bite, diagnose misaligned jaws and teeth (malocclusion), fix dental appliances like palatal expanders and braces, and perform teeth straightening surgery.

When Should You See an Orthodontist?

First, having your kids seen by an orthodontist like the one in Dr. Teeth Dental Care – Bay City is essential by the age of seven. This is because the orthodontist in the orthodontics near you can treat misalignment issues as early as possible and intercept them from affecting the child later in life. This is by use of dental appliances like aligners and braces.

Moreover, taking your kids and yourself to the dentist for regular cleanings and check-ups is crucial. When you have an orthodontist and a dentist in your home, they can work together to ensure you have healthy teeth and gums. This is because aligned teeth are easier to clean compared to crooked teeth.

A smile is one of the first things that people see. Therefore, having misaligned teeth can hinder you from smiling confidently; therefore, seeing an orthodontist is the best option to revitalize your smile. Therefore, making an appointment is imperative to correct the misalignment.

In addition, an orthodontist is essential when you have sleep apnea. One of the problems of having a misaligned bite is that it can increase the chances of you grinding or clenching your teeth while sleeping. The orthodontist can make a custom-made mouth guard, which you can wear while sleeping fixing the sleeping condition.

What To Expect When You Visit an Orthodontist?

Most of the time, the dentist is the first to notice that you have misaligned or crooked teeth during your regular cleanings and check-ups. The dentist can recommend seeing an orthodontist who can fix the misaligned teeth. This can make you wonder what your first visit to the orthodontist will be like.

During the consultation process, the orthodontist can take you through several steps to determine the most suitable treatment for your teeth.

First, an oral exam is performed to take color photos of your mouth. This will help the orthodontist see the health and color of your teeth, cheeks, gums, soft tissues, and lips.

In addition, the orthodontist will take pictures of your face and smile. The pictures help the orthodontist see how your teeth are aligned, how they affect your face, and whether you have misaligned jaws.

The orthodontist also does dental x-rays to see if there is any damage to your teeth and jaw, which the naked eye can’t see.

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