When it comes to your teeth, there’s a lot more going on than you think. What seems like nothing more than a series of bones designed for chewing food, is actually a pretty complicated science. So it’s no surprise that the differences between a dentist and an orthodontist can get confusing. This is especially true when lines are blurred by dentists who occasionally perform orthodontic procedures. However, there are some pretty clear-cut differences between a dentist and an orthodontist like Dr. Mohammed AlJanabi.
It’s All in the Training
Like any field, the level of training is the most obvious difference. The process is a long road of schooling. After completing undergraduate studies, an individual will enter dental school. This is an additional four year process, including clinical studies to observe and treat a variety of dental conditions. After studies are completed and an exam is administered, dentists receive their Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Dental Medicine.
An orthodontist, on the other hand, must complete additional schooling. Dental school just lightly touches on orthodontic studies, but postdoctorate studies are an additional three years of schooling and clinical studies. During the additional studies, students receive in-depth training on tooth movement, surgical orthodontics, and dentofacial orthopedics. This additional training allows them to properly understand and address a variety of conditions that require orthodontic treatment. When all is said and done, your orthodontist has undergone 11 years of schooling, all before any continuing education courses are completed.
Years of Experience
Those additional years of training don’t just amount to a higher education – they also mean more experience. Under the tutelage of advanced level instructors, your orthodontist experiences a variety of dental conditions that require various treatments. During the process, your orthodontist undergoes an additional 6,000 hours of supervised training, exposing them to everything from mild malocclusion to advanced multi-treatment conditions.
After schooling, the specialty allows an orthodontist in Brooklyn to address and treat orthodontic procedures specifically, granting them more experience and expertise in their field.
There’s a Different Expertise
Dentists and orthodontists offer different specialties. Your dentist will typically cover a broader array of services. These typically include offerings like crowns, veneers, professional whitening, fillings, dentures, and bridges. Their services offer everything from preventative cleanings and exams to restorative work to repair damaged teeth. Your dentist may have a particular area of interest, but overall, their services cover a range of dental needs.
Alternatively, an orthodontist is a specialist. As a specialty, orthodontics focuses specifically on alignment of the teeth and jaws. This focus allows them Dr. AlJanabi and other orthodontists the ability to more accurately and thoroughly treat oral alignment problems. To achieve proper alignment, Dr. AlJanabi may utilize different orthodontic treatments, including braces, aligners, retainers, or other oral devices.
Contrary to some belief, orthodontists aren’t just for braces. Dr. AlJanabi also treats sleep apnea and temporomandibular joint disorders. He also offers dentofacial orthopedics therapy, designed to realign the jaw and address the headaches, dizziness, pain, and tinnitus associated with the condition.
