Like many of the really good words, the word “orthodontist” originated in the Greek language and translated literally to “tooth straightener.” While an orthodontist’s job is much more complicated than that, you get the gist. An orthodontist is the doctor responsible for straightening your pearly whites. We are specialists in diagnosing, preventing and treating malocclusion, or an improper bite due to irregularities of the teeth or jaws.
What Kind of Training Does an Orthodontist Have?
Here’s an interesting fact: All orthodontists are dentists but not all dentists are orthodontists. That basically means an orthodontist went to school for an extremely long time! After receiving a bachelor’s degree, an orthodontist gets their doctorate from dental school, then completes three more years of specialist training. Finally, they must pass all of the required examinations to become a Certified Specialist in Orthodontics. The specialist training program consists mainly of clinically-based learning, meaning treating patients and getting experience.
Do I Need to See an Orthodontist?
It’s wise to see an orthodontist as early as seven-years-old. An orthodontist possesses the know-how to determine if malocclusion is dental (teeth) or skeletal (jaws) and, if necessary, can whip your teeth into shape with braces and correct jaw and facial growth with dentofacial orthopedics. This can prevent the need for corrective surgery in the future and give you the beautiful smile you deserve.
A professor once said to me, “If you don’t know what is causing a problem, you won’t be able to fix it.” While this holds true for everything in life, in orthodontics it really underscores the importance of learning diagnosis. An orthodontist will uncover the underlying issue and root cause of a person’s malocclusion and evaluate the various treatment options to determine which ones will work best for each individual patient.
With so many choices including Invisalign, clear braces and metal braces, you’ll need an orthodontist to steer you toward what will give you the best possible results.
Orthodontics is an art and science and it requires an experienced professional to uncover why your malocclusion exists and exactly how to treat it. At Aura Orthodontics we take a patient-centric approach and we’ll educate you every step of the way so you can reach informed, confident decisions about your care.
How Can I See an Orthodontist?
Thankfully, it’s easy to make an appointment with one of our Certified Specialists in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Dr. Sharma, Dr. Lin or Dr. Koo. Simply call our Surrey or Langley orthodontic office today and we’ll schedule you for a consultation. You can experience the benefit of visiting an orthodontist for yourself and get started on your smile journey.