What Is An Orthodontist?
Wilsonville, OR
 Having a presentable smile is usually a sign of good health, since our oral health contributes largely to our overall body health. But oftentimes, we think that the dentist is the only doctor that is concerned about our oral health. While that may be true, dentists do not treat some specific kinds of dental issues, an orthodontist does. If you have been told that you need to see an orthodontist, you should definitely know what they are and what they do. Here is a comprehensive guide about our orthodontists at Senestraro Family Orthodontics and what we do.
An Orthodontist Defined
An orthodontist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating dental or facial irregularities. Orthodontists are actually dentists, but not all dentists are orthodontists. A dentist is usually concerned with dental issues relating to the teeth, gums, jaw, and oral nerves among others, while orthodontists place priority on teeth alignment and making your smile look perfect.
Orthodontists generally go through dental training, and that is why they are first dentists. Once they complete their dental school, they proceed for a few more years to be certified as an orthodontist. While they spend more time than dentists in training, most of their extended training is usually around aligning teeth perfectly.
What Does An Orthodontist Do?
Typically, an orthodontist is trained to fix any teeth alignment issues for patients. They diagnose issues like overbites, crossbites and underbites, misaligned teeth, occlusions, jaw mismatch, and teeth overcrowding. They then proceed to treat any of these issues as found. Once we prescribe that you need to see an orthodontist, it is safe to assume that your teeth are probably not well aligned. Oftentimes, treatment may just require braces or Invisalign, and you are good to go.
While all the issues generally affect your smile, they may have serious effects on your health if they are left untreated. Ignoring the issues that an orthodontist points out will only get worse with time and cost you even more to fix. Sometimes, you may require surgery to get them treated.
When Should You See An Orthodontist?
As young as age seven, it is appropriate for patients to have an orthodontist; this is known as early orthodontics. Most of these issues are easily treated in childhood, so you may not need to deal with them as adults. Dentists and orthodontists usually work together for the good of your oral health. If you see any signs of teeth overcrowding or misalignment, then you should see our orthodontist.
What Is An Orthodontic Appointment Like?
When you have an appointment with our orthodontist, you can rest assured that your treatment will always be personalized to you. No two patients are alike, so we usually take digital x-rays and photos of your teeth, face, and smile, to create a customized treatment for each patient. Oftentimes, we may even create mold impressions of your teeth for more precision. These x-rays and images help us make an exact diagnosis of your dental issues for appropriate treatment.
Some treatments may be done in one appointment, while you may require several appointments for other intensive treatments. You can learn more about what our orthodontists at Senestraro Family Orthodontics can do for you. Just call us at (503) 582-8212 to plan your personalized orthodontics consultation with us. |
