Ask Dr. Bernard: What is an orthodontist?

An orthodontist is a dentist who specializes in correcting crooked teeth and jaw growth problems that affect the bite, smile and face. To be an orthodontist, the dentist must complete a 2 to 3 year residency program at a major university which usually results in a masters degree. As an orthodontist, the specialist only works with malfunctions of the jaws and teeth and does not do any “general” dentistry such as fillings, extractions or caps.

The family dentist can use braces and aligners to straighten teeth but cannot call themselves orthodontists because they are not specialists and do other types of dentistry a majority of the time. Most orthodontists in our area (including us) do not charge for an initial consultation so it pays to have an opinion from an orthodontic specialist before undergoing any orthodontic treatment.