Dentist vs. orthopedic surgeon

Dentists and orthopedic surgeons both help people with their oral needs but in different ways. A dentist is a broad medical term that specifies teeth, gums, jaws, and nerves in the mouth. An orthopedic surgeon specializes in bite corrections, straightening teeth, and occultations. For some reason, any time I went to my orthopedic, they seemed more friendly than the dentist’s office I visit. It could be the profession or the people, who knows. An important thing to remember is all orthopedic surgeons are also licensed as dentists, but not all dentists are licensed as orthopedic surgeons. 

The main similarity between dentists and orthopedic surgeons is they both focus on oral health care. As mentioned, orthopedics are also licensed as dentists, so they can work in a dental office doing the same work as a dental surgeon. In this aspect, they are the same because they can provide the same kind of care. Both professions are described as doctors that deal with teeth and gums. However, when it comes to specifics, a dentist can not do any more than work on teeth, gums, and jaws. An orthopedic surgeon can do the same as a dentist but can also put on braces, correct bites, and cure occultations. 

There are more differences between these two professions than similarities. As mentioned, dentists can only work on teeth like cleaning, providing fills for cavities, and tooth extractions, where orthodontists can do a bit more than that. Becoming an orthopedic surgeon requires more dental schooling than its predecessor, much like a doctor wanting to progress further to become a surgeon. Another difference is that orthopedic surgeons can help patients realign their bite and straighten teeth by applying braces. Orthodontists mainly focus on making your mouth straight, while dentists make sure your mouth is healthy.

Both practices have a priority of ensuring that your mouth is healthy, but dentists mainly focus on that. To ensure your mouth is beneficial, dentists require a yearly check on your teeth. It is essential to go to these appointments as neglecting them can lead to disaster in your mouth. If a patient has an overbite or anything wrong with alignment wise the dentist will refer them to an orthodontist. I had this exact situation happen to me as I was going into my freshman year of high school. I was not interested in getting braces as I had friends with them and all they did was complain about the pain they had due to their braces. I needed to get braces to fix an overbite along with straightening my teeth. The monthly adjustments of the wire and bands were not fun, and it made me understand my friend’s complaints. Looking back on it today, I am glad I got them as I have much straighter teeth now compared to back before I had them. 

Dentists and orthopedic surgeons have a lot of differences, more than similarities. The good news is that both professions focus on the health of your mouth. If your dentist says that you need to go to the orthopedic, it is crucial to listen to them as there is something profound in your mouth that they can not deal with as it is not in their job description, so to speak. Trusting your smile to an orthopedic surgeon can generally better your balance of different required procedures.