What Is An Orthodontist?

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To straighten your teeth you see an orthodontist, a dental specialist with two or more years of additional training in orthodontics, which the American Dental Association defines as:

"The area of dentistry concerned with the supervision, guidance and correction of the growing and mature dentofacial structures, including those conditions that require movement of teeth or correction of malrelationships between and among teeth and facial bones by the application of forces and/or the stimulation and redirection of the jaws within the craniofacial complex."

Essentially, an orthodontist specializes in the correction of misaligned teeth and jaws in both children and adults. To become an orthodontist, a dentist must have two to three years of specialized training in orthodontics, above and beyond their regular dental training.

The Orthodontic Referral

A referral from your dentist is normally required to see an orthodontist. Often the referral comes at the dentist's own recommendation, based on what the dentist sees when working on your teeth. Sometimes, though, the referral is initiated by the patient, or (in the case of children) the patient's parents.

Some dentists have orthodontic training, not enough to practice as an orthodontist, but enough to perform simple corrections. This may be cheaper than a regular orthodontist, but you won't have access to the wide variety of corrective technologies and techniques — like so-called "invisible" braces — available from a professional orthodontist.

The Orthodontist's Office

The first thing you'll notice when visiting an orthodontist's office is the number of staff that works for the orthodontist, which goes beyond what you'd see in a regular dentist's office. The staff in a typical office includes:

Scheduling Coordinator — to manage the patient roster and schedule patient visits
Treatment Coordinator — to develop treatment plans in conjunction with the orthodontist, present them to the patients, and make financial arrangements for the treatment
Orthodontic assistants — to assist the orthodontist with patient treatment

You'll also find receptionists and dental hygienists in an orthodontist's office, as well as one or more account managers.

On your first visit you'll meet with the treament coordinator to discuss the goals of your orthodontic treatment. At some point, you'll also meet the orthodontist, who will do a quick visual assessment of your teeth and order X-rays and photographs for a full assessment. Based on what the orthodontist says, the treatment coordinator will discuss treatment options and costs. The final decision as to whether to proceed or not is up to you.