Orthodontist Vs. Dentist: The Battle Of The Greats

When it comes to oral health, understanding the differences between dental professionals can help you make the right decision for your needs. 

Orthodontists, dentists, prosthodontists, endodontists, periodontists, and cosmetic dentists all play specific roles in keeping your smile healthy and beautiful. Choosing the wrong specialist might result in misdiagnosed conditions or delayed treatments.

This article will explain how orthodontists, dentists, prosthodontists, endodontists, periodontists and cosmetic dentists differ so that you can decide which type of dental specialist you need to see.

Types of Dental Specialists

If you’ve ever had a dental emergency or just something you wanted to fix with your teeth, you’ll know just how many types of dental specialists there are. The main ones are: 

1. Orthodontists
2. Dentists
3. Prosthodontists
4. Endodontists
5. Periodontists
6. Cosmetic Dentists

Before we discuss the differences between these types of dental specialists, let’s first get into what each one is and what they do.

What is an Orthodontist?

Orthodontists are doctors who specialise in correcting the position of the teeth. Having trained in general dentistry, orthodontists are trained to diagnose and treat afflictions of your teeth, gums, tongue and mouth. This makes them quite similar to dentists.

However, orthodontists must undergo an additional three years of educational training to specialise in diagnostics and treatments of tooth and jaw alignment.

What Do Orthodontists Do?

To ensure your teeth and jaw are set correctly, orthodontists provide the following care:

• Diagnoses and treats malocclusion – misaligned teeth and jaws
• Creates treatment and installation plans for teeth straightening solutions. This includes the installation of dental appliances such as metal braces, Invisalign, Damon braces, Incognito braces, OrthoPulse, Symetri Clear Braces and retainers
• Supervises facial growth – bite and jawline – in children
• Performs teeth straightening surgery and procedures

What is a Dentist?

Dentists are doctors of oral health who have been extensively trained in dentistry before to becoming certified. Certified dentists diagnose and treat oral health conditions relating to your teeth, gums, mouth and tongue.

What Do Dentists Do?

To make sure your oral health is in great condition, dentists provide the following care:

• Boosts and nurtures oral hygiene and oral health
• Fills cavities
• Extracts teeth
• Repairs cracked teeth
• Fills and bonds teeth
• Treat gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis
• Whitens teeth
• Fits crowns or veneers
• Guides the development of children’s teeth
• Performs and interprets dental x-rays and oral surgery
• Prescribe treatment for oral health – these can include prescriptions

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What is a Prosthodontist?

Prosthodontists are doctors who specialise in the restoration and replacement of complex dental and facial affairs that have to do with artificial devices. Prosthodontists are thoroughly trained in dental implants, bridges, crowns, dentures and jaw disorders.

What Do Prosthodontists Do?

To assist with your aesthetic oral restoration or reconstruction, prosthodontists provide the following care:

• Replace teeth with prosthetics – bridges or dentures
• Restore damaged teeth with crowns, veneers or bonding
• Insert and restore dental implants
• Reconstruct smiles using crowns, implants, bridges, veneers and dentures
• Assist with sleep apnoea, snoring disorders, and cleft palates

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What is an Endodontist?

Endodontists specialise in diseases of the dental pulp and their treatments. Endodontists have expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of oral and facial pain that has been difficult to diagnose by other oral experts.

What Do Endodontists Do?

To find the best treatment option for your dental pulp, endodontists provide the following care:

• Minor and major root canal treatments
• Administer numbing medications
• Apical surgeries – most commonly an apicoectomy
• Address traumatic dental injuries
• Treat bacterial infections of the pulp
• Place dental implants
• Treatment for tooth pain and sensitivity
• Treatment for tooth fractures or traumatic tooth damage

What is a Periodontist?

Periodontists are dentists who specialise in diagnosing, treating and preventing gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis.

Periodontists work to improve your smile by helping you to manage signs of advancing gum problems – such as tooth decay and oral inflammation – to maintain a healthy gum line and reduce pain and sensitivity. Periodontists only specialise in the treatment of the gums and bones that support the teeth.

What Do Periodontists Do?

Periodontists provide the following care:

• Scaling and root planing – these are non-surgical treatments that remove plaque and tartar that is deeply present underneath the gum line
• Prescribes tray delivery systems
• Gum grafts
• Laser treatments
• Regenerative procedures for bone and tissue growth
• Dental crown lengthening
• Remove surplus gum tissue
• Osseous surgery
• Ridge augmentation

What is a Cosmetic Dentist?

Cosmetic dentists, also known as aesthetic dentists, improve the appearance of your smile by making sure that it is “camera-ready” by eliminating minor imperfections.

Cosmetic dentist fixes include issues relating to tooth decay, minor damage such as cracks and chips, slightly crooked and misshapen teeth, discolouration and missing teeth.

What Do Cosmetic Dentists Do?

For fixes that are cosmetic in nature and aimed at improving the smile, cosmetic dentists provide the following care:

• Tooth-coloured fillings
• Porcelain dental veneers
• All-Ceramic restorations
• Tooth Whitening
• Minor tooth realignment – Invisalign
• Inlays and onlays
• Dental implants

Key Differences Between Dental Specialists

What is the Difference Between an Orthodontist and a Dentist?

Dentists can be seen as general practitioners and orthodontists as specialists. General oral health issues such as tooth decay, repair and extraction, as well as gum disease, can all be diagnosed and tended to by a dentist. An orthodontist installs braces and diagnoses misaligned jaws, also specialising in tooth crowding and palate expansion when needed.

Both orthodontists and dentists go to college to pursue a pre-dentistry or pre-medical undergraduate degree before going on to a graduate school of dentistry.

Due to their specialised expertise in tooth and jaw alignment, orthodontists are required to receive additional educational training of 2 to 3 years and receive a speciality certification in orthodontics before going into practice. 

What is the Difference Between an Orthodontist and a Prosthodontist?

Orthodontists have specialised expertise in tooth and jaw alignment, primarily focusing on ensuring your teeth and jaw are set correctly. On the other hand, prosthodontists focus on tooth and facial restoration. 

What is the Difference Between Orthodontists and Endodontists?

Endodontists do not clean teeth or place fillings. A dentist or orthodontist may refer you to an endodontist if you have issues with your dental pulp and/or have pain relating to teeth, as neither orthodontists nor dentists specialise in this. 

What is the Difference Between an Orthodontist and Periodontist?

Periodontists treat gum problems. An orthodontist will refer you to a periodontist if they see signs of gum disease – signs include swollen or puffy gums, gums that easily bleed, halitosis and a receding gum line – during your appointment. Also, if you are running the risk of tooth loss due to issues with your gums, you may be referred to a periodontist as orthodontists do not generally deal with issues about gum disease.

What is the Difference Between an Orthodontist and a Cosmetic Dentist?

Cosmetic dentists create elective rather than essential treatment plans for “smile makeovers” by treating teeth that are stained, discoloured, chipped, worn, misaligned, misshapen or broken. Orthodontists provide treatment plans to diagnose, prevent, and treat teeth and jaw irregularities that have the potential to harm your oral health.

Which Dental Specialist Should You See?

Orthodontists, dentists, prosthodontists, endodontists, periodontists and cosmetic dentists are all dental professionals, often with an educational background in dentistry.

What separates each of these professions is that they specialise in a particular area. 

• Dentist: Visit a dentist for preventive oral health care, such as regular cleanings, fillings, and general checkups to ensure your teeth and gums are healthy.
• Prosthodontist: See a prosthodontist if you're experiencing temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues, such as pain and stiffness around your jaw, ear, and temple. They also treat sleep disorders like snoring and specialise in restorative procedures like dentures or dental implants.
• Endodontist: If you're suffering from severe pain related to your tooth's root or pulp, an endodontist can diagnose and treat root canal problems.
• Periodontist: Visit a periodontist if you're showing signs of gum disease or need specialised care for unhealthy gums.
• Cosmetic Dentist: For elective treatments focused on improving the appearance of your teeth, such as teeth whitening, veneers, or solutions for crooked or misshapen teeth, a cosmetic dentist is the right choice.
• Orthodontist: If you have visibly crooked or crowded teeth, or issues with bite alignment (such as overbites or underbites), an orthodontist can help with corrective treatments like braces or aligners.

How We Can Help

Understanding the difference between an orthodontist vs. dentist vs. prosthodontist vs. endodontist vs. periodontist vs. cosmetic dentist will help you to seek the right professional help you need.

At Hampstead Orthodontic Practice, for more than 23 years, we have provided a variety of orthodontic services to deliver every single one of our patients a smile they can’t help but show off.

If you would like more information on our orthodontic treatments, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a FREE online consultation.

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