An orthodontist is a dental specialist who sees you when you have specific concerns about the alignment of your teeth and jaws. Here are the reasons you should see an orthodontist instead of a dentist when you are considering teeth straightening, braces or aligners.
1 Specialist Training
Following the normal 5 years of training UK dentists go through, a specialist orthodontist must complete an additional 3 years of full-time specialist training in the field of orthodontics. This extra training teaches the orthodontist to expertly diagnose and treatment plan the full range of problems to do with teeth and jaw alignment, the use of a wide range of orthodontic appliances (such as braces and clear aligners), management of complex cases, and how to work with other specialist to provide the best possible, multidisciplinary care.
A general dentist does not have to complete any additional training beyond the 5 years of dental school, and often will have attended a 1-2 day course to become accredited in a particular system. See Orthodontic treatments we offer.
2 Experience
A specialist orthodontist will normally work exclusively in the field of orthodontics, dedicated their professional life entirely to treatment problems such as crooked teeth, large overbites, and problems with the alignment of the jaws. An orthodontist will typically treat hundreds of patients each year. This means your orthodontist will be prepared and confident in tackling all orthodontic problems and will have honed in an their skills, ensuring their patients get the best possible results.
A general dentist will fit orthodontic work around their normal working day and will typically treat a handful of patients each year. They will not have had the same level of exposure to the full range of orthodontic problems and treatments.
3 Full range of treatment options
While specialist orthodontists may have their preferred techniques, they are trained and experienced in a wide range of orthodontic appliances, meaning they can think creatively to find solutions to your orthodontic problem that work for their patients. At Neyo we offer a huge number of treatment options including metal braces, clear brace, Invisalign, Neyo Pro Align, expanders, Twin Blocks, Forsus Springs and retainers to name but a few.
In contrast, a general dentist may be trained in just one or two systems, and may not be able to offer alternatives if their system is not best suited to you and your orthodontic problem
4 Specialist Equipment
As a specialist orthodontists’ business is dedicated exclusively to the practice of orthodontics, they will likely have invested in specialist equipment not typically found in general practices. At Neyo Dental Specialists, our specialist orthodontic equipment included specialist Xray machines such at Lat Ceph and CBCT machine and an onsite digital laboratory where we fabricate our own retainers as well as our very own Neyo Pro Align superior clear aligner system.
Our iTero intra oral scanner means that impressions are a thing of the past. We are 100% digital.
5 Complex Problems
There is no limit to what a specialist orthodontist can treat. From simple to the most complex of problems, an experienced specialist will have seen it all. And that goes for age too. We treat young children, teenagers and adults. Quite often patients come to Neyo Dental Specialists having been told nothing can be done to help only to be offered a perfect solution. We would encourage anyone who is not happy with their teeth to come and see us.
A general dentist usually only takes on simpler cases and often does not treat children and teenagers.
Neyo Dental Specialists is unique in having several specialists under one roof. Complex problems sometimes require input from multiple specialists, which we will coordinate for you. At Neyo, we also have experts in gum problems, cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, and root canal treatment.
6 Superior results and long-term success
When seeing a specialist orthodontist, you can expect unrivalled treatment results. Their training and experience will ensure you get the best result possible for you meaning your teeth will be perfectly straight and your bite corrected.
Additionally, an orthodontist has a good understanding of the long-term implications of orthodontic treatment and will be very experienced in the provision and monitoring of retainers. At Neyo Dental Specialists we provide both fixed retainers and removable retainers and offer a minimum of 3 years of follow up following completion of the treatment.
7 If transferring from another orthodontist
As specialist orthodontists understand all orthodontic systems, even those used in other countries, they will be comfortable taking over a treatment mid-way though if for example you move area or country. It is unlikely a general dentist will be comfortable receiving a transfer unless it happens to be the same system they are familiar with.
At Neyo Dental Specialists, we welcome new patients who have already started their orthodontic journey somewhere else.
8 Taking over treatment that has gone wrong
Sadly, you may have had orthodontic treatment that did not go as you hoped. An example of this is following the recent folding of the DIY mail-order aligner company Smile Direct Club. Their collapse left a great many patients stranded with incomplete or unsatisfactory outcomes. A specialist orthodontist will be able to offer solutions poor outcomes from past experiences such as Smile Direct Club or the classic Turkey teeth.
