Orthodontic treatment involves the use of braces and other dental technologies to apply precise forces that result in desired repositioning of the teeth. These changes improve not only the look of your smile, but the health and longevity of your teeth.
Some general dentists take continuing-education seminars in order to offer orthodontic services as a sideline to their primary services. Only your dentist knows what he or she is qualified to do well, however. With so much riding on the quality of treatment, choosing an orthodontic specialist ensures that you will get the best possible results.
Get it by relying on an orthodontist’s expertise, which comes from his or her extensive education. After graduating from dental school, orthodontists go on for another two or more years of education at an accredited orthodontic residency program.
Only after this extra formal education can one be called an orthodontist. Only orthodontists are accepted for membership in the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO). Selecting a member of the AAO for orthodontic care gives a member of the public the assurance that he or she is selecting an orthodontist. In addition to possessing 30 years of orthodontic experience creating countless beautiful smiles, Dr. Thomas is certified through both the American Board of Orthodontics & the American Association of Orthodontists, an important distinction when deciding the right doctor to entrust your smile to.
Orthodontists are dedicated to helping your teeth and jaws work in union so you can speak, bite, and chew comfortably and effectively. There’s a bonus. Teeth and jaws that work well tend to look good, too.
With care from an orthodontist, you have an expert who has been educated to understand how your teeth, your jaws, and your facial muscles all work together. A healthy mouth contributes to your overall good health. Your appearance gets a boost, too.
You trust your heart to a cardiologist, your skin to a dermatologist, and your knees to an orthopedist. Like these specialists who study their specialty areas after their general medical education, orthodontists devote additional years of study to orthodontics after they graduate from dental school.
And like their medical counterparts, orthodontists limit their practices to their specialty area. Orthodontists have in-depth experience in orthodontic care. They use their knowledge and skills to help you get the best results possible.
Your bite is a complex biologic system. Its components include up to 32 teeth, upper and lower jaws, gums, and facial muscles. Your healthy bite is the orthodontist’s goal. The goal is met by making sure the separate elements are positioned for optimal performance. You enjoy the ability to bite, chew, and speak well.
You may see six crooked front teeth. The orthodontist sees the cause of crooked teeth in three dimensions. Orthodontists use their education, experience, and expertise to delve deep and discover the root of your orthodontic problem. Armed with a diagnosis that takes all factors into account, orthodontists can plan your solution — one that delivers a healthy, attractive smile and a lasting result.
There are a lot of treatment options these days, from clear aligners to modern braces. They each have their uses, but only an orthodontist has the specialized knowledge to identify and plan for all the variables in your mouth.
Orthodontists take your unique needs and wishes into consideration, too, when they recommend the right treatment option for you. Orthodontists have knowledge of the full range of orthodontic appliance “tools.” They know what to use and when to use it because they work with these tools every day.
Sure, you want a dazzling smile. Your orthodontist wants that for you, too — and treatment results that last. You deserve the best: a good bite and a healthy, beautiful smile. Consult an AAO-member orthodontist for your life, your health, your happiness, and your smile.
