What to Know Before Visiting an Orthodontist in Melbourne

Some of us think that dentists and orthodontists are just similar professions, since they all deal with teeth matters and overall oral health. However, they differ in many ways because while all orthodontists are dentists, not all dentists are qualified to practice dentistry as orthodontists.

Be sure to keep reading as this blog will further delve more into orthodontists and their differences from dentists. This blog will also provide a list of what makes a good orthodontist and several reasons to contact an orthodontist in Melbourne.

What is an Orthodontist?

An orthodontist is a dental specialist in a branch of dentistry called orthodontics, which deals with dental and facial irregularities. You can say that an orthodontist is an expert when it comes to diagnosing and treating conditions that affect a patient’s facial growth and dental development.

They help patients overcome irregularities such as crooked teeth, improper bites, misaligned jaw, and malocclusion either through surgical or non-surgical procedures. They are also experts in providing patients of all ages with appropriate orthodontic treatment options depending on their current condition.

To become an orthodontist in Victoria, you must complete an additional three-year full-time university training in orthodontics on top of the general dental degree. You also need to have at least two years of clinical experience as a general dentist.

What Is the Difference Between Orthodontists and Dentists?

Both Orthodontists and Dentists have a role in providing excellent oral health, and they will collaborate to ensure you receive the results you want. But, if you may not be aware yet, these are two different professions.

Dentistry is a comprehensive medical specialty that deals with oral health. Dentists can choose from various specialties, including becoming general dentists, endodontists, periodontists, prosthodontists, oral surgeons, and orthodontists. Orthodontists focus on occlusion and malocclusion.

The goal of a dentist is to provide care, maintenance, and treatment of your dental health. They prevent any oral health problems before it worsens. They also detect any issues with your teeth’s alignment, which is when they will be directing you to an orthodontist. For instance, if you complain about headaches and they notice during your checkup that there are issues with your bite, your dentist will refer you to an orthodontist.

However, suppose you are already aware of your bite and teeth alignment concerns. In that case, you can go ahead and have it checked out with an orthodontist right away and seek proper diagnosis and consultation.

What Makes a Good Orthodontist?

What qualifies an orthodontist as a good one? Apart from their educational background, there are other qualities that make a good orthodontist.

1) They must have the experience and the expertise.

If you are yet to receive an orthodontic consultation, you might want to receive it from one with clinical experience and has expert abilities. This does not mean that you should not trust newly certified orthodontists since most of them come from prominent Australian universities that offer the best orthodontics training.

2) They should be enthusiastic about their profession.

If it is your first time getting an orthodontic appliance, you will surely want to entrust your teeth to an orthodontist who is excited to provide you treatment. With their enthusiasm, you will also feel less apprehensive and hesitant.

3) They have exceptional people skills.

If you have a kid who require orthodontic treatment, you may want to choose an orthodontist who has people skills. Most kids are generally scared of any oral health care treatment. A good orthodontist can make a child relax and make them less fearful of the procedure.

4) They are highly recommended by the people you trust.

If they are recommended by your loved ones or someone whose opinion you trust, then that orthodontist is indeed worth trying out. But other than relying on the people you know; you may want to read reviews and testimonials online.

What Are the Top Reasons to Visit an Orthodontist?

Here are some of the reasons why you may want to visit an orthodontist:

1) To keep future tooth issues at bay.

The best time to correct overbite or underbite is during your younger years. So, if you have children complaining of problems with their bite, it may be best to seek an orthodontist right away to ensure that future tooth issues will be kept at bay.

An orthodontist will also help determine whether your children will need remedial therapy. They will ensure your child’s facial growth and dental development will go smoothly and avoid having tooth crowding as they grow older.

2) To identify and treat any biting issues they may have.

Not all concerns related to bite and alignment will manifest pain or symptoms. Hence, as early as their childhood, you may want to have your children’s teeth checked by an orthodontist to identify and treat any possible biting and alignment issues. The sooner these issues are detected, the earlier therapy can begin.

There are still options for adults to correct their bite and alignment abnormalities, and the popular ones are braces.

3) To correct dental overcrowding or tooth gaps.

Have you lost confidence in your smile because of overcrowding and tooth gaps? Then, you may want to see an orthodontist, so they can make you feel confident in smiling again.

Dental crowding and tooth gaps are common orthodontic concerns that most adults have. Such issues can be treated using orthodontic appliances, depending on the severity of your condition. Only a licensed and experienced orthodontist can correct such problems.

4) To fix a misaligned jaw.

Misaligned jaws can be fixed either by non-surgical or surgical procedures. Suppose your orthodontist suggests following the non-surgical way. In that case, they may recommend you get braces or aligners, especially if your equally misaligned teeth are causing problems with the alignment of your jaws.

When it comes to surgical options, your orthodontist may recommend procedures such as genioplasty, maxillary or mandibular osteotomy, and jaw wiring procedures. It is best to check with your local orthodontist in Melbourne to see which treatment suits your condition the best.

5) To check the unexpected shifts of a tooth’s position.

Even as adults, our teeth will still shift. Such movement can be attributed to many reasons, but one of the prevalent reasons is periodontitis, which is a severe case of gum disease.

But if the shift happened suddenly, such a case is not considered normal. Hence, if this happens to you, make sure that you visit an orthodontist right away to have it checked.

In Search for Reliable Dentists in Melbourne? Turn to Chadstone Dental!

A reliable dentist will refer you to an equally reliable orthodontist in Melbourne if they notice that you need orthodontic treatment during one of your regular dental check-ups. And where else can you find a trustworthy team of dentists than at Chadstone Dental?

Chadstone Dental Surgery specialises in providing family and children’s dentistry, including general dental services and all types of cosmetic dentistry. You can contact us on (03) 9568-0222 or email us at info@chadstonedental.com.au to experience a quality and reliable consultation.