What is the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist?

Dentists and orthodontists both help patients maintain healthy teeth and gums, but they do not do the same thing.

A general dentist is usually the main provider for routine dental care. This includes checkups, cleanings, fillings, crowns, gum health, tooth pain, oral cancer screening, and general dental maintenance. Dentists help keep the teeth and mouth healthy.

An orthodontist is a dental specialist who focuses specifically on the alignment of the teeth, the bite, jaw relationships, facial growth, and how the teeth fit together. Orthodontists treat problems such as crowding, spacing, overbites, underbites, crossbites, open bites, impacted teeth, and orthodontic relapse.

The difference is similar to the difference between a family doctor and a medical specialist. A dentist has broad training in oral health. An orthodontist first becomes a dentist and then completes additional specialty training in orthodontics. This advanced training focuses on how teeth move, how jaws grow, how bites develop, and how to use braces, Invisalign, clear aligners, retainers, expanders, and other orthodontic appliances safely and effectively.

This distinction matters because orthodontic treatment is not only about making teeth look straighter. A good orthodontic result should consider smile appearance, bite function, jaw development, gum health, tooth position, long-term stability, and the patient's overall dental health.

At Orthodontics on Queen in The Beaches, Toronto, patients are treated by a certified orthodontic specialist, Dr. Jordan Seetner, in a specialty setting. This means the practice is focused on orthodontics every day: braces, Invisalign, retainers, growth monitoring, bite correction, and long-term smile stability.

A dentist helps keep the teeth and gums healthy. An orthodontist helps guide the position of the teeth and jaws. Both are important, and many patients benefit from their dentist and orthodontist working together throughout treatment.