Overview: Dentist vs. Orthodontist
The difference between a dentist and an orthodontist comes down to focus. A general dentist protects your overall oral health. An orthodontist corrects crooked teeth and a misaligned bite.
This guide explains the difference between dentist and orthodontist roles in plain terms. You will learn what each provider does, how their training differs, and when to see one instead of the other. It is written for patients who are deciding where to go for a specific concern.
Both are dental professionals who started in the same field. The difference between a dentist and an orthodontist appears after dental school, when an orthodontist adds years of extra study in tooth movement. Knowing this helps you match your dental needs to the right provider.[11][12]
What Each Provider Does
Dentists and orthodontists share a foundation but serve different goals. A dentist manages day to day oral health. An orthodontist moves teeth and jaws into better position.
What a Dentist Does
A general dentist is your primary provider for oral health. General dentists diagnose and treat tooth decay, gum disease, and infections. They clean teeth, fill cavities, place crowns, and check for oral health issues at routine visits.[12]
Dentists also handle a wide range of dental treatments. These include fillings, root canals, extractions, and some types of oral surgery. When a problem falls outside their training, a dentist refers you to a specialist.[12]
What an Orthodontist Does
An orthodontist is a dental specialist who corrects the position of teeth and jaws. Orthodontists treat crowding, gaps, and misaligned teeth that affect how you bite and chew. They design a plan for straightening teeth using braces, clear aligners, or other appliances.[11]
Orthodontic treatment relies on steady, gentle force to move teeth over time. Braces use brackets and wires to guide movement, while clear aligners use a series of removable trays.[6] Many patients now ask about clear aligners after seeing them on social media, though the right choice depends on the case.[2] Orthodontists also manage complex needs, such as jaw growth in children and alignment for patients born with cleft lip or palate.[9]
How Their Training Differs
The biggest difference between a dentist and an orthodontist is training after dental school. Both finish a general dental education and earn a dental degree. An orthodontist then completes two to three more years in an accredited residency focused on tooth movement and jaw development.[11]
This extra study is what makes a certified orthodontist a specialist. A dentist education covers the whole mouth, while orthodontic training goes deep on alignment. Every orthodontist is a dentist, but most dentists are not orthodontists.[11]
How They Work Together
Dentists and orthodontists often work as a team. Your general dentist usually spots alignment problems first and refers you for orthodontic care.[5] During braces or aligner treatment, you keep seeing your dentist for cleanings and to prevent gum disease and tooth decay around the appliances.[4]
Good results depend on clear communication between both providers. Research suggests that dentists' awareness of how orthodontic and restorative work fit together can vary, which is why coordinated care matters.[5] For example, an orthodontist may open space so a dentist can later replace a missing tooth, sometimes a small upper teeth gap from a missing lateral incisor.[8][10]
What to Know Before You Go
Timing matters in orthodontics, especially for children. The American Association of Orthodontists suggests a first orthodontic check by about age 7. Adults can start treatment at almost any age.
By age 7, enough adult teeth have come in for an orthodontist to spot bite problems early.[11] Early checks do not always mean early treatment. In many cases the orthodontist simply monitors growth and starts work later, when the timing is better.
Adults make up a growing share of orthodontic patients. Healthy teeth and gums can move at any age, so adults with crooked teeth or a misaligned bite still have options. Before treatment, your provider will confirm that your oral health is stable, with no active gum disease or tooth decay.[12]
What to Expect at Each Visit
A dentist visit and an orthodontist visit look different from the start. A dental visit focuses on cleaning and checkups. An orthodontist visit focuses on measuring alignment.
At a routine dental care visit, the dentist examines your teeth and gums, takes X rays, and cleans away plaque. They check for tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health issues, then plan any needed dental treatments.[12]
At an orthodontist visit, the focus is alignment. The orthodontist examines your bite, takes photos and X rays, and may order a cone beam CT scan for a detailed view of teeth and roots.[3] You will discuss options such as braces or clear aligners and review a treatment plan.[6] Once treatment starts, you return for adjustments, and some practices now use teledentistry to monitor progress between visits.[7]
Cost Factors and Insurance
Cost depends on the type of care and how complex your case is. Routine dental care is usually billed per visit or procedure. Orthodontic treatment is usually billed as one total fee.
General dental treatments like cleanings, fillings, and checkups are often partly covered by dental insurance. Orthodontic work is a larger, longer investment, and coverage varies widely between plans. Many plans include a separate lifetime orthodontic benefit, often aimed at children.
Costs vary by location, provider, and case complexity. Clear aligners and braces fall into different price ranges, and longer or more complex cases cost more. Ask each provider for a written estimate and check what your insurance covers before you start. Results vary from patient to patient.
When to See an Orthodontist Instead of a Dentist
See a general dentist for routine care and most oral health needs. See an orthodontist when teeth or jaws are out of alignment. Your dentist can refer you.
Start with your dentist for cleanings, cavities, gum disease, pain, or a chipped tooth. Choose a certified orthodontist when you notice crowding, large gaps, a bite that does not meet evenly, or crooked teeth that affect chewing or cleaning.[11] Children with thumb sucking, early or late tooth loss, or a shifting jaw also benefit from an orthodontic check.
Some signs call for prompt specialty care. These include trouble chewing, mouth breathing, or jaw pain. Misaligned teeth that are hard to clean can raise the risk of gum disease and tooth decay over time, so alignment is part of overall oral health, not just looks.[12]
Find the Right Provider
If you are weighing the difference between a dentist and an orthodontist for your own care, the next step is matching the provider to your goal. For alignment concerns, learn more on the orthodontics page and use our directory to find an orthodontist near you. For routine dental care, a trusted general dentist remains your home base for oral health.
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