An orthodontist is a dentist who completed two to three additional years of full-time residency in one thing only: moving teeth and guiding jaw growth. A general dentist cares for the whole mouth. Both can be excellent; for braces, aligners and bite correction, the specialist does that work every day.
What Is the Difference Between a Dentist and an Orthodontist?
Every orthodontist is a dentist. Not every dentist is an orthodontist. Both graduate from dental school with a DDS or DMD, and both are licensed to care for teeth. The split happens after graduation.
The general dentist’s role
Your general dentist is the quarterback of your oral health: cleanings and exams, cavities and fillings, crowns, gum health, extractions, whitening, and catching problems early. You see them every six months, and that relationship matters more to your long-term health than anything an orthodontist does.
The orthodontist’s role
An orthodontist limits practice to one specialty: diagnosing and correcting alignment and bite problems, and managing how the jaws grow in children and teens. That means braces, clear aligners, expanders, retainers, and the coordination of complex cases with other providers. Dr. Michael Maslowski, DDS, MS and Dr. Brian M. Michel, DDS, MS practice orthodontics exclusively at our Oshkosh, Appleton and Wautoma offices — you can read their backgrounds on our meet our doctors page.
How Much Extra Training Does an Orthodontist Have?
Dental school comes first
Four years of dental school is the shared foundation. It covers general dentistry broadly, including an introduction to orthodontics — an introduction, not a specialty.
Then a competitive residency
Orthodontic residency is an additional two to three years of accredited, full-time training, admission to which is competitive. Residents spend those years on growth and development, biomechanics, diagnosis from records and imaging, and hundreds of supervised cases from simple crowding to surgical-orthodontic treatment.
Why the extra years show up in your treatment plan
The clinical skill of bonding a bracket is not the hard part. The hard part is deciding which teeth to move, in what order, with what anchorage, and how the bite will function in ten years. That judgment is what residency builds, and it is why a plan for the same crowded smile can look different in a specialist’s hands.
Can a General Dentist Provide Braces or Invisalign?
In most places, yes — a licensed dentist may legally offer orthodontic treatment, and many dentists take continuing education courses in aligner therapy. The honest question is not whether they can, but whether your particular case is a good match.
Cases that often go fine either way
Mild crowding or spacing in an adult with a stable, healthy bite is the most forgiving scenario. The teeth need tidying, not a rebuild.
Cases where the specialty training earns its keep
Deep bites, open bites, crossbites, significant overjet, impacted teeth, missing or extra teeth, narrow palates in growing children, asymmetry, or anything where the jaws — not just the teeth — are part of the problem. Those cases are diagnosis-heavy, and a plan that only straightens the visible front teeth can leave the bite worse than it started.
What to ask before you commit anywhere
How many cases like mine do you treat each year? What happens if the teeth do not track as planned? Who handles retention, and for how long? A clear answer to all three is a better signal than any brand name on the door. We wrote about the same logic in our look at mail-order aligners versus supervised treatment.
Dentist or Orthodontist: Who Handles What?
| Need | General dentist | Orthodontist |
|---|---|---|
| Training after dental school | Continuing education courses | 2–3 year accredited residency, full time |
| Scope of practice | Whole-mouth care: cleanings, fillings, crowns, gums | Alignment, bite correction, jaw growth only |
| Cleanings and cavities | Yes | No — stays with your dentist |
| Simple front-tooth crowding | Often treated | Treated |
| Bite problems, expanders, impacted teeth | Usually referred out | Core, daily work |
| Growing children and two-phase care | Monitored and referred | Planned and delivered |
| Retention after treatment | Varies by office | Planned from day one |
Which One Should You See First?
Start with your dentist for general care
Routine cleanings, a toothache, a chipped tooth, bleeding gums, a suspected cavity — that is your dentist, and it stays your dentist even during orthodontic treatment. Teeth in braces still need every checkup on schedule.
Come straight to an orthodontist for alignment and bite
Crowding, gaps, a bite that does not meet properly, a child whose adult teeth are coming in crooked, jaw clicking, or an adult who has thought about straightening for years. Those all sit squarely inside orthodontic care. Our consultations are complimentary, so an opinion costs you nothing but an hour.
Children: the age-7 checkpoint
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first orthodontic evaluation around age 7, while the bite is still developing. Most children who come in at 7 need nothing yet — the value is in knowing whether growth is on track, and in catching the handful of problems that are far easier to guide early than to fix later. Our two-phase and interceptive treatment options exist for exactly that group.
Do You Need a Referral to See an Orthodontist?
No. You do not need a referral from a dentist to schedule an orthodontic consultation with us, and most dental plans with orthodontic benefits do not require one either — though it is always worth confirming with your insurer. Many of our patients arrive on a dentist’s recommendation, and many simply call us themselves.
Why we still want your dentist involved
Because teeth move best in a healthy mouth. Untreated decay or active gum disease has to be handled before brackets go on, and your dentist is the one who does that. Once treatment starts we coordinate as needed — the same collaborative approach we described in our post on multi-disciplinary orthodontic care.
Frequently Asked Questions About Orthodontists and Dentists
Is an orthodontist more expensive than a dentist for the same treatment?
Not necessarily. Fees vary by case complexity, treatment length and the practice, not simply by the letters after a provider’s name. Ask both offices what the quoted fee includes — records, retainers, and follow-up visits are often where estimates differ.
My dentist offers clear aligners. Should I get a second opinion?
A second opinion is reasonable for any elective treatment, and it is free here. Bring your questions about the bite, not just the front teeth.
Can an orthodontist clean my teeth or fill a cavity?
Orthodontists are licensed dentists, but a specialty practice like ours does not provide routine cleanings or restorative work. Keep your dentist for that.
Do I keep seeing my dentist during braces or Invisalign?
Yes, and it matters more than usual. Brackets and attachments make plaque easier to miss, so we ask patients to keep every scheduled cleaning throughout treatment.
How do I know if a provider is an actual orthodontic specialist?
Ask directly where they completed their orthodontic residency and how long it was. A specialist will answer without hesitation.
Get a Specialist’s Read on Your Smile — Free
A consultation at Vivid Orthodontics includes a look at your teeth, bite and goals, and a straight answer about whether you need treatment at all. We serve Oshkosh, Appleton, Wautoma and the wider Fox Valley, and you can call or text us at (920) 231-4923. Request your free consult and let’s talk it through.