Do I need a Queen Creek orthodontist or a cosmetic dentist? Some dental services today seem to blur the lines between these two different types of dentists. So to understand whether a Queen Creek cosmetic dentist office meets your smile improvement needs, read on and talk to your dentist for the right fit.
What Does a Queen Creek Orthodontist Do?
As you know, many of today’s dentists provide smile alignment and improvement services. Instead of the traditional wire braces, your general or cosmetic dentist possibly offers Invisalign teeth straightening. But orthodontists still provide some services that dentists do not. So what does a Queen Creek orthodontist do? An orthodontist provides a mix of services, including:
- Traditional and ceramic braces
- Space Maintainers
- Clear aligner trays, such as Invisalign
- Jaw repositioning
- Lip and cheek bumpers
- Palatal expanders
- Removable retainers and headgears
So What Does a Cosmetic Dentist Do?
A cosmetic dentist provides the latest methods for straightening your teeth, improving your smile and correcting minor cosmetic problems. While an orthodontist performs more in-depth and specialized dental services, having a cosmetic and general dentist meets many of your immediate needs. Services cosmetic dentists provide include:
- Teeth whitening
- Dental veneers
- Dental bonding
- Crowns
- Dental implants
- Invisalign teeth straightening for some patients
When you seek a more attractive smile, your general and cosmetic dentist likely provides services to meet your needs. For example, for subtle teeth straightening, this provider uses dental veneers or other methods to provide a long-lasting, straight smile.
How to Choose Between a Cosmetic Dentist and an Orthodontist
Not all patients qualify for cosmetic dental methods, as some need more intensive correction of teeth alignment. For more significant problems like those, your cosmetic dentist refers you to a quality orthodontist Queen Creek. The same is true for other smile goals that your general or cosmetic dentist cannot meet.
Dentists of all kinds and orthodontists work together to meet your treatment needs. Given you visit an excellent dental practice providing an array of services, you never have to make your own decision about whether to visit a Queen Creek orthodontist. Because an orthodontist is a specialist, your dentist writes a referral to help you find the right fit. This also helps in your dental insurance filing, meeting your insurance referral requirements.