If you think of a dentist as someone who fixes your teeth and an orthodontist as someone who straightens your teeth, it’s easy to understand why a pediatric dentist and an orthodontist might have different areas of focus. In dentistry, many specialties tailor services to particular age groups or dental issues.
A pediatric dentist is a dentistry specialist that focuses on dental care for children from birth through adolescence. In contrast, a pediatric orthodontist is a specialist in adult corrective jaw surgery and treating crooked or misaligned teeth from childhood into adulthood. Both types of specialists help patients address oral health issues at every stage of life. Keep reading if you’re interested in learning more about how they differ.
What is a Pediatric Dentist?
A pediatric dentist is a dentist who specializes in the dental care of children. These dentists receive extensive training in the many procedures and materials needed to care for children’s teeth and their specific concerns and needs. Some common treatments pediatric dentists provide include tooth extractions, fluoride treatments, sealants, and oral hygiene instruction.
Pediatric dentists work with patients from infancy through adolescence. During this time, children experience significant oral health changes, including the eruption of the first teeth, tooth decay due to the easy accessibility of food, and the loss of baby teeth. A pediatric dentist can assess a child’s dental health and address any issues, providing necessary treatment to prevent more significant problems later in life.
What is a Pediatric Orthodontist?
A pediatric orthodontist is an orthodontic specialist specializing in diagnosing and treating misaligned teeth, crooked teeth, and other dental irregularities in children. These dentists also receive extensive training in the many procedures and materials needed to correct dental issues in children, as well as their specific concerns and needs.
Some common treatments pediatric orthodontists provide include braces, retainers, and other orthodontic appliances, as well as corrective jaw surgery, like jaw realignment surgery (also called osteotomy).
Pediatric orthodontists work with patients from infancy through adolescence. During this time, children experience significant dental irregularities and misalignments, including overbites, underbites, and teeth that are crowded or mispositioned. A pediatric orthodontist can assess a child’s dental health and address any issues, providing necessary treatment to prevent more significant problems later in life.
Key Differences Between a Pediatric Dentist and an Orthodontist
A pediatric dentist is a dentist who treats all areas of pediatric dental care, including hygiene, nutrition, oral infections, and dental injuries.
A pediatric orthodontist, on the other hand, treats misaligned teeth and other dental issues that require an orthodontic procedure.
A pediatric dentist can recommend an orthodontic treatment plan, but it’s an orthodontist who performs the treatment.
Other than that, a pediatric dentist and orthodontist work with children, use similar equipment and conduct similar procedures.
The difference is that an orthodontist treats dental problems that require mechanical correction, such as misalignment, using braces, retainers, or other orthodontic appliances.
How Do Pediatric Dentists and Orthodontists Work Together?
Pediatric dentists and orthodontists often work together to provide comprehensive dental care to children. For example, a pediatric dentist may first examine a child’s teeth, particularly the primary teeth that are most susceptible to decay, and then refer the child to an orthodontist.
The orthodontist will examine the child’s misaligned teeth and determine the best course of action.
Orthodontists collaborate with pediatric dentists to treat minor dental issues, such as tooth decay, using fluoride treatment.
For more serious dental issues, such as misaligned teeth, orthodontists can recommend various corrective treatments, including braces, Invisalign, or a removable retainer.
Pediatric dentists and orthodontists often work together to provide the most comprehensive care for children.
Who Can Be Treated By Each Type of Specialist?
A Pediatric Dentist can treat all age groups of children, whereas an orthodontist treats children with misaligned teeth and other dental issues. This means a pediatric dentist treats babies and adolescents, whereas an orthodontist only treats adolescents and adults.
A Pediatric Dentist can treat all age groups of children, including infants and toddlers. This can include examining a child’s teeth, cleaning and polishing teeth, replacing baby teeth with permanent teeth, and treating dental injuries.
An orthodontist treats adolescents and adults only and treats dental issues that require mechanical correction, such as misaligned or crooked teeth.
Pediatric Dentist and Pediatric Orthodontist in Queens
If you are searching for the best pediatric dentist and pediatric Orthodontist in Queens, then you must contact the team at PCO Dental. To schedule a consultation please call 718-223-5652 or Click Here to request an appointment.
Tags: Pediatric Dentists, Pediatric Orthodontists