Orthodontists like Dr. Karpac are dental industry specialists, and orthodontic treatment certainly requires an extensive amount of expertise!
Being a specialist entails so much more than simply having an industry’s state-of-the-art technology and equipment, and all of us at JK Orthodontics are very proud of the expertise of our staff, and on this page we’ll be better explaining exactly how Dr. Karpac is undoubtedly a specialist.
A lot of people are generally confused about the differences between dentists and orthodontists, but did you know that every orthodontist is also a dentist? But did you also know that only around 5% of dentists are orthodontists?
This may seem rather confusing, particularly if you’re not already familiar with these profession differences within the oral health industry. Orthodontists like Dr. Karpac are dentists who also have specialized education and expertise within orthodontic treatment.
Below we’ll be going over the main differences between dentists and orthodontists to better explain how orthodontists are oral health specialists, but let’s first explain what dentists do so you better understand the foundations of our industry!
What Exactly Do Dentists Do?
Dentists are very qualified oral health professionals that help patients by preventing and treating oral conditions and diseases that ultimately have a detrimental effect on our gums and teeth. Your dentist will always be a reliable source for guidance when it comes to brushing techniques, fluoride usage, dieting and other important factors pertaining to dental care.
When you go to your local dentist, they’ll always be sure to clean your teeth, conduct a general checkup on your oral health, perform comprehensive oral screenings, fix cavities, and help you to prevent all sorts of oral diseases. Dentists are also oral health professionals that specialize in teeth whitening and root canals.
Dental school is always mandatory for dentists to become fully licensed within the oral health industry, and dental school typically requires 8 higher education years.
Now Let’s Talk About Orthodontists…
So now that you better understand what dentists do and the general fundamentals of becoming a licensed oral health professional, let’s dive deeper into how orthodontists have a specialized focus that goes beyond the parameters of what dentists are capable of conducting.
The following are 5 factors that make your orthodontist a genuine specialist:
Orthodontists Undergo More Education After Completing Dental School
Every orthodontist has to complete dental school just like every other dentist, so this subsequently means that every orthodontist also has a dental degree that officially certifies them as licensed dental professional.
But orthodontists must also undergo 2-3 additional years of specialized training and education that helps them hone in on the intricate details pertaining to orthodontic care. So you can always know that your orthodontist has received an extensively larger amount of education as compared to your dentist, and these additional education years will typically amount to over 4,800 hours of hands-on training after graduating from dental school!
Specializing In Straightening People’s Teeth
One of the unique differentiations between dentists and orthodontists is that orthodontists are tried and true experts when it comes to straightening malocclusions and all sorts of teeth crowding through various treatment methods. This expertise will always go so much further than what any dentist is trained to help people with in terms of their oral health.
It’s also important to simply realize that straightening a patient’s teeth will be more beneficial than just adjusting teeth aesthetics. Straightening teeth is a very complex process because you’ll also be moving the bones in which your teeth are permanently set within, and understanding this complexity is exactly what orthodontists are trained and ready for!
Jaw Aligning Experts
Even if an individual has relatively straight teeth without getting orthodontic treatment, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they have a correct bite alignment.
Another very important distinction that makes orthodontists specialists is their unparalleled expertise when it comes to focusing on jaw alignment and correcting a patient’s bite.
Orthodontists will always be focusing on slowly but surely adjusting a patient’s teeth towards the correct positioning, but they’ll also be simultaneously focusing on how they’re improving the overall functionality of each patient’s smile. Orthodontic treatment can many times entail correcting jaw alignment, and orthodontists will always be closely monitoring each patient’s bite during every checkup appointment.
Jaw alignment undoubtedly has a ripple effect throughout a person’s overall health, and this includes basic functions like chewing and breathing. Orthodontic treatment will always help when it comes to re-positioning a patient’s teeth; but it’s equally important for people to understand that your teeth rest within your jawbones and that orthodontists will also be moving your jaw.
Orthodontic expertise is absolutely necessary when it comes to correctly and efficiently monitoring the ways in which jawbones move during treatment, and jaw alignment knowledge is a big part of what makes an orthodontist an authentic specialist!
Helping You Choose The Orthodontic Treatment That’s Best For You
Orthodontic specialists like Dr. Karpac are always going through continuing education courses so they’re maintaining innovation and staying up to date on the latest and greatest technological advancements. Orthodontists will always be experts when it comes to a whole variety of treatment options, and they’ll be able to examine a patient’s unique oral health issues and understand which treatments would work best on an individual basis.
Orthodontics is commonly considered to be the most advanced oral health industry specialty because there are new treatments and technologies that are constantly being developed.
There are so many different types of orthodontic treatment that you should know about, including:
- Traditional braces
- Invisible aligners like Dr. Karpac’s patented Line-M-Up™
- Clear braces
- Rapid palatal expanders
- And much more!
Dr. Karpac will be able to closely examine a patient’s jaw and mouth and help them to determine which treatments would be best for their individual needs. We’ll also be sure to closely examine the process of each patient’s treatment and make slight changes if necessary.
Reach Out To JK Orthodontics To Learn More About Our Treatment Options Through Your Initial Consultation!
JK Orthodontics has been helping countless patients improve their smiles and overall oral health for many years now, and we’ll always be more than happy to help you schedule your initial consultation so you can see for yourself why we’re the most renowned orthodontic team in our local area.
So always feel free to reach out to us online or call us at 614-766-0330 (Dublin office) or 614-471-6355 (Gahanna office) to get in touch with our team and reap the many benefits of a specialized orthodontic treatment!