Plenty of Edmonton families first hear about braces or aligners at a regular dental visit. A few weeks later, an ad or a friend suggests seeing an orthodontist instead, and it is fair to wonder whether there is a real difference or just a different sign on the door.
There is a difference, and it is mostly about training and case selection. This article explains what specialty training adds, where a General Dentist fits well, and how to tell when a second opinion is worth your time. We are an orthodontic practice, so we have a point of view, and we have tried to be fair to the dentists who refer to us every week.
What specialty training adds
Every orthodontist starts as a dentist. After the general dental degree, an orthodontist completes roughly two to three more years of full-time postgraduate training that focuses on tooth movement, bite correction, jaw growth and retention. A General Dentist covers orthodontics as one topic among many in dental school. A resident in an orthodontic program spends those years on little else.
Dr. Mark Knoefel earned his dental degree at McGill University and his Master of Science in Orthodontics at the University of Alberta. He has practised for 27 years and treated more than 11,000 patients. Dr. Navi Bharj earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery at the University of Alberta and then trained in orthodontics at the University of British Columbia, finishing with a Master of Science in Craniofacial Science and a Diploma in Orthodontics. Before that, he worked as a General Dentist across Alberta.
What that experience mostly changes is judgment. After thousands of cases, you learn which crowded smiles are simple, which ones hide a bite problem, and which ones need a different plan from the one the patient asked for.
Where a General Dentist fits well
Your General Dentist looks after your teeth and gums for years, which makes them the right person to notice early signs of crowding, a crossbite or a habit that is affecting a child's bite. Many of our patients come to us because their dentist pointed out something worth a closer look.
Some General Dentists also treat limited orthodontic cases themselves. That can work well when the movement is small and the bite is already healthy, such as closing a small gap or tidying a single crooked tooth. Problems show up when a request for simple straightening turns out to involve the bite, the jaws or the gums.
The arrangement that works best is a shared one. Your General Dentist keeps your teeth and gums healthy, and an orthodontist leads the tooth movement when the plan is complex.
When a specialist usually changes the plan
A specialist consult is worth booking if any of these describe your situation:
- Crowding or gaps come with an uneven bite, a jaw that shifts when you close, or a lower jaw that sits back or forward
- A child or teen is still growing, and the right timing could make later treatment simpler
- An adult has gum recession, worn teeth or older dental work that affects how teeth can safely move
- Teeth have drifted after earlier braces or aligners
- Two offices have given you meaningfully different plans
- You are choosing between metal braces, clear braces and clear aligners and want a recommendation based on your own case
Clear aligners deserve a specific mention. They treat many smiles very well, and they are also heavily advertised. Whether they suit you depends on your bite, the shape of your roots and how reliably you will wear them, which is a clinical question and not a shopping one.
What a good orthodontic consult covers
You should leave a consult understanding your situation, without any pressure to decide that day. At Oasis, the complimentary consult is built around five questions:
- What is going on with your teeth and bite right now?
- What happens if you wait?
- Which appliances could work, and why?
- How long will treatment take, and what will retainers look like afterward?
- What are the tradeoffs and the full cost?
Those questions apply at every age. If you are comparing life stages, our pages on child, teen and adult orthodontics describe what each usually involves. The actual plan still comes from an in-person exam.
Good reasons to get a second opinion
Asking for a second opinion is a normal part of choosing care that will last for years. Most of the patients who come to us for one are not unhappy with their dentist. They want to be sure before they commit time and a significant investment.
Our Second Opinion visit makes sense when:
- one plan includes extractions and another does not
- you were told aligners can handle everything, but something about your bite still feels unresolved
- treatment has stalled
- you finished care somewhere else and need a local team for refinements or retainers
- you want a specialist to confirm a plan before you pay for it
Bring any records you have. If you have none, we can start from scratch.
How we approach it at Oasis
Orthodontics is all we do. Braces, clear braces, clear aligners, growth guidance for kids and retainers are the daily work of our two orthodontists and a team of more than fifteen. We work with General Dentists across the Edmonton area every week, and many of our best cases start with a referral from one. Others come to us directly, and we are glad to see them too.
If you are still weighing an orthodontist against your dentist, start with a conversation about your own case. You can book a complimentary consult, or request a Second Opinion if you already have a plan from another office. No referral is needed for either.
The short answer
An orthodontist and a General Dentist both care about your oral health. The orthodontist has spent two to three extra years studying tooth movement and bite correction, and treats those problems every day.
For a small, uncomplicated change, a General Dentist may be all you need. For anything involving the bite, growth or a plan you are unsure about, we suggest starting with a specialist. Whoever you choose, ask about retainers early, because they decide how long the result lasts. Our guide on how long to wear retainers after braces covers that next.
