Can my dentist give me braces?
Dentists cover a broad range of oral health issues. An Orthodontist has additional University training to straighten teeth and correct misaligned jaws.
Key differences between orthodontists and dentists:
- Dentists
- Orthodontists
- A general dentist is similar to your family GP – they are highly skilled general practitioners who can diagnose and treat problems and common diseases that affect your teeth, mouth and gums.
- Dentists are trained to extract teeth, perform fillings, make crowns, and porcelain veneers.
- Some dentists can perform simple orthodontic procedures but routinely refer complex problems to Orthodontists.
- Some dentists also use braces and aligners to straighten teeth but patients need to be aware that they are not registered specialists recognised by the Australian Registration authorities and Insurance companies.
- Orthodontists are registered dental specialists who have completed an additional three years of full-time university training in orthodontics, facial growth, and development, biology and biomechanics (they hold a General Dental Degree + Specialist Orthodontic Degree).
- Orthodontists are facial growth and dental development experts. They diagnose and treat crooked teeth, bad bites and poorly aligned jaws.
- Orthodontists are experts in all orthodontic care options and technologies for children, teens and adults.
Your smile and your bite are too important to be managed by a non-specialist.
Orthodontic treatment (including braces and clear aligners) should ideally be provided by a registered specialist orthodontist. Orthodontists have the skills and expertise to correctly diagnose orthodontic problems, assess and monitor your tooth movements and safeguard the health of your teeth.
Search AHPRA to Check you’re seeing a Specialist Orthodontist
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency website has the details of all registered health professionals in the country, including general dentists and dental specialists such as orthodontists. You can easily search their records to find out if your practitioner is a Specialist. Look for the registration type ‘Dentist – Specialist’ to confirm they are an Orthodontist.
Why Choose Us?
30+ Years of Experience
We have provided smiles to multi-generational families
Evidence-based Practice
Professor Tan is a qualified medical scientist and only engages in evidence-based methods
Clinical Experience and Expertise
Our Orthodontists are highly experienced. Together, they have treated over 12,000 patients, and counting.
Your Orthodontist will be present at each visit
Unlike some practices, your treatment will be performed, not just supervised by an Orthodontist
Evidence Based Techniques
We only recommend treatment that is scientifically shown to be beneficial for your orthodontic treatment
Multi-Lingual
We speak your language: English and Chinese (中文)
Comparisons
| Online Mail Aligner Brands | General Dentists | You Make Me Smile Orthodontics | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist Orthodontist present during initial consultation | ✗ | ✗ | ✔ |
| Specialist Orthodontist present during every active treatment visit | ✗ | ✗ | ✔ |
| Specialist Orthodontist personally puts the braces on your teeth | ✗ | ✗ | ✔ |
| Short cosmetic aligner treatment options (6-12 months) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Alignment of back teeth aiming for best bite correction possible | ✗ | ✔ | ✔ |
| 3 years of additional training on top of a General Dentist degree | ✗ | ✗ | ✔ |
| Full disclosure knowing who your Doctor is and how much experience they personally have BEFORE you pay for treatment | ✗ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Retainers included in the price for ALL treatment options and payment plans | ✗ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Assessment of the health of the teeth and gums before proceeding with treatment. | ✗ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Use trusted premium aligner brands (such as Invisalign) | ✗ | ✔ | ✔ |
| The treating Doctor personally reviews X-rays before planning your Orthodontic treatment | ✗ | ✔ | ✔ |