If you have ever searched for braces or Invisalign and wondered why some providers are called dentists and others are called orthodontists, you are asking exactly the right question. Understanding what is the difference between a dentist and an orthodontist is not just academic trivia. It affects the quality of your diagnosis, the precision of your treatment plan, and the outcome you can realistically expect.
For patients from Edison, NJ to the Bronx looking for an orthodontist Bronx NY area or New Jersey families can count on for specialist-level care, Smile Solutions Orthodontics provides that distinction in full. Dr. Christopher Chung and Dr. Leonid Epshteyn are trained orthodontic specialists, not general dentists who added aligner certification to an existing practice.
The Short Answer
A dentist is a general practitioner of oral health. An orthodontist is a dentist who completed two to three additional years of full-time specialty training in orthodontics after dental school. Every orthodontist is a dentist. Not every dentist is an orthodontist.
That extra training matters more than most people realize, because orthodontics is not a simple add-on. It involves biomechanics, facial growth patterns, jaw development, bite mechanics, and treatment sequencing that take years of focused study to develop. A general dentist offering braces or Invisalign as one of twenty services they provide has a fundamentally different depth of knowledge than an orthodontist who does nothing else.
The Training Difference in Detail
| Training Stage | General Dentist | Orthodontist |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 4 years | 4 years |
| Dental school (DDS/DMD) | 4 years | 4 years |
| Orthodontic residency | Not required | 2 to 3 additional years |
| Board certification | Optional | Voluntary but reflects highest specialty standard |
| Primary focus | Comprehensive oral health | Tooth movement, bite mechanics, jaw development |
| Braces and aligners | May offer as additional service | Core daily practice |
What the residency actually covers: An orthodontic residency is not a short course or a weekend seminar. It is a two to three year full-time program covering cephalometric analysis, growth and development, biomechanics, treatment planning for complex cases, functional appliances, and surgical orthodontics. It typically includes treating hundreds of cases under supervised instruction before a resident is credentialed.
Why This Distinction Matters for Your Treatment
Diagnosis accuracy
Orthodontic diagnosis requires reading cephalometric X-rays, assessing jaw growth patterns, evaluating bite relationships in three dimensions, and predicting how the teeth will move over an 18 to 24 month treatment course. A specialist who does this every day develops a diagnostic precision that is meaningfully different from a generalist doing it occasionally.
Treatment planning for complex cases
Not all orthodontic cases are straightforward. Severe crowding, significant bite issues, skeletal discrepancies, and cases requiring coordination with oral surgeons or periodontists demand specialist expertise. The full range of orthodontic treatments available at Smile Solutions includes advanced systems like SureSmile and Damon braces specifically because complex cases need more than basic bracket placement.
Invisalign outcomes
Invisalign offered by a general dentist and Invisalign planned by an experienced orthodontist are not equivalent products even though they use the same aligner brand. The treatment plan, the sequencing of movements, the decision to incorporate elastics or auxiliaries, and the ability to recognize when a case has outgrown what aligners can accomplish all improve substantially with specialist training and volume. Smile Solutions has been a certified Invisalign provider for over 20 years, which reflects the depth of experience behind every aligner case at this practice.
What Does an Orthodontist Treat That a Dentist Typically Does Not?
- Malocclusion: The clinical term for a misaligned bite, including overbite, underbite, crossbite, and open bite.
- Skeletal discrepancies: Cases where the jaw position itself contributes to bite problems, often requiring growth modification or surgical coordination.
- Complex crowding and spacing: Cases involving impacted teeth, significant arch length discrepancies, or extraction decisions.
- Phase one early treatment: Interceptive orthodontics for children that takes advantage of jaw growth to prevent more complex problems later.
- TMJ and orofacial pain: Some orthodontic specialists, including at Smile Solutions, treat bite-related TMJ dysfunction as an extension of their specialty training.
Can a Dentist Do Braces or Invisalign?
Yes, legally. Many general dentists offer braces and Invisalign, and some do so competently. The question is not whether a dentist can do it but whether they have the same depth of training, diagnostic experience, and case volume as a dedicated orthodontist. For straightforward alignment cases, the difference may be minimal. For anything moderately complex, the specialist advantage becomes meaningful.
If you are deciding who to trust with your or your child’s orthodontic treatment, the guide to choosing your orthodontist at Smile Solutions covers the specific questions worth asking before committing to a provider.
What Makes Smile Solutions Orthodontics Different
Dr. Chung earned his DDS from UCLA and his MS in Oral Biology with an orthodontic specialty from Rutgers University. He has been practicing for over 22 years, has been named a New Jersey Top Dentist for 15 consecutive years, and was one of the first orthodontists in northeast New Jersey to adopt SureSmile technology. Dr. Epshteyn completed his orthodontic training after a general practice residency at Staten Island University Hospital and has been recognized as an NJ Top Dentist for seven consecutive years. The reasons why Smile Solutions leads in Edison go well beyond just credentials, but the specialist training is the foundation everything else is built on.
The Bottom Line
So what is the difference between a dentist and an orthodontist? About two to three years of full-time specialty training, hundreds of additional cases under expert supervision, and a daily practice devoted entirely to tooth movement and bite mechanics.
For patients anywhere from Edison to the orthodontist Bronx NY area who want specialist-level care, that difference translates directly into better diagnosis, more precise treatment planning, and outcomes that hold up long term. Braces and Invisalign at Smile Solutions are planned by orthodontists who do nothing else, and that is exactly the point.
Edison: 3900 Park Ave. #103, Edison, NJ 08820
Millburn: 231 Millburn Ave., Millburn, NJ 07041
Union: 381 Chestnut St., Union, NJ 07083
Call or Text: (973) 376-0496
Book Your Free Consultation at Smile Solutions Orthodontics
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a dentist and an orthodontist?
A dentist is a general oral health practitioner. An orthodontist is a dentist who completed two to three additional years of full-time specialty training in orthodontics after dental school. Orthodontists focus exclusively on tooth movement, bite correction, and jaw development. Not all dentists offer orthodontic treatment, and those who do may not have the same depth of specialist training.
Should I see a dentist or an orthodontist for braces?
For braces or any orthodontic treatment, an orthodontist is the appropriate specialist. While some general dentists offer braces, an orthodontist’s dedicated training and daily case volume produce more precise diagnosis and treatment planning, particularly for moderate to complex cases.
Can my regular dentist do Invisalign?
Yes, many general dentists are certified Invisalign providers. However, the quality of Invisalign treatment depends heavily on the depth of the treatment planning, which improves substantially with orthodontic specialist training and case volume. A dentist with 20+ years of Invisalign experience as a certified provider, like Smile Solutions, offers a meaningfully different level of care.
Is an orthodontist more expensive than a dentist for braces?
Not necessarily. Specialist orthodontists often charge comparable rates to general dentists offering orthodontic treatment. At Smile Solutions Orthodontics, comprehensive pricing with no hidden fees and flexible payment options make specialist care accessible. A free consultation provides the full cost picture before you commit.
Is Smile Solutions a good orthodontist Bronx NY and NJ area patients can access?
Smile Solutions Orthodontics serves patients across northern New Jersey from three offices in Edison, Millburn, and Union. Many patients from the broader tri-state area, including from Bronx NY and surrounding communities, make the trip for specialist-level care from Dr. Chung and Dr. Epshteyn, both recognized NJ Top Dentists.