While orthodontists generally get a bad rap owing to the role they have historically played in the affixing of braces to the teeth of countless, untold generations of children, the reality is that this specialty specializes in protecting your teeth from the pain and expense of oral surgery. In short, the orthodontist is tasked with doing everything in their power to fix their patient’s teeth without resorting to surgical procedures. In other words, if you are dreading the drills and pain of oral surgery, the orthodontist is potentially your best friend in the world.

Patients typically are referred to an orthodontia specialist after the family dentist detects poor tooth alignment, which might suggest an improper bite that will only grow worse with time. Specifically, the field of orthodontics works with braces, headgear, retainers, and other mechanical hardware to improve the patient’s overall appearance, and their ability to chew and swallow their dinner painlessly.