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Understanding Orthodontics Vs. Cosmetic Dentistry

Love Yourself, Love Your Smile

BHO-man
  • Dr. Monica Madan
  • October 11, 2022

Between posting on social media, attending Zoom meetings, and speaking on FaceTime, we spend a lot of time looking at ourselves these days. 

In one sense, this level of self-familiarization can be a great thing. Consistently working to look your best online and in real life can lead to a more positive body image—a key component of good mental health. On the other hand, when people don’t feel comfortable with their appearance, it can have the opposite effect and lower overall happiness. 

To help people feel more confident in their appearance, dental and orthodontic practices have long provided services that:

  • Correct teeth misalignments for a straighter smile
  • Replace missing teeth with dental implants
  • Eliminate stains for a whiter overall smile

Beginning in the 1980s, some of these treatments became grouped together under the umbrella term “cosmetic dentistry.” However, this term can be a bit confusing given that orthodontists also heavily focus on improving patient appearance via teeth straightening and smile reconstruction. As a result, some patients may be confused over whether an orthodontist or cosmetic dentist will best suit their needs. 

If you’re looking for clarification on the “orthodontics vs. cosmetic dentistry” dynamic, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll break down how these two specialties intersect and differ from one another.

So, What’s the Difference Between Orthodontists and Cosmetic Dentists?

At first glance, orthodontists and cosmetic dentists may appear to fulfill similar care roles. After all, they both work to improve patient smiles by fixing things like misaligned bites and damaged teeth. However, the ways in which orthodontists and cosmetic dentists provide treatment are very different. 

Orthodontics is a specialty of dentistry that is focused on treating teeth and jaw misalignments. Similar to how dermatologists are medical doctors who undergo extensive training to work with children, orthodontists are dentists who  attend 3 years of extra training as part of a “residency program” after the 4 years of dental school to learn how to diagnose, treat, and prevent jaw/teeth misalignment. They spend almost as much time in orthodontic training as they did in dental school. Orthodontists do not do fillings or cleanings etc, they specialize in straightening teeth and retention.

Accredited orthodontics programs are known to be extremely competitive, which is part of the reason why there are only 11,000 orthodontists currently practicing in the US as compared to 200,000 general dentists. Only 1-2 graduating dentists get into an orthodontic residency program per year per class.

Compared to orthodontics, cosmetic dentistry is a much broader field that requires no special credentials to practice. As a term, “cosmetic dentistry” refers to a range of treatments that any general dentist can provide to fix aesthetic issues related to one’s teeth, bite, and gums. Although some of these treatments do improve oral functionality, the main goal of cosmetic dentistry is to improve smile appearance—not to treat health problems.   

Orthodontic treatments, on the other hand, focus on improving oral health by correcting bite and jaw issues. As a result of treatment, the patient’s smile will look significantly better than it did before.

Orthodontics vs. Cosmetic Dentistry: Differences in Treatment Options and Goals

Although orthodontics and cosmetic dentistry are two different dental disciplines, they do intersect in a few ways. For instance, orthodontists and cosmetic dentists both offer treatments for crooked teeth. 

However, the ways in which they treat crooked teeth can be very different:

  • An orthodontist will treat crooked teeth with either Invisalign, fixed braces, or a similar oral appliance/device. These treatment options will permanently correct tooth alignment to create a smile that is both better-looking and healthier.
  • A cosmetic dentist will often treat crooked teeth with traditional porcelain veneers. Although porcelain veneers will help teeth appear straighter, the natural teeth are not moved and treatment requires permanent enamel removal, which makes teeth weaker.

In addition to veneer treatment, many cosmetic dentists offer Invisalign as well. However, because cosmetic dentists lack the specialty training of orthodontists, they can only offer Invisalign to patients with very minor alignment issues. Minor alignment issues can very quickly turn into major alignment issues if not treated correctly the first time. Comparatively, an orthodontist can use Invisalign in conjunction with other specialty treatments to correct complex oral health issues. 

In this comparison, we can see the general “orthodontics vs cosmetic dentistry” dynamic at play. The orthodontist will create a comprehensive treatment plan to improve the patient’s oral health and oral beauty. Meanwhile, the cosmetic dentist will likely focus solely on improving appearance and may not be able to correct any alignment issues that go beyond aesthetics. 

That said, cosmetic dentistry is a valid treatment option for a number of smile problems. For example, cosmetic dentists are great at fixing issues like missing/damaged teeth and stained smiles. When it comes to smile alignment, however, you can’t beat the specialty knowledge and comprehensive treatment options provided by an orthodontist. 

If you’re trying to decide between visiting an orthodontist and cosmetic dentist to treat your crooked teeth, consider the comparison chart below for guidance on which treatment option may be right for you:

Invisalign/Braces Treatment from an Orthodontist 

Traditional Veneers from a Cosmetic Dentist

Permanent solution for crooked teeth

Prosthetic solution that will likely need to be replaced in the future

Increases smile functionality 

Non-permanent solution, often without increased function

Helps alleviate the muscle strain associated with misaligned jaws

Does not address medical issues associated with misalignment

Patients will retain their natural smile

Requires permanent alteration of the natural tooth

Treatment typically takes a few months 

Treatment takes a few weeks to complete

Ready to Permanently Fix Alignment Issues?

Cosmetic dentistry is a great treatment avenue if you want to treat aesthetic issues like damaged teeth or a discolored smile. However, there are significant limits to what a cosmetic dentist can do to treat a misaligned smile.

Orthodontic treatment offers a way to obtain a permanently straight smile without any compromises. At Beverly Hills Orthodontics, Dr. Monica Madan has been helping patients achieve perfect smiles on their own terms since 2008. Recognized as Diamond Plus Invisalign Provider, Dr. Madan and the BHO team work hand-in-hand with patients to transform smiles, improve health, and boost confidence.

Your Smile Is More than just two rows of teeth - it's how you show your personality to the world.

Let Dr. Madan and her team help you help keep your smile looking (and feeling) better than ever.
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We are thankful for the opportunity to serve our communities with the highest quality care. Check out what our patients are saying about their 5-star experience with us!

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Lizzie S.
No one has scheduled my appointment better than Anthony and Dr. Madden is the best doctor!!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your wonderful recommendation, Lizzie! We're thrilled to be considered the best in the area. Your support means a lot to us!
Alessandra M.
Dr Monica and her staff are just the absolute best. Office is beautiful and clean. Staff is great and kind and have never had any issues whatsoever. The work that she and her staff members do is just 10/10. They are also so welcoming and genuinely kind. Dr Monica and even members of her staff like Anthony will have genuine conversations with you and make you feel the most comfortable. Even during a treatment that many (including myself) are not fond of. (Anything dental related can be scary but they truly put you at peace.) I’m so happy that I made the decision to proceed with treatment here. All questions are always answered. Concerns dealt with. And treatment is impeccable. The results I already have solidify why I’m so happy with my decision to get work done here.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your wonderful review, Alessandra. We're thrilled to hear you had such a positive experience. Our team is dedicated to making every visit comfortable and welcoming. Your satisfaction is our priority!
nathalie K.
Very friendly staff & very accommoding. They are very understanding. Everyone here is super welcoming and very nice! Can't wait to see my next appointment.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your glowing review, Nathalie! We’re thrilled to hear that you found our team friendly and accommodating. We look forward to welcoming you back at your next appointment!
T W.
I highly recommend Dr Madan at BHO for all of your orthodontic needs. Between her warm personality, knowledge and skill you will have to look no further.
This office constantly has amazing offers and specials that make their treatment pricing EXTREMELY competitive. Trust me, as I’ve gotten consults from just about every provider in town. I am seeing unbelievable results with my Invisalign treatment only a few weeks in. Dr Madan was the obvious choice, as she made this process as minimally invasive as possible. I have been to multiple of her offices and they all are pristine. I would recommend to anyone in the LA area looking for the best provider for their orthodontist!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your glowing review! We're delighted you're experiencing exceptional results with your Invisalign treatment. Dr. Madan strives to create a comfortable and effective orthodontic experience for every patient.
Eva P.
So far I am having an amazing experience with Dr Madan and BHO. I’ve consulted with many Orthos over the years for Invisalign. Almost all said I would have to extract a tooth to solve over crowding issue on bottom teeth. Within literally 5 weeks of Invisalign, my bottom teeth are almost completely straightened out already. I cannot believe how fast this treatment is working. Not to mention, I had tradition braces in the past and my teeth fully reverted to their original form. It took over 4 years to correct my crowding with braces the first time, back in the day.

How incredible Dr Madan and her staff is , along with her immaculate offices deserves its own second review. 10/10 experience so far highly recommend them!
Response from the owner:Thank you, Eva! We're thrilled to hear about your positive experience with Dr. Madan and our team. It’s rewarding to see your progress with Invisalign. Your recommendation means a lot to us!
Anahit M.
I’ve had a good experience here. I have been coming here for about two years and I’ve seen great progress.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your wonderful feedback, Anahit! We're thrilled to hear about your positive experience and the progress you've made over the past two years. Your support means a lot to us!
valeria
Overall the best experience, definitely helped me get my self confidence back with my smile!!🥰
Response from the owner:We truly appreciate your feedback, Val! It’s fantastic to know that we positively impacted your self-confidence and smile. Thank you for choosing us and sharing your experience! We’re here for you anytime you need us.
Bardia A.
Monica and her team are so nice and professional. The experience has always been welcoming and the office was always clean and I felt totally comfortable coming in during the pandemic. They took every precaution and were so great to work with.
Response from the owner:We appreciate you taking the time to leave us feedback on your experience. We work very hard every day to exceed our patients’ expectations!
Justin H.
We have loved working with the team at Beverly Hills Orthodontics. We had 2 kids go through the Invisalign plan and they were always so nice and helpful in explaining everything. What a difference the program made!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for the positive feedback. We are honored to serve each and every one of our patients!
Jade L.
Lose this dentist, the doctors are really nice and always answer my questions regarding my teeth.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words about us and our staff!
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