Alignment of the teeth and jaws are carried out by a dental specialist know as an orthodontist. Orthodontic is made up of two words, “ortho” meaning correct and “dont” meaning teeth. So orthodontics literally means making teeth correct.  In Dentistry, orthodontics was the first recognized specialty and has been around over 100 years.

Orthodontists specialize in dento-facial orthopedics. Not only is the orthodontist an expert at aligning teeth, they can also correct jaw alignment as well. Although a person may have teeth that look straight, the jaws may be out of alignment. Any irregularity  in jaw alignment can result in injury to your teeth and gums.

In order to get a degree as an orthodontist, a student must first achieve a dental degree, and then undergo addition schooling. After graduating from dental school one has to study for additional 2-3 years for specialization in orthodontics. In other words all orthodontists have dental training, but we cannot say that the reverse in true. Fewer than 6% of dentists are orthodontists. While dentists can perform orthodontic work, they are unable to claim that they are orthodontists.

For a list of qualified, certified orthodontists in Camarillo, you can visit the American Association of Orthodontists website at www.braces.org.