Should I see a dentist or an orthodontist for my Invisalign treatment? What's the difference?

How do you choose an experienced Invisalign orthodontist?  Does it matter if you see a general, cosmetic dentist, or a specialist orthodontist?

This should be a simple question, because orthodontists should be better.  They have to graduate and work as a dentist, then go back to University for 3 more years, to gain a specialist degree.  They ONLY do orthodontics - 100% of their working time. 

General dentists are legally allowed to treat with orthodontic appliances, but very few spend much time on this. Most of their days are spent on restorative, preventive, etc treatments, so their working time may only include 1 or 2% orthodontics. 

In fact, many general dentists avoid orthodontics completely, and refer all these patients.


So, it stands to reason that orthodontic specialists should be more experienced in most orthodontic treatments than general dentists.  But read on!

Invisalign is different. 

Most orthodontists have only treated a few cases, often limited to the very simplest problems.  Again, they may only use the technique 1-5% of the time.  Some dentists may have done more cases, and so develop hands-on skills with Invisalign.

Now it's getting complicated?  How can you find out how much experience a specific orthodontist (or a dentist) has with Invisalign?

It used to be simple - the Invisalign website has a "Find a Practitioner" search, and you can set limits for "specialist only", and "experienced only".  In theory, the practitioners with highest experience with Invisalign are termed "Platinum Elite".  In 2012,this can no longer be trusted- the results now lump together all orthodontists in the same practice or group.  You cannot see what experience any individual orthodontist in these groups has.

Let us look at a couple of examples:

1.   There might be FOUR orthodontists in one practice.  If ONE of these treats 100 cases per year, and the other THREE only treat ONE case per year, they are ALL listed as Platinum Elite!


2.   There is a group of 20-plus "Invisible Orthodontists", with a combined marketing strategy and budget.  Some of these treat many Invisalign cases, some only a few.  They are ALL listed as Platinum Elite, because of their group marketing. 

So, how can you find out if the orthodontist you choose is genuinely experienced? 

There is a very simple way.  Ask him or her at your consultation. 

You can also ask the receptionist when you call initially, but they may not be allowed to answer directly.

If the orthodontist is in solo practice (ie alone), then you can trust the Platinum Elite listing - they have treated all their cases. 

It also means you have more chance of being treated by the othodontist personally, not by an assistant or hygienist. Many larger group practices employ multiple chairside assistants, with the orthodontist merely supervising treatment.  In smaller practices, as with most small businesses, the boss needs to be hands-on, so you get more personal attention.

Here's a graphical illustration of the way Platinum Elite status works:

Example 1 - multiple separate practices across the country, with combined advertising budget ("Invisible Orthodontists")

Example 2 - a practice with 4 orthodontists (may have multiple locations)

Example 3 - solo orthodontist who handles a few Invisalign cases per year

Finally, example 4, an orthodontist with good individual experience, in solo practice

  

You probably want to see an experienced orthodontist.  I hope this rant will help you find the right one, but please feel free to ask us any questions.  Contact info is on this page, and details of our experience can be found here, and on other pages on this website.

One last thing to remember.

Orthodontic treatment takes 1-2 years or more, and is a big commitment of your time, effort and money.  Experience should not be your only criterion in choosing an orthodontist.  You must be comfortable with their personality, staff and practice.  You will be seeing a lot of them!  Happy hunting.