Most people choose an orthodontist the way they choose a plumber. Someone recommends one, the office is close by, and that is that. It usually works out. But orthodontic treatment runs a year or two and you will be back in that chair every month or so, which makes it worth ten minutes of thought before you commit.
Here is how to choose an orthodontist, broken into the seven things that actually make a difference, and what to ask when you are sitting across from one.
1. Check That They Are Actually an Orthodontist
This sounds obvious. It is not, because plenty of general dental offices advertise braces and clear aligners without anyone on staff being an orthodontist.
Both are dentists. The difference is what came after dental school. An orthodontist completes a full residency, typically two to three years, dedicated entirely to how teeth and jaws move and how facial growth develops. It is competitive to get into and there is no shortcut. A general dentist who took a weekend course on aligner systems has not done that, and the American Association of Orthodontists is clear about the distinction.
Does it always matter? For mild crowding, maybe not. For anything involving your bite, jaw growth in a child, or a case where teeth need to move in more than one direction, it matters a great deal. The people who train specifically in tooth movement tend to be better at tooth movement.
Ask directly. Where did you do your orthodontic residency, and how long was it? Anyone who trained will be happy to tell you.
2. Look for Board Certification
Board certification is the part almost nobody explains, so here it is.
Completing a residency makes someone an orthodontist. Becoming a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics is a separate, voluntary step on top of that. It means submitting finished cases to a panel of examiners, sitting written and clinical examinations, and periodically recertifying. Nobody is required to do it. Roughly a third of practicing orthodontists in the United States have.
It is not a guarantee of a good experience and plenty of excellent orthodontists never pursue it. What it does tell you is that someone volunteered to have their actual finished work judged by their peers, which is a reasonable thing to want from the person straightening your teeth.
At Designer Smiles by Benton, our practice is led by board-certified orthodontists who hold this credential. It is worth asking any practice you visit whether theirs do.
3. Ask What Treatment Options They Offer
A practice that only offers one system will recommend that system, because it is the only thing they have. That is not necessarily bad faith. It is just a narrow toolbox.
The options worth having on the table:
- Metal braces, still the most efficient answer for complex crowding and bite correction
- LightForce clear braces, which work the same way but with brackets 3D printed for each individual tooth
- Clear aligners, including Invisalign clear aligners, Spark clear aligners and Boost aligners
- Early treatment for children, which is a different discipline from treating an adult
The right answer depends on your case, not on what happens to be in stock. A good sign at a consultation is an orthodontist telling you honestly that one option would work but another would work better, and explaining why.
4. Find Out What Technology They Use and What It Changes
Technology in a dental office is often marketing. Sometimes it genuinely changes your experience, and it helps to know which is which.
Digital scanning replaced putty impressions, which anyone who had braces twenty years ago will appreciate. Custom 3D printed brackets fit each tooth precisely, which means fewer adjustments over the course of treatment. Remote monitoring like DentalMonitoring lets you scan your teeth with your phone and have your orthodontist review it without a trip to the office, which for a working adult or a family juggling school runs is the difference between manageable and not.
The question is not what equipment they own. It is what that equipment does for you. If nobody can answer that in plain language, the equipment is probably decorative.
5. Ask Who You Will Actually See
In some practices the orthodontist does the diagnosis and initial planning, then assistants handle most routine adjustments. In others the doctor is at the chair every visit. Neither model is wrong, but they feel very different over two years and you should know which one you are signing up for.
Worth asking: will I see the same doctor throughout, or does that rotate? Who handles adjustments? If something goes wrong between appointments, who do I speak to?
6. Understand the Appointment Rhythm and the Timeline
Most patients come in every four to eight weeks for adjustments. Clear aligner patients often come in less often. Treatment usually runs somewhere between 8 and 36 months depending on what needs to move, though most people see visible change within the first few months.
Those numbers matter for the practical side of the decision. A practice with hours that clash with your work schedule will make you late or make you skip, and skipped appointments extend treatment. Ask what their hours are, how far out they book, and what happens if you need to reschedule.
7. Pay Attention to How the Consultation Itself Goes
The first visit tells you a lot. You are watching for whether they examine before they recommend, whether they explain what they found in language you follow, and whether they give you room to think.
A consultation that opens with a treatment plan and a signature line before anyone has looked properly at your teeth is a bad sign. So is a plan that never mentions any trade-offs, because every treatment has some.
Questions Worth Asking Before You Commit
Bring this list to your consultation. Any good practice will answer all of it without hesitating.
- Are you an orthodontist, and where did you complete your residency?
- Are you board certified?
- What treatment options would work for my case, and why are you recommending this one?
- What are the trade-offs of the option you are recommending?
- How long do you expect treatment to take, and what would make it take longer?
- How often will I come in, and who will I see?
- What happens if a bracket breaks or an aligner does not fit?
- What does retention look like after treatment finishes?
- Can I see before and after photos of cases like mine?
Warning Signs
A few things that should give you pause.
Pressure to decide today. Same-day starts are convenient and plenty of practices offer them, including ours. Pressure to decide before you have thought about it is a different thing entirely.
One treatment for every patient. If the recommendation is the same regardless of what the examination found, the examination was not really the point.
No mention of retention. Treatment does not end when the braces come off. A practice that never brings up retainers is skipping the part that protects everything you just paid for.
Vagueness about who is treating you. If nobody will say plainly whether an orthodontist is doing the work, assume the answer is no.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist?
Both are dentists. An orthodontist has completed an additional residency, usually two to three years, focused entirely on moving teeth and correcting bites and jaw development. General dentists can offer braces and aligners without that training. For straightforward cases either may work. For bite correction or growing children, the specialty training matters.
Does board certification actually matter?
It is voluntary, so plenty of good orthodontists do not have it. What it signals is that the doctor submitted completed cases to a panel of peers for examination and passed. It is evidence of finished work being judged rather than credentials being listed, which is a reasonable thing to look for.
How do I know if an orthodontist is right for my child?
Look for someone who treats children regularly, because early treatment is its own discipline. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first check-up by age seven, and a good practice will explain clearly whether treatment is needed now or whether they would rather watch and wait. You can read more about early orthodontic treatment and what it involves.
Should I get more than one consultation?
If you are unsure, yes. Consultations are commonly complimentary, and hearing two orthodontists describe the same set of teeth is genuinely useful. If their recommendations differ, ask each of them why. The reasoning tells you more than the recommendation does.
Am I too old to see an orthodontist?
No. There is no upper age limit, and adults make up a growing share of orthodontic patients. What matters is the health of your gums and the bone supporting your teeth. We cover this in more detail in our guide on braces for older adults.
Where to Start
Choosing an orthodontist comes down to whether the person across the desk is trained for the work, honest about the options and straightforward about what treatment will actually be like. Everything else follows from that.
If you are working through this decision, you are welcome to meet our doctors and team first. Designer Smiles by Benton has been treating families in the area for 40 years, and you can read more about what we offer at our Oxford office or book a free consultation to talk it through in person.