Do I Need a Specialist Orthodontist? How to Know

Your dentist has suggested your teeth could benefit from orthodontic treatment. Or perhaps you have been thinking about it yourself for years and are finally ready to act. Either way, a question quickly follows: do you need to see a specialist orthodontist, or will your general dentist do?

It is a reasonable question. The answer matters — not just for your wallet, but for the quality and long-term stability of your result. As a specialist orthodontist who has practised in Claremont for many years, I want to give you an honest, practical answer.

What is a specialist orthodontist — and how is that different from a dentist?

In Australia, the title “specialist orthodontist” is a protected designation regulated by AHPRA. To use it, a practitioner must have:

1. Completed a five-year undergraduate dental degree
2. Practised as a general dentist
3. Completed an additional three-year, full-time, university-based postgraduate program in orthodontics

That postgraduate training is exclusively focused on orthodontics. Not general dentistry. Not cosmetic dentistry. Orthodontics — the movement of teeth, the management of facial growth, the correction of bites and jaw relationships, the interplay between teeth, gums, bone, and muscles.

By the time a specialist orthodontist completes training, they have managed hundreds of complex cases under supervision and have a depth of specialised knowledge that simply cannot be replicated through short courses or manufacturer training programs.

A general dentist who places braces or prescribes clear aligners has not completed that training. They may be competent and experienced — many are — but they are working in a scope beyond their core training, not within it.

When does specialist training make a real difference?

Not every orthodontic case is complex. Some are genuinely straightforward — mild crowding, minor spacing, a small tooth rotation. A well-trained general dentist can manage many of these cases adequately.

But orthodontic cases exist on a spectrum. And as cases move towards greater complexity, the depth of specialist training becomes increasingly important.

Here are the situations where I would strongly recommend seeing a specialist orthodontist rather than a general dentist:

Significant bite problems

If your upper and lower teeth do not meet properly when you bite — an overbite, underbite, crossbite, or open bite — that is more than a cosmetic issue. It affects how your teeth wear, how your jaw functions, and sometimes how you breathe and speak. Correcting a bite discrepancy requires a treatment plan that addresses the relationship between upper and lower jaws, not just the alignment of individual teeth. This is core specialist territory.

Skeletal discrepancies

Sometimes teeth look misaligned because the jaws themselves are positioned differently than they should be — one jaw is too far forward, or the face has grown asymmetrically. In growing patients, these issues can sometimes be addressed with orthodontic appliances. In adults, they may require coordination with a maxillofacial surgeon. Identifying the distinction — and planning treatment accordingly — requires specialist training.

Impacted or missing teeth

An impacted tooth is one that has not erupted into the mouth despite being present in the jaw. Canines and wisdom teeth are most commonly affected, but any tooth can be impacted. Bringing an impacted tooth into the arch is a specialised procedure that requires coordination with an oral surgeon and precise management of forces over an extended period. Similarly, treatment planning around congenitally missing teeth — where a tooth is simply absent — requires careful consideration of bone preservation, implant spacing, and interdisciplinary coordination.

Previous orthodontic treatment that has relapsed

Teeth that have been treated and then moved back towards their original position present specific challenges. Understanding why the relapse occurred, what the tissues look like after previous treatment, and how to achieve a stable result the second time requires experience and specialist knowledge.

Early treatment for children

When a child’s growth is still active, certain orthodontic problems can be intercepted — made simpler or resolved entirely — with early treatment. Identifying which problems warrant early intervention (and which are best left until growth is more complete) is a nuanced clinical judgement. Early treatment is an area where specialist training is particularly relevant, because the decisions being made affect the trajectory of a child’s facial development.

What about clear aligner systems prescribed by non-specialists?

Direct-to-consumer aligner companies and general dental practices offering aligner treatment have become common. In some cases these work well for minor tooth movements. In others, they produce results that look good on the surface but have created or worsened bite problems that the patient is not aware of.

Clear aligners are a tool. The quality of the result depends on the sophistication of the treatment plan behind them — the diagnostic process, the staging of tooth movements, the recognition of what can and cannot be safely achieved with aligners versus fixed appliances. A specialist orthodontist has the training to design that plan, monitor it rigorously, and recognise when a case is not tracking as intended.

If you are considering aligners, a specialist assessment will tell you honestly whether your case is suitable for aligners, whether fixed braces would serve you better, or whether a combination approach is most appropriate. That assessment is worth having before you commit to a course of treatment.

How Dr Denize approaches new patients at Claremont Orthodontics

When you come to see us at our Claremont practice, the first appointment is an assessment. We take the time to understand what you are hoping to achieve, examine your teeth and bite, take diagnostic records — X-rays and digital scans — and then sit down and explain what we have found.

We are honest about complexity. If your case is straightforward, we will tell you that. If it is more involved, we will explain why and what the treatment plan needs to address. We will discuss which options are appropriate for your specific situation, what realistic timelines look like, and what treatment will cost. You leave with a clear picture — not a sales pitch.

Dr Denize is a registered specialist orthodontist who completed postgraduate specialist training at the University of Adelaide. He has practised exclusively as a specialist orthodontist. That focus means his entire clinical experience — every case, every adjustment, every decision — has been within the discipline of orthodontics.

How to check if an orthodontist is a registered specialist

The simplest way is to check the AHPRA register at ahpra.gov.au. Search the practitioner’s name and look for “Orthodontics” under the Specialty field. If no specialty is listed, they are registered as a general dentist, not a specialist.

You can also look for membership of the Australian Society of Orthodontists (ASO), which requires specialist registration as a condition of membership.

It is always fair to ask the practice directly. A genuine specialist will tell you clearly, and their credentials will be verifiable.

Questions to ask before starting orthodontic treatment

Whether you are seeing a specialist or a general dentist, here are some questions worth asking before committing to treatment:

• What is the specific diagnosis? Not just “your teeth are crooked” — what orthodontic problem is being treated?
• Why is this treatment approach recommended for my case? What are the alternatives, and why are they less suitable?
• What is the realistic treatment timeline? Not the minimum — the expected duration for my case.
• What happens if my teeth do not track as planned? How will adjustments be made, and at what cost?
• What is included in the quoted fee? Does it include retainers, emergency appointments, refinements?
• What does retention look like? How long will I need to wear retainers, and what type?

A practitioner with solid training and honest clinical practice will be able to answer all of these clearly.

The bottom line

You do not always need a specialist orthodontist. But you should always have a specialist assessment.

The consultation at Claremont Orthodontics is a chance to understand your situation fully — the orthodontic issues involved, what treatment can realistically achieve, and what your options are. There is no obligation to proceed with us. What you will have is an informed foundation for any decision you make.

We see new patients from across Perth — Nedlands, Cottesloe, Dalkeith, Subiaco, Mosman Park, Swanbourne, Peppermint Grove, and beyond. We are at 7/355 Stirling Highway in Claremont, opposite Christ Church Grammar School.

Take our free 3-minute assessment at claremontorthodontics.com.au/assessment or call (08) 6288 7188 to book a consultation.

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Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.