I’m finally in a good position to get my teeth dealt with. I’ve never had money before and the first thing I want to do is get a smile I’m proud of. I’ve always had check-ups/cleanings, but couldn’t do anything else. Step one is straightening them, followed by whitening. As this is a cosmetic procedure do I need a cosmetic dentist? Or maybe I need an orthodontist because it’s straightening. They both seem to do it so I don’t know the “right” procedure.

Kelly Anne M.

Dear Kelly Anne,

I’m thrilled you’re getting to work on your teeth. It sounds like something you’ve wanted for a long time. When it comes to Invisalign, it’s a fairly straightforward procedure. You can go to a dentist or an orthodontist. If you were talking about a highly skilled procedure, such as porcelain veneers then you’d definitely need to go to an expert cosmetic dentist.

Some patients don’t realize there isn’t a cosmetic dentistry specialty. So, a cosmetic dentist is simply a general dentist who offers cosmetic services. The cosmetic skill from dentist to dentist varies greatly. If you were getting a total smile makeover with porcelain veneers, I’d suggest you go to the mynewsmile.com website and search your area for skilled cosmetic dentists.  They screen each dentist’s skill level before recommending them.

But, as I said earlier, Invisalign is straight forward. You’ll be fine with your family dentist. There’s a bonus, too. Tell your dentist that you’re planning on whitening your teeth also. He should allow you to use the Invisalign aligners as whitening trays. This will enable you to do both procedures at the same time.

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