orthodontist
or-thuh-DON-tist
/ˌɔː.θəˈdɒn.tɪst/
A dental specialist who diagnoses, prevents, and corrects misaligned teeth and jaws.
A specialized dentist focusing specifically on bite alignment, braces, and aligners rather than routine cleanings.
The story behind the word. Orthodontist comes from two Greek roots: 'orthos', meaning 'straight' or 'correct', and 'odous' (stem 'odont-'), meaning 'tooth'. Coined in the early 20th century as specialized dental science evolved, the job title literally describes someone whose profession is making teeth straight.
Commonly confused with
- dentist: A general dentist provides overall oral care like cleanings and fillings, whereas an orthodontist specializes in moving teeth and correcting bites.
Word family
- orthodontics (noun): The branch of dentistry dealing with tooth alignment.
- orthodontic (adjective): Relating to orthodontics.
Collocations
- visit the orthodontist
- orthodontist consultation
- certified orthodontist
- orthodontist treatment
Example sentences
- "The orthodontist recommended braces to straighten her crooked teeth and fix her bite alignment." Clinical specialized care
Memory hook
ORTHO means STRAIGHT, DONT means TOOTH — an orthodontist makes teeth straight! ORTHODONTIST = Specialist who straightens teeth.
When not to use
Do not refer to a general dentist performing routine fillings as an orthodontist.
Fun facts
- All orthodontists are dentists, but less than 10% of dentists go on to complete the additional residency required to become orthodontists!
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