Orthodontic Treatment Monmouth County Lincroft Sea Girt New Jersey (NJ)

8 Things to Know

“The 8 Things You Must Know Before

Choosing Your Family’s Orthodontist”

An orthodontist is a dentist, who after graduating from dental school, completes additional full-time university based education in an accredited orthodontic residency program supervised by orthodontists. This specialized training lasts at least 2-3 academic years, and sometimes longer. By learning about tooth movement (orthodontics) and guidance of facial development (dentofacial orthopedics), orthodontists are the specifically educated experts in dentistry to straighten teeth and align jaws. Orthodontists limit their practices to orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. This means that orthodontic treatment is what they do, and all they do. Selecting an orthodontist who is a member of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) is your assurance that you have chosen an orthodontist: the dental specialist with at least 2-3 years of advanced specialty education in orthodontics in a university-based program accredited by the American Dental Association. American Association of Orthodontists website www. Braces.org
You enjoy many additional benefits and added peace of mind when you entrust your family’s orthodontic care to a qualified orthodontic specialist. In some instances today, general dentists are performing orthodontic procedures that may better be left to an orthodontic specialist who has the experience and comprehensive orthodontic training to ensure favorable results.
Did you know that legislation has been introduced in parts of the United States preventing dentists from conveying to the public that they are dental specialists if they have not completed the education for that dental specialty as defined by the American Dental Association? In some areas of the country, this has become common for general dentists to claim they are proficient at orthodontic procedures. Dr. Mark Blaisdell, immediate past president of the Utah Dental Association remark, “When the public cannot determine who is treating them, then there is a problem…the public needs a clear understanding.” There IS a difference between an orthodontic specialist and dentist.
At the time of their initial orthodontic evaluation, many children are not ready for orthodontic treatment. If your child does not require orthodontic treatment at the time of your initial visit, Dr. Cuozzo prefers to put them on recall and wait until the appropriate time to start.
Dr. Cuozzo is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. He continued his education past dental school and received his certificate of specialty in orthodontics from Penn University. Dr. Cuozzo has been in practice for over ten years and is Board Certified, by the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO), which is the only orthodontic board recognized by the American Dental Association.
To seek treatment from an orthodontic specialist, you do not need to be referred by a general dentist. In fact, 45 percent of patients that are treated by Dr. Cuozzo were not referred by a general dentist but rather sought out his treatment based on his reputation for dedicated personal care.
Orthodontic treatment is not just for children any longer! Many of our adult patients are finding out now how a healthy, attractive smile can enhance their careers, as well as their self-esteem and happiness. Even though, you may not have gotten braces, when you were young, why should you deprive yourself any longer of the many benefits of expert orthodontic treatment?
Orthodontic is a long-term commitment with a possibility of two to two and half years of active treatment and one to two years of retention follow-up. Orthodontic associates in a general dentist practice may change their location before your orthodontic is completed. This may result in an increase in treatment time, an undesirable orthodontic result, and or the need to find another orthodontist to finish treatment.